#InTheSpotlight: JEFFERSON TSHABALALA - DIRECTOR AND WRITER

A new play by Witsies, Secret ballot, is an urban representation of contemporary South African politics.This politically driven play pokes fun at the shortcomings of our modern parliamentarians and issues we can all readily identify with.“The play speaks urgently to the time,” said writer and director Jefferson Tshabalala.From our beloved president Jacob Zuma to our blessed charismatic pastors, the story references contemporary figures of authority and ridicules the abundance of power and money and how that turns to greed when there is no accountability. It satirises recent social spectacles like the Braamfontein KFC street chicken saga and the #AskMmusi social media campaign.“That is probably why we don’t have sponsorship from any institution,” cast member Tony Miyambo said. The cast and crew decided to not charge anything for the show and opted to let people donate however much they wanted.This contemporary piece of protest theatre explores the greedy culture of tenderpreneurs. Politically connected individuals who got rich through the government tendering system. The play comically exploits how political clout is used to gain personal ‘sugar’ or riches as the play suggests.“The production was largely informed by the political climate under which it was first written,” said Tshabalala, who wrote the play during the post -election period in 2014.