The National Arts Council of South Africa has learned through third parties of the intended march to our offices by the South African United Cultural & Creative Industries Federation (SAUCCIF) to be held on 8 May 2023. SAUCCIF has not officially communicated to the NAC about the intended march.
To date, the NAC has held three lengthy and transparent meetings with the SAUCCIF leadership, with the last one held on Thursday, 9th February 2023 to address issues raised by SAUCCIF. That last meeting was over five hours long, attended by the Chief Executive Officer, Deputy Chairperson and other NAC officials. All parties engaged respectfully and transparently on matters/challenges facing the sector as well as the industry in general.
Post this meeting, SAUCCIF requested the NAC for another meeting, at which we responded that the NAC is in the middle of adjudication process for the funding calls that have currenty closed and the NAC requested SAUCCIF to advise if there are any specific issues they need addressed that could be dealt with electronically. SAUCCIF have since rejected our request for them to provide the NAC with specific information they need so we can address any specific matter they feel is outsanding or needs our attention.
Hence we are saddened to hear that they intend to gather artists to march to the offices at the NAC despite the NAC officials being transparent with the organisation and all artists on all occasions where information has been requested from the entity by any stakeholder (individuals or organsiations).
The NAC stands firmly against fraud and corruption and has opened a Corruption Watch line to allow the sector to report any fraud and corruption activities related to the NAC. Where reports have been made, we have investigated and addressed the matter expeditiously and transparently.
We further and sincerely encourage anyone with specific information and credible evidence of corruption of fraud to report this to the corruption hotline as the leadership of this institution take these matters very seriously.
In terms of service delivery the NAC has always been and forefront of delivering its services as mandated by the NAC Act. Evidenced by the fact that in the last two years we have disbursed funding to the tune of over seven hundred million (R700M) to thousands of artists.
We remain cognisant and concerned by the severe funding challenges faced by our sector and empathise with artists that are unable to access funding due to the sector being underfunded.
In conclusion, the NAC would like to state that it is disheartened by the announcement of an intended march to our offices and hopes the leadership of SAUCCIF will reconsider and reach out to the NAC to find an amicable resolution.
End.
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Email: media@nac.org.za
Please click on the link below to download the pdf of the statement.