Responding to the call of President Zuma, the Minister of Arts and Culture, Ms Lulu Xingwana, has continued to take decisive steps in rooting out corruption in the Department.
We reported earlier this year that in her efforts to clean up the Department Minister Xingwana had examined the Department's internal audit report and the report of Gobodo Forensic Services and was shocked to find allegations of serious irregularities and possible fraud and corruption.
As a result, a number of officials were suspended and subsequently charged. These charges related to financial mismanagement and gross dereliction of duties.
Minister Xingwana also commissioned a forensic investigation by PriceWaterhouseCoopers into alleged irregularities within the 2010 World Cup, Cultural Development and Investing in Culture programmes and projects of the Department. The report was finalised on or about March 2010 and made certain findings and recommendations.
The Minister has acted upon the findings and recommendations and to this end several officials were placed on precautionary suspension and faced disciplinary processes.
The Department confirms that Ms Nomvula Mbangela, former Director: Investing in Culture, absconded from her duties prior to the finalisation of the forensic investigation. The Department is holding her accountable for the losses incurred as a result of her failure to effectively manage the funds disbursed by Investing in Culture projects. The legal process is underway in respect of recovery of these funds.
Minister Xingwana has also requested the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) to assist in terms of criminal prosecutions and the recovery of funds.
Minister Xingwana has said that "Corruption is a cancer that destroys the very fabric of our society and severely hampers service delivery. It is a victory for this government and South Africans in general that we have been able to take decisive steps to root out corruption."
The Department will leave no stone unturned to uproot corruption in order to ensure that arts practitioners and the public in general are the beneficiaries of the Department's programmes.