Question NW1671 to the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
17 June 2021 - NW1671
Mhlongo, Mr TW to ask the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
(1)With reference to the Ministerial Advisory Team appointed by him and his response toquestion 967 on 15 April 2021 that the members of the team are being paid from the Mzansi Golden Economy Fund and in light of the fact that all grants due to artists from the Mzansi Golden Economy Fund were cancelled in 2020, how is the fund currently being utilised if artists could not benefit from it; (2) what (a) amount has (i) been set aside for the Ministerial Advisory Team and (ii) been paid to each member to date and (b) processes are being followed by the members of the team to consult with or report to the sector about their team work since they are representatives of the sector
Reply:
1. The Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAT) is not compensated from the MGE grant funding but the MGE Goods and Services budget. Last year’s funding was reprioritized for the Relief Funds precisely to benefit arts practitioners.
2 (a) (i) The total budget allocated to the established Ministerial Advisory Team (MAT) amounts to three million (R3 million)
(ii) To- date a total number of 28 meetings were held and a total amount of R 256,840.22 has been paid to the MAT.
b) The MAT has been in operation since end of February 2021, to date the engagements have primarily been strategizing and consulting with various stakeholders on areas of intervention that the Department will like to embark on.
To this end, a feedback session has been schedule for later in June 2021 to provide information on the developments thus far.