Former Cultural and Creative Industries of South Africa (CCIFSA) Chairperson Tony Kgoroge has cleared the air and admitted that the concept of the Usiba Creative and Cultural Awards was originally theirs.
The awards were held on May 31, 2018, at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg, but the funding and ownership of the event have always been questioned.
Former DG said department owned awards event
In 2018, former Director-General Vusi Mkhize revealed that the awards were owned by the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture (DSAC).
During an interview with SABC, Mkhize stated: “There has been an outcry from our artists. There’s nothing more rewarding than when your own government acknowledges that you have done exceptionally well. Minister Mthethwa felt it was time to have a signature recognition by the government on behalf of the people of South Africa.”
About CCIFSA’s involvement in the awards, he said: “With CCIFSA representing all sectors in the industry, it was clear that there are serious issues related to copyright and royalties. The minister felt this would be a good platform to educate artists, share ideas, and discuss how to protect themselves.”
CCIFSA received money not meant for it
In November 2024, a senior official, Zwelakhe Mbiba, told the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts, and Culture that the money deposited into CCIFSA’s bank account was for the Usiba Creative and Cultural Awards, and had nothing to do with CCIFSA.
“The R12-million was for the Usiba Awards and not for CCIFSA. I don’t know where the money came from. And I don’t know why the department used CCIFSA’s account. Everything was discussed at a senior level. And it came down to us for implementation,” Mbiba told Parliament last year.
This was echoed by former CCIFSA Deputy Chairperson Eric Kulani Giyani, famously known as Papa Penny. He told the Portfolio Committee that CCIFSA’s bank account was merely used as a conduit.
Money paid into CCIFSA account disappeared
“The money was in today, and it was gone the next day. I know that fraud and corruption were happening at CCIFSA. DSAC was alerted, but they never acted on it,” Giyani told Parliament.
As a result, Eugene Mthethwa, a Portfolio Committee member, asked the DSAC Minister Gayton McKenzie, to clarify the contradictions.
McKenzie distanced himself from the awards.
“In this particular instance, as the minister, I served solely as the patron of the awards. In accordance with the agreement between the department and the initiator of the awards, CCIFSA. This patronage did not, in any way, confer ownership or control of the awards. Never their intellectual property, or any associated assets to the department. The awards have remained the sole property of the initiator.
Kgoroge denies allegations, supports probe
“This patronage was consistent with the executive authority’s role as the head of the department. As mandated to support and advance the creative and cultural industries in the country. It symbolised the commitment to recognising and celebrating excellence in the creative sector. Given this context, any suggestion that the Usiba Awards were the awards of any minister is factually and legally incorrect.”
Kgoroge supported McKenzie’s stance and said:
“It’s the first time I’m hearing this, I’m actually shocked. If Papa Penny has proof of his allegations, he must bring it forward. But I can confirm that this was CCIFSA’s concept, not DSAC’s. We proposed it because we wanted to accommodate all sectors. We even signed a memorandum of understanding with DSAC. When our term ended, we handed over all the documents to the current leadership of CCIFSA.”
