WeeklySA_AdminTRANSPARENCY: Long-running controversy over the appointment of a council member to the agency’s internal structure without proper procedure continues…
By Edward Tsumele
In a new twist to the issue of whether or not the National Arts Council (Board) is properly constituted, it has emerged that a council member was able to attend a council meeting last month despite his withdrawal from the body months ago.
The council official involved, Boniface Mazilazila, withdrew from the NAC Council on April 22 this year, but still attended the NAC Council meeting on October 25 last month.
This information emerged from an affidavit deposed by the NAC in the South Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Friday last Friday. The NAC affidavit is in answer to the South African Roadies Association’s (SARA) affidavit that claims that the NAC Council, as currently constituted, is not in line with the law, and therefore the non-profit organisation is demanding that it be dissolved.
This matter is in relation to the provincial representatives’ component of the NAC board that SARA argues were not appointed according to the prescribed procedures that require that they be appointed through a public and transparent process. The case is before the courts.
However, in a letter which is part of the NAC’s affidavit signed by the former MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture in Gauteng Morakane Mosupyoe, Mazilazila was asked to withdraw from the NAC following revelation that he was not appointed according to proper procedures.
Mazilazila is a director of creative arts in the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, and, after the 2024 general elections was reconfigured as part of department of (Education and Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, with a new MEC Matome Chiloane at its helm). Mosupyoe is currently Speaker of the Provincial Legislature. The issue of Malazila’s drafting into the council while working as a civil servant was first raised by CITYLIFE/ARTS in an article published on April 12 this year.
However, in a register of the Council meeting, which is part of the NAC’s affidavit, it clearly shows that a person by the name of Boniface Mazilazila, attended the NAC council meeting on October 22 2024, six months after he was requested to withdraw as a member of the NAC Council Member.
Approached for comment, the interim Chief Executive Officer Julie Diphofa indicated that the arts funding agency was going to respond. However, at the time of publishing they had not done so.
Asked to comment on continued attendance of Mazilazila, the NAC – speaking through the Company Secretary Vincent Mashale the arts funding agency – said there was nothing untoward about the ‘withdrawn’ council member attending meetings.
Mashale said: “In terms of the National Arts Council Act, 56 of 1997, as amended the Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture appoints the members of the Council (which include the provincial representatives). As such, only the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture can terminate the appointment of any Council member.
“To date, Mr Mazilazila has not received any communication from the Minister terminating his appointment as a member of the council. Hence he continues attending Council meetings,” he said.
