THE exclusion of Voices of the Nation (VON) from the finals of the annual Old Mutual National Choir Festival (NCF) taking place in Pretoria on Saturday and Sunday has sent sparks flying in the country’s choral community.

The Eastern Cape will be represented by the Joy of Africa choir from New Brighton, Port Elizabeth and the Eastern Cape Choristers from East London’s Mdantsane.

Joy of Africa conductor Mzwandile Matthews said: “The choir is working very hard.” He said his group would meet Eastern Cape Choristers this week “so that we can breathe some knowledge on each other, in our effort to represent the province in a unified manner”.

Regarding VON, which is based in Pretoria, its secretary Sanele Nkungwana said that although the choir had come first place in the regionals held in September, “we were told the NCF management committee is disqualifying us because we used choristers from other provinces”.

Kopano Chorus, which lodged the complaint against VON, was the first runner-up in the regionals. “Now they will be representing Gauteng province at our expense,” Nkungwana said.

Thembalethu Adult Choir, from Cape Town, had also apparently used choristers from other provinces, “but they were not disqualified” from the competition, Nkungwana said. “We don’t know why we are being treated unfairly. We want to be part of the competition. We deserve to compete in the nationals.”

Thembalethu Adult Choir chairman Xoliswa Gongotha denied that her choir had used choristers from other provinces. “We only used our registered choristers,” she said. “We worked very hard for this victory. We deserve to be in the finals”.

SA Choral Music Association Gauteng secretary Prince Netshivhazwaulu said on Friday: “We have written to the NCF questioning why two choirs who committed the same offence were not treated equally. We are not happy at all at the manner in which they have handled this issue.”

Netshivhazwaulu said: “The NCF is arrogant. Should they not respond to our letter, we will take further steps. All we want is a clear and concise answer why these two choirs were not treated the same.”

He said this action was being taken because his committee did not want the NCF to “kill our choristers”.

NCF projects manager Gerald Bhembe said: “This matter is in the hands of our lawyers, so we can’t comment on it.”