Arts and Culture pleads with artists to end sit-in at NAC offices

The artists have been staging a sit-in since the beginning of March due to what they allege to be the maladministration of the NAC funds.

They say the money allocated for artists through the R300 million Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme has disappeared.

The arts sector has been one of the hardest by the outbreak of Covid-19 and subsequent lockdown regulations. 

But the protesting artists were hit by a High Court order to vacate the NAC offices on Friday. 

The department is now pleading with the artists to respect the court order. 

"The department is aware of the order issued by the courts on 9 April, ordering the artists occupying the NAC offices to vacate the premises of the NAC," says departmental spokesperson Masechaba Khumalo.

 "We plead with the occupants to respect the court and judicial processes and leave the NAC offices, as matters pertaining to the PESP are being dealt with. On several occasions, we have met with them, but they have not allowed the NAC to continue to do its critical work."

Khumalo adds that the department is ready to issue payments to artists. 

"As announced on 29 March, the department has since engaged and brought on board the Special Investigation Unit and finalised the terms of reference.

 "This means that the department is now ready to send out the call for quotations to secure an independent and legible service provider to undertake this important task of forensic investigation.

"While we deeply sympathise with the plight of the sector, we would like to remind the artists occupying the NAC offices that their continued sit-in at these premises is an impediment to the finalisation of the PESP administration and disbursement process. It is also an obstruction to other important responsibilities of the NAC." 

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