South Africa
Senior arts council officials suspended for mismanagement of Covid-19 funds─── 11:11 Thu, 25 Mar 2021
The Department of Arts and Culture has confirmed that two senior officials at the National Arts Council have been suspended pending an investigation.
The suspensions relate to the mismanagement of R300 million Covid-19 relief funds under the Presidential Empowerment Stimulus Programme (PESP).
Of the R300 million, the NAC has only paid out R37 million.
"Minister Mthethwa is aware and very aggrieved at the current situation regarding the national arts council and I can confirm senior members have been suspended pending investigation," said spokesperson Masechaba Khumalo.
Artists and creatives have been staging a sit-in at the NAC offices in Johannesburg demanding answers.
Many of them struggled through the hard lockdown when they could not do performances as per Covid-19 regulations.
The industry has been one of the hardest hit by the lockdown.
Jacaranda News
