The Democratic Alliance (DA), calls on the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, to act against National Arts Council (NAC) CEO, Ms Mangope, with all due haste.
Ms Mangope should be held accountable for her actions and not only pay back the NAC money that was used to foot her legal bills, but she should also be fired, as it is clear that she abused her power and made herself guilty of gross maladministration, unethical conduct and corruption.
The DA earlier revealed that the NAC appears to have paid close to R600 000 (R596 000.44) to foot the legal bills Ms Mangope incurred for an internal disciplinary hearing into Ms Mangope’s alleged misappropriation of taxpayer money. The DA found it highly irregular that the NAC footed the bill for Mangope’s disciplinary process, which casts a massive cloud over the independence of the entire internal investigation. The disciplinary hearing found Ms Mangope innocent of all allegations levelled against her, and Minister Mthetwa subsequently released a press statement clearing her name.
But a long-awaited Public Protector Report made available this week, now substantiates allegations that Ms Mangope submitted a fake funding proposal on behalf of the South African Roadies Association (SARA), without their knowledge and consent.
Ms Mangope`s misconduct is further confirmed by the Public Protector report findings on the NAC Expired Projects and Funding Policy, which states that:
- The Policy amounts to improper conduct in state affairs as envisaged in section 182(1)(a)of the Constitution and constitute maladministration as envisaged in section 6(4)(a)(1) of the Public Protector Act;
- The Policy is not aligned with sections 33(1) and 217 of the Constitution, section 51(1)(b)(i) of the Public Finance Management Act, sections 3(1) and 3(2)(b)(i) of Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, Regulation 16A8 of the National Treasury Regulations as well as regulation 13(c) of the Public Service Regulations 2016.
Ms Mangope and the NAC used this Policy to unlawfully disburse surplus funds.
Despite the serious allegations levelled against her, Ms Mangope was only placed on special leave and not suspended; she received her full salary during that period; with her employer covering her legal representation for the disciplinary process that cleared her of wrongdoing.
Minister Mthethwa has to stop shielding Ms Mangope from the consequences of her wrongdoing and fire her.
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