Artists’ plight in the spotlight as PP releases report on grants
The Office of the Public Protector (PP) has urged the National Arts Council (NAC) Chairperson, Princess Celenhle Dlamini, to take appropriate steps to ensure that future grant funding projects are implemented in line with proper systems.
The PP was investigating allegations of undue delay, nepotism, misallocation of grant funding and violation of the right to privacy.
The investigation stemmed from a complaint lodged on behalf of an interest group known as Abahlali Base National Arts Council.
In 2021, a group of artists staged a month-long sit-in at the NAC offices in Newtown, Johannesburg over the alleged lack of transparency in the allocation of R300m from the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme.
The artists alleged that the entity has unduly delayed the disbursement of payments to deserving arts projects.
In a report released on Friday, acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka says the investigation concluded that only the issue regarding irregular processing and undue delay by the NAC in procession applications for the payment of benefits related to the PESP was substantiated.
"The remaining issues could not be substantiated by the evidence at the Public Protector’s disposal,” she said.
She said her report was presented as an advisory only, owing to the steps already taken by the NAC to address the concerns raised.
“However, the Report contains recommendations to the Chairperson of the NAC, who is to, finalise the implementation of the recommendations as set out in the Forensic Investigation Report and furnish the Public Protector with the Closeout Report, which confirms and summarizes the outcomes of the corrective actions effected by NAC by the recommendations contained in the," says Gcaleka
Gcaleka says Dlamini has to report back in this regard within 120 days.
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