A prominent Cultural and Creative Industries of South Africa (CCIFSA) member has stated that they are “perhaps a criminal organisation”.
This after Joy Mbewana, the former president of CCIFSA admitted in another publication, Isolezwe, that they received R12 million from the government. Mbewana has previously publicly stated that the funds were used for operational purposes.
Solly Molepoa, a top CCIFSA official in Sedibeng, told Sunday World that he was shocked to learn that CCIFSA received money from the government.
Never disclosed the funds
“I am shocked because Joy and her team never disclosed any monies to us as their constituency. To learn that they actually received R12-million and it vanished is mind-boggling.
“What is strange is that, the national office bearers are still expecting us to defend CCIFSA. Yet they still refuse to give us reports. Perhaps [Sports, Arts & Culture Minister Gayton] McKenzie is right, we are a criminal organisation. And we need that forensic investigation to take place,” said Molepo.
“We’ve been begging Joy and her team to release these reports since 2020 but they blatantly refused. Instead they went to report to their funders, DSAC. They’re not even taking us into confidence so we can defend CCIFSA. All we get is aloofness and arrogance from them,” he said. DSAC refers to the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.
Backlash from artists
Molepo said that they are getting a backlash from CCIFSA members on the ground.
“Artists in different provinces are of the view that we received the money. The reality is that, only Joy and the previous leaders can explain what happened. Unfortunately we are part of CCIFSA, and we are being painted with the same brush,” he said.
Tshepo Mashiane, CCIFSA’s secretary general in Gauteng, echoed Molepo’s sentiments.
“In 2019 there was an elective conference, and in 2020 we had a policy conference. We then requested policy documents that had been adopted at that policy conference. But these documents never came through. Provinces were therefore tasked to engage with their departments and also start organising regions. This so they can establish regional structures of CCIFA,” explained Mashiane.
He said that these documents were going to give guidance to CCIFSA members at all levels.
No AGM held in two years
“Some provinces went ahead and held regional conferences without the financial help from CCIFSA. In 2021 we asked for the same documents and reports but they never came through. Joy and her executive were already two years in the office and they had not held any annual general meeting. In fact, there’s never been an annual general meeting since 2020,” said Mashiane.
“We are even shocked that they’ve been receiving money from the department. How would we know when we were not getting the reports? We don’t know what they did with the money. And we are aware that she went to report to the department. But as the structures and constituency of CCIFSA we don’t know what she’s reporting. They never supported the structures in the provinces. And we are wondering what they submitted to the department,” he continued.
Mystery about where the R12m went
He said that they cannot claim that they did operational work. And this is because there are provinces that are still not organised.
“Provinces that have structured used their own means to organise themselves, so what did they actually do with the money? All these things that are claimed by McKenzie is new to us. We don’t know CCIFSA. But they want to mobilise and defend it. We’re not going to do that. Instead we want a forensic investigation,” said Mashiane.
Mbewana was approached for comment, and she said: “I’ll have the answer after the policy conference. I’m not sure when it’ll take place.”
Mbewana has previously denied any irregularities on their part. In November, she claimed that the R12-million from DSAC was used to for the benefit of artists.
But these statements were quickly disputed by portfolio committee member Eugene Mthethwa. He explained that the R12 million was unlawfully transferred into their account.
“The R12-million that you are mentioning was for Usiba Awards. It had nothing to do with CCIFSA. Now we need to know why the department uses a CCIFSA account. Why did the minister not follow proper processes?” asked Mthethwa.
