Question NW689 to the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture
12 May 2020 - NW689
Mhlongo, Mr TW to ask the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture
(1) Whether a certain tender (details furnished) falls within the R150 million allocated as a relief measure towards artists and sports programmes; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what number of persons from townships and rural areas does he envisage will benefit from the specified tender; (2) whether his department will provide monthly reports detailing the usage of the money; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) whether his department will ensure that at least 70% of the recipients are from the previously disadvantaged communities, in order to bridge the gap between rich and poor and uplift small business enterprises; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (4) what mitigation measures has his department put in place to avoid that the interventions fail; (5) what steps has his department taken to ensure that the money does not end up in the wrong hands?
Reply:
1. Yes, the tender falls within the R150 million allocated as a relief measure towards artists and sports programmes.
At this stage, the Department cannot determine the number of persons from townships and rural areas that will benefit from these contracts however; the contracts were awarded to 100% black-owned companies.
2. Yes. According to government prescripts, the Department does summit In-Year-Monitoring reports to the National Treasury on a monthly basis.
3. The contracts were awarded to 100% black-owned companies.
4. The Department appointed Adjudication Panel of experts knowledgeable of the sector and utilised sports federations to ensure all interventions are fit for purpose. The Department also established an internal team for relief fund, assigned administrative support to the adjudication panels, appointed a service provider with expertise in data capturing and ICT. Finally, there are project meetings that are held daily to report on status of implementation chaired by the Minister and the Deputy Minister.
5. The Department appointed 15 Panel Members from the Arts Sector; these are seasoned arts practitioners with expert knowledge of the sector to serve as independent adjudicators for all applications. Part of the reasons was to ensure that the Panel will be able to guide and screen the process to ensure that relief funds goes to arts and sport beneficiaries.