WeeklySA_AdminSlap in the wrist: Lid opened on confidential settlement reached between former CEO and the NAC
By Ali Mphaki
Rosemary Mangope stands to benefit close to a million rand after her “resignation” from the embattled National Arts Council, NAC.
The “confidential settlement”, which Weekly SA Mirror has seen, stipulates that the NAC will pay Mangope an amount of R924 061 92, being equivalent to six months renumeration.
Mangope shall also return all the tools of the trade allocated to her by the NAC, which includes cellphone, laptop etc, within three days of signature to the agreement.
Of interest is that part of the agreement is that both Mangope and the NAC undertake not to disclose or communicate circumstances surrounding the termination of her employment, and that she will not divulge or communicate any of the confidential information she may be privy to relating to the NAC.
“On signature of this agreement the employer will be deemed to have withdrawn the charges proferred against the employee and shall terminate the disciplinary inquiry instituted against her within three business days thereof,” reads the agreement.
The parting of ways between Mangope and the NAC follows a disciplinary hearing against Mangope, which took over eight days starting from December 14 last year, and held over February, 7,8,9,10 leading up to March 23 and 25 until conclusion on April 4.
The hearing was a sequel to a forensic audit of the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP) in June 2021, and its scope included, but was not limited, to determine whether there was any irregularities or inconsistencies in the management, adjudication and approval of PESP applications;
The forensic audit also sought to determine whether there was any gross negligence, misconduct, or dereliction of duties with regard to various officials of the NAC, including Ms Rosemary Mangope.
Following the conclusion of the investigation and submission of the final report in September 2021 the NAC instituted a disciplinary hearing against the CEO Mangope in respect of the various allegations of misconduct.
The Auditor-General also weighed in on the matter, and made two key findings, first that in some applications the NAC did not apply the regulations that required them to score the applicants correctly and that this led to the expenditure classified as irregular
The second aspect related to the budget exceeded by the NAC, the portion exceeded led to irregular expenditure, the AG noted.
But what has set tongues wagging in the arts fraternity is a statement by the NAC that “prior to the conclusion of the hearing, the NAC and Ms Mangope agreed to part ways amicably”, an agreement signed on April 14.
“Why was Mangope’s disciplinary hearing stopped before it was finalized and why the charges were withdrawn,” asks Freddie Nyathela, president of the South African Roadies Association, SARA.
This was Mangope’s second disciplinary hearing at the NAC, the first in 2019 where she was facing 13 charges against her including gross negligence, but cleared of all charges.
Earlier in another matter, the Public Protector had found the allegation that Mangope had applied for funding on behalf of an NGO using the expired projects and surplus policy without their knowledge or consent substantiated. On Friday the NAC appeared before Parliament’s portfolio committee on Sports, Arts and Culture to explain the apparent “golden handshake” it gave to Mangope.
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