Late veteran actress Connie Chiume is being accused of stealing and misappropriating funds meant for a festival to honour his mother.
A growing controversy surrounds the allocation of National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) funds intended for a student film festival originally conceptualised to honour late acting legend Connie Chiume. Filmmaker Siyabonga Ndlozi has come forward with allegations that the actress’s son, Nongelo Chiume, improperly claimed control of the R900,000 grant.
Origins of the Film Festival Project
According to Ndlozi, the conflict stems from a May 2024 meeting during an NFVF roadshow in Durban where he first discussed his Umkhanyakude Student Film Festival initiative with Connie Chiume. The veteran actress reportedly agreed to collaborate on the project, which would be renamed in her honor.
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“The Connie Chiume Student Film Festival was meant to celebrate her legacy while supporting emerging talent in rural KwaZulu-Natal,” Ndlozi explained. “We submitted the funding application together, but after her passing, her son took control of the approved funds.”
Connie Chiume’s son accused of stealing money
Documents reveal significant changes to the original proposal after NFVF approved the funding:
- Venue shifted from Umkhanyakude to Durban’s BAT Centre and K-CAP
- Ndlozi allegedly offered R42,000 contractor fee instead of project leadership
- Original concept substantially altered without creator consultation
Nongelo Chiume presents a different narrative, claiming the project was always his mother’s initiative:
“My mother had international festival experience and wanted to establish this in rural areas. Siyabonga merely assisted with the application process.”
However, when pressed for documentation supporting these claims there was no evidence provided of Connie Chiume’s overseas festival involvement. There was a missing required exemption certificate for hosting the event and no finalized festival program available for review
NFVF Confirms Payment Details
Lerato Mokopanele of NFVF clarified the foundation’s position:
“Our records show Nongelo Chiume as the official applicant. Funding was approved exclusively for the Connie Foundation, and we only communicate directly with listed applicants.”
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The dispute raises questions about:
- Intellectual property rights for community projects
- Oversight of government arts funding
- Protection of legacy initiatives after an artist’s passing
As both parties maintain their positions, the future of the proposed film festival remains uncertain, leaving the entertainment community questioning whether Connie Chiume’s envisioned legacy project will materialize as originally intended.