Press statement for immediate release

Sunday, 28 February 2021

THE COUNCIL SUSPENDS THE NAC CEO AND CFO

JOHANNESBURG – The new Council of the National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) has suspended its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pending an investigation in relation to the management of the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP).

This decision follows robust engagement with management over the past weeks culminating in the Council meeting of Friday, 26 February 2021 which left the Council seriously dissatisfied with the progress on the rollout of the PESP.

The NAC is entrusted with the responsibility to administer the PESP on behalf of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC). To this effect, the NAC was allocated a total amount of R300 million to be disbursed through two funding streams, at R100 million and R200 million for Stream One and Stream Two respectively. Stream One was intended to enable job retention, whilst Stream Two was for work opportunities within the arts, culture and heritage sector.

The Council has since appointed Ms. Julie Diphofa as the Acting CEO, who has been the senior official at the NAC for more than 20 years; and Ms. Reshma Bhoola as the Acting CFO, currently the financial manager of the entity.

The Council took these decisive steps in the interest of service delivery as it relates to the PESP meant to support hundreds of arts, culture and heritage practitioners.

This Council remains fully committed to completing this process as soon as possible and to ensure that the PESP funds reach all the deserving and successful applicants so that projects that will either sustain or create work opportunities are not hindered in any way.

Issued by the Council of the National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC).

For All Media Enquiries: Tshepo Mashiane – Council Spokesperson (072 037 3358)