Ministry to find relief for struggling artists
|Published
IN DISCUSSIONS: Minister Nathi Mthethwa IN DISCUSSIONS: Minister Nathi Mthethwa
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa is expected to meet stakeholders in the Arts and Culture sector today to find solutions as scores of artists missed out on benefiting from the R150 million relief fund.
Deputy Minister Nocawe Mafu said: “The minister is to meet stakeholders as we map the way forward. We will have discussions and receive advice.”
Mafu and Director-General Vusi Mkhize briefed MPs on Tuesday.
MPs raised concerns about the large number of applications that were rejected and the short time provided for applications.
Among reasons given for the rejections were missing documents and not meeting the criteria.
Mkhize said individual athletes, artists, technical personnel and others were afforded an opportunity to apply for relief between 2 April and 6 April.
Registered businesses and their employees were not eligible to apply for this relief as they have other options.
Mkhize said 473 applications were received from 25 sport bodies and 292 were approved.
Of those that had been approved, 93 have been paid.
In terms of artists, he said 1050 applications were adjudicated, of which 603 were rejected and 232 were recommended.
Mafu agreed that the time allowed for applications was too short and that they would make an effort to accommodate those who did not meet the deadline.
THE WAY FORWARD: Nocawe Mafu
She said there was an agreed process with MECs to curb instances of beneficiaries benefiting from both the national department and provinces.
“There will be artists who don’t have a national reach that can apply to provinces. Those who missed out at national level can turn to the provinces,” Mafu said.
The entertainment has been hit hard by the Coronavirus pandemic with all events cancelled as gatherings larger than 50 people are banned.