Representatives from the parliament’s portfolio committee have accused the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture, which is overseen by Minister Gayton McKenzie, of fraud.
This follows the portfolio committee’s rejection of the department’s financial year reports for 2023–2024 and 2024–2025.
The committee stated during a recent meeting that the department’s report contained numerous errors.
Because of how terrible the report was, Dr Cynthia Khumalo, the director general, and her staff were actually ejected from the meeting before they could complete their presentation.
Joseph McGluwa, the chairperson of the portfolio committee, at one point criticised Khumalo for the report’s inconsistencies.
Trust deficit
“At the beginning of this meeting, I asked you if there were any changes in the report, and you said there were none,” remarked McGluwa during the meeting.
“You assured me that it’s the same report. But now it’s clear that you were not being truthful. What you’re doing is creating distrust between the committee and the department.
“The department must go back and rectify this rubbish that has been ditched for us.”
A member of the portfolio committee, Eugene Mthethwa, also lashed out at Khumalo: “The department has committed fraud, and our job is to investigate.”
“I don’t think they need to be given a chance to rectify the report because that will give them an opportunity to clear their fraudulent activities.”
The report also came under criticism from Eric Kulani Giyani Nkovani of uMkhonto WeSizwe, who referred to it as fake. Nkovani is popularly known as Papa Penny.
On Wednesday, the department issued a statement defending its report.
Inaccurate reflection
“We have noted with concern allegations and media reports that it [the department] tabled a supposedly fraudulent report to the portfolio committee on September 20,” said Zimasa Velaphi, the spokesperson for the department.
“The department, while appreciating the role of the committee in taking a firm stance
holding the department to account and exercising oversight over its work, takes exception to the accusations and media reports as an inaccurate reflection of the tabled report.
“The deputy director-general, Dr Cynthia Khumalo, vehemently disputes the narrative that she presented a fraudulent report to the portfolio committee on sport, arts and culture.
“This narrative is damaging to the reputation of the department and that of its
ministry.”
She said a detailed response has also been sent to the committee.
But Mthethwa did not back down. He stated to Sunday World that there have been instances of fraud.
“The parliamentary meetings are recorded and are open to public scrutiny. It is not the first time that parliament has been misled,” Mthethwa said.
“In one meeting, I asked them about the long-pending fight with SARA, and they lied and said all was sorted.
