by Thinus Ferreira
The iconic South African actress Shaleen Surtie-Richards was beloved by the people but abandoned by the system said one of her closest friends at her funeral, who implored the South African government and arts minister Nathi Mthethwa who sat in the funeral chapel to urgently launch a fund to look after the country's suffering artists.
Shaleen Surtie-Richards (66) unexpectedly died a week ago with her coffin on Sunday afternoon that was draped in the South African flag during the Category 2 official provincial funeral that was broadcast live on SABC News, Newzroom Afrika and eNCA.
The chapel at the Durbanville Memorial Park was filled with red and white flowers, including candles that Estée Lauder donated as a reminder of Shaleen's love of perfume, and even the Shaleen Surtie-Richards Rose that was flown in especially by Ludwig's Roses for the funeral.
The funeral was attended by Hannes van Wyk, presenter of Kwêla and Hannes aan Huis on kykNET (DStv 144), as well as Karen Meiring, M-Net director for kykNET channels.
"Shaleen was loved by the people but she was abandoned by the system," said Shaleen Surtie-Richards' longtime friend Rif'at Browers in a moving tribute.
Addressing South Africa's minister of sport, arts and culture directly who sat in the chapel, Rif'at Browers said "In this vein, I speak to minister Nathi Mthethwa and I plead with you: Please let us launch a fund that will ensure the longevity of all South African people in the arts and entertainment industry. I'm open to any form of discussion, and on any platform."
Patricia de Lille, minister of public works and infrastructure, who wasn't in attendance on Sunday but whose tribute was read out loud, said that Shaleen Surtie-Richards "was a vanguard who paved a way before and after Apartheid for people of all races - but specifically for people of colour".
"It is sad that her death had laid bare the struggles of South African artists and the struggles that they have to endure later in life," said Patricia de Lille.
"Many people knew and loved Shaleen but very few how she suffered but she always had the pride of being fearlessly independent."
"For the industry, Shaleen's death and struggles in recent years should be a wake-up call to stand up and protect the arts and our artists to ensure that all artists, their talents and their rights are protected and respected and that they are well taken care of in their later life and before and after retirement."
"The industry is poorer without her but richer because of her contribution."
Nathi Mthethwa said that "Shaleen has taught us more about ourselves - what makes us truly South Africans; what makes us truly human".
Called the industry's "darkest secret", South African performers are still not receiving residuals for rebroadcasts of their TV and film work like what happens in other countries.
After years of getting the long-stalled Performers Protection Amendment Bill (PPAB) to parliament that would ensure that South African performers are paid residuals for the rebroadcast of their work on television, president Cyril Ramaphosa refused to sign the PPAB.
After the bill had languished on his desk for 15 months, Ramaphosa has now sent the bill back to South Africa's National Assembly.
