Question NW968 to the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture”
04 October 2019 - NW968
Van Dyk, Ms V to ask the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture”
(1). What are the full details of the National Arts Council’s policy in respect of expired grants and surplus funds that was approved in 2015; (2). whether he has found that the policy complies with the prescripts of the National Treasury regulations and the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act, Act 1 of 1999; if not, what (a) are the relevant details and (b) steps did he take to intervene in this regard?
Reply:
(1). Expired projects are identified by the Arts Development Officer (ADO) in charge of the programme as stipulated in section 5 of the Expired and Surplus Funds Policy of the National Arts Council, see link below for Annexure 1, for full details and comprehensive outline of the process.
http://pmg-assets.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/RNW968Annexure.pdf
In terms of clause 9 of the policy, the funds may be utilised to support projects and programmes that are designed to transform and grow the sector. These programmes may be identified by the Staff, Panels and Council and/or by means of an open call for applications. However, internal approval process should be followed as specified in the Grant Awarding Manual.
2(a). On realising that the policy in question might be in breach of the Public Finance Management Act, Act 1 0f 1999 and Treasury regulations, the Department advised the National Arts Council to repeal or review the Policy.
(b). The Policy in question has been reviewed and was presented to the Audit and Risk Committee of the National Arts Council. The revised policy will be submitted to the Council for Council approval in the next Council meeting which will take place in October 2019.