Question NW2303 to the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture
30 October 2020 - NW2303
Van Dyk, Ms V to ask the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture
(1) With reference to his department’s partnership with the Department of Small Business Development, (a) what are the reasons that the amount of R22 million was ring-fenced before the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) had been determined and (b) by what date will the MOA be submitted to Parliament for referral to the Portfolio Committee (PC) on Sport, Arts and Culture. (2) How was the amount of R22 million established? (3) Whether he will advise if the specified PC will receive a copy of the Cultural and Creative Industries of South Africa’s (CCIFSA) problem statement; if so, why does the CCIFSA need more money, since they, like all entities , receive a budget allocation from his department; (4) Whether, given that the PC needs clarity because the ring-fencing of money for the specified entity was not discussed within the PC, he has found that the entity has managed its finances well; if not, will the proposed allocation be additional to their budget allocation?
Reply:
1.(a) Processes to obtain National Treasury approval for the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to contribute an equal amount to what the Department of Small Business Development had set aside for this partnership, and the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) were undertaken in parallel to each other.
1.(b) The Director General of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Acting Director General of the Department of Small Business Development signed the MoA between the two departments on 07 October 2020, prior to the call for applications going out. The MoA is ready and available to be shared with the Portfolio Committee.
2.The total amount of R22 282 000. was solely based on what both departments had available for the COVID-19 Relief funding; and took into account the size of the sub-sectors that needed to be supported.
3.This Relief Funding is being managed by both DSAC and DSBD; with Provincial Implementing Agents that will be doing the end-to-end administration of application, to whom funding will be transferred for processing to successful applicants. This funding is not being routed through CCIFSA
4.This Relief Funding was not routed through CCIFSA; neither is it being managed by them. See response above.