THE ARTS AND EDUCATION, OUR TALENTED YOUTH, AND THE CENTRE FOR FINE ART ANIMATION AND DESIGN (CFAD) NEED URGENT PUBLIC SUPPORT – GOAL R 250 000

Here is why:
1. The CFAD has the oldest private independent arts college in South Africa. It is the only college nationally that offers an integrated multimedia diploma (fine arts, design, animation). CFAD was also recognized as an institute of excellence in 2010 and has helped shape many achievers in the arts and related sectors.

2. The CFAD was founded by Dr Nanda Soobben, South Africa’s first black political cartoonist- a renowned artist, historian and humanitarian. He is also the recipient of various awards including an Amnesty International Award (2007) for using his cartoons to ‘[speak] the truth through the power of cartoons’ and the Heritage Award (2009) for the contribution towards the preservation and promotion of South African heritage and culture.

3. The CFAD experienced 5 tragic robberies at its previous premises in Cowey Road, Durban. The robberies resulted in a loss of equipment and accreditation information. As a result, the CFAD’s college registration was canceled in 2016.

4. To add insult to injury, bursary funding which was promised to disadvantaged students never arrived. Dr Soobben chose to let these students study because he supports the dreams of disadvantaged talented students.

5. Based on public pressure, including an online petition, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) agreed to extend the college’s ‘phase out’ period for current students, and to work with the CFAD to fast track the reinstatement of accreditation and new registration for CFAD’s college.

6. Application documents were submitted under very trying circumstances including financial challenges. CFAD is awaiting the confirmation of the accreditation reinstatement and the granting of the new registration by the DHET.

7. CFAD was given to understand that the accreditation reinstatement would be finalised in 1-3 months, which would have been end February 2018. To date, CFAD still awaits its accreditation reinstatement. Meanwhile, the college is inundated with calls, e-mails and requests to teach budding new students.
8. This has been a very stressful time for CFAD’s students, staff and Dr Soobben, as all their lives are hanging in the balance waiting for the DHET, so that CFAD can focus on arts education empowerment.

9. CFAD is battling with the financial challenge of covering operating expenses such as rent so that it can continue teaching its beloved students.

10. The tragedy is that if education was truly free in our country, not only would our students benefit, but so would our entire country.

How You Can Help:
1. Join ‘CFAD MUST RISE’ and invite supporters to like the page: https://www.facebook.com/…/cfad+must+rise/keywords_search

2. Contact the Department of Higher Education. For more details, please email ShabnamCFAD@gmail.com or call +27 82 325 4136.

3. Help us with funding, big or small, to help us survive and empower generations of students who want to come to CFAD.

4. Sign and share last year’s petition (to be updated):https://awethu.amandla.mobi/…/stop-targeting-dr-nanda-soobb…

This is a powerful 1 minute news feature with Dr Soobben -https://www.beautifulnews.co.za/stories/dr-nanda-soobben

And a 1 minute video introducing CFAD’s amazing students and staff -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcGdpMStWBY&feature=youtu.be

“In the Foreword to Dr Soobben’s book, Editor, Kaizer Nyatsumba describes him as “… one of this country’s great cartoonists.”
He said: “To be counted among its (Apartheid’s) innumerable sins is the fact not only that hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of our darker-hued South Africans’ innate talents lay undiscovered, un-nurtured and, therefore, unutilised or under-utilised; but there is the ignoble fact that there are many others whose talents were not allowed to be displayed before a bigger audience and to flourish. It was such talents’ fate to blossom unseen, unappreciated and without being accorded the recognition and praise due to them”.
In Soobben’s second book titled “Witness to a Decade”, the late Prof Fatima Meer said: “Nanda Soobben is the first cartoonist emerging from the previously disadvantaged communities of the apartheid era. His work is in itself a measure of our achievements as a democracy in the last decade.”