Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa says the R300 million which was meant to help support the creative industry as part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus Package programme did not disappear but was overcommitted.
He says the department will conduct a forensic investigation to get to the bottom of the issue.
Mthethwa says the National Arts Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Rosemary Mangope, and Chief Financial Officer, Clifton Changfoot, are on suspension over the matter. This is after they failed to explain to the council about the mismanagement of funds. Mthethwa says a team has already been appointed to start work on a forensic investigation.
He says the department has not been successful to secure the shortfall from National Treasury.
Mthethwa was addressing the media in Pretoria in response to concerns raised by artists over the stimulus package.
“Management was not doing things alone. An oversight body was there and people have to answer to that in particular. In the past few weeks while this whole thing was unfolding, we’ve been trying to see where we can get additional funds to cover the short fall, because, ladies and gentlemen, the problem R300 million is the shortfall. As the minister ultimately responsible, I want to issue an unconditional apology to the sector as whole for being let down by our entities in this instance by the National Arts Council and in the process, exposing the most vulnerable sector in our society during this period of COVID-19,” the Minister says.
Mthethwa says there will also be a review of payments. This includes those who’ve received multiple funds for their companies. Kwaito legend, Arthur Mafokate, was accused of claiming funds using multiple companies, but refutes the allegations. Mthethwa hopes the review will assist in addressing the shortfall.
“There is a process of investigating duplications, or of people who may be in a process or possibility of getting more within their area. Because of the adjustments which are being done wit regards to the shortfall, a lot of things are being reviewed even people who have been promised to get money from multi sources,” he explains.
Acting Director General in the Sport, Arts and Culture Department, Vusithemba Ndima, says 505 beneficiaries have been paid up to now from the R300 million that’s at the centre of the artists’ anger.
Ndima says a further 315 applications are being processed and payments will be made by the end of this week. He was also addressing the media in Pretoria.
“This week they’ve received about 318 that will be paid in the next three days. That will then say numerically we will have paid 823 beneficiaries. And the balance that will be left will 385. I just thought that it’s very important that we clarify that despite all the trails that we going through work is continuing,” says the acting DG.
Artists vow to continue with sit-in over COVID-19 relief fund:
