The Ex-Political Prisoners Association (EPPA) has called for an independent commission of inquiry into allegations of maladministration at the Robben Island Museum (RIM).
This comes after Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa dismissed its chairperson Bernadette Muthien, five months after her appointment.
EPPA Secretary General Mpho Masemola says they want the entire museum board to be dissolved.
Masemola says, “We have called the Minister to dissolve the board because it is infested with the remnants of the old order. We advise the Minister to appoint a commission of senior ex political prisoners led by former President Kgalema Motlanthe and retired Constitutional Court judge Justice Moseneke.”
Khensani Maluleke was appointed as RIM council acting interim chairperson by the Arts and Culture Department, as part of the process of implementing the findings of an investigation into allegations of mismanagement at RIM.
However, the EPPA is not happy about the way the process has been handled and Masemola says the forensic report which led to the overhaul of RIMS management should be made public.
Masemola says, “The minister made a call publicly to institute the investigation, the problems of Robben Island are a in the public domain because Robben Island is a public institution. He received the report in July 2019. We found out some senior members are implicated. The Minister must tell the public about the findings of the investigation report.”
The RIM has referred all queries to the department.
In a statement earlier – the department said the new chairperson will be appointed in the next few days and that the minister will elaborate on the findings of the investigation.
