(1) Whether his department has taken any steps to implement his announcement that playhouses will be made available for artists to perform live streaming activities; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether the playhouses will be involved in creating online platforms; if so, how will it be put in practice as the sector does not render an essential service;
(3) whether any partnerships have been forged with the SA Broadcasting Corporation to televise performances in addition to live streaming?
1. Yes. The Directive was gazetted. The Director General had a meeting with the CEOs of Performing Arts Institutions and the legal team on the 9th May 2020 to address implementation.
2. Yes, if they have their own content or projects they need to implement. They will bring these to the attention of the Department; some have done so already, for consideration and inclusion ...
With reference to the national address of the President of the Republic, Mr M C Ramaphosa, on Tuesday, 21 April 2020, on the R500 billion rescue package in which forms of support have been extended to artists during the lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 without providing an amount that will be allocated to artists from the R500 billion lump sum, what (a) total amount was set aside for the entire Arts segment and (b) amount will be allocated to each sector within the Arts segment?
a) The total amount set aside for the arts segment in the R500 billion rescue package has not been determined, however, the Department recently finalised its budget needs for consideration to be part of the rescue package
b) See (a) above
(1) What is the total cost of the litigation and/or legal fees for the National Library of South Africa during the period 1 January 2017 up to the latest specified date for which information is available;
(2) what is the legal cost for each labour dispute and/or matter defended;
(3) what are the relevant details of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) award on the CCMA matter of a certain person (name and details furnished);
(4) (a) what was the outcome of the CCMA case against a certain person (name furnished) from the National Library of South Africa of whom the Board reported in November 2019 that the matter was resolved, (b) how was the specified matter resolved and (c) what total amount in legal fees was involved? NW893E
1. Litigation costs from 1 January 2017 to date are as follows:
|
Year
|
Amount
|
|
2017
|
R 71, 383.70
|
|
2018
|
R 1, 807, 468.98
|
|
2019
|
R 2, 314, 626.18
|
|
2020
|
R 3, 901, 436.20
|
|
Total
|
R 8, 094, 915.15
|
2. The legal cost for each labour dispute are as follows:
|
Year
|
Litigation
|
Amount in Rands
|
|
October 2018 - September 2019
|
|
|
NLSA vs Executive Director: ... | |
(1) Whether the National Library of South Africa took disciplinary steps against a certain person (name and details furnished) who was found by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration to have colluded with a subordinate to charge a certain person (name furnished) with unfounded allegations; if not, why not; if so, what steps;
(2) whether he has found that the specified person wasted the institution’s money by allegedly pushing a personal vendetta; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) whether the Board has taken any steps against the person; if not, why not; if so, what steps;
(4) whether the person’s contract will be extended for three years; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, upon what recommendation?
1. No disciplinary action was taken.
2. No action was taken against anyone in this regards. The Board noted the specific comments made by the Presiding Officer as they could not be substantiated.
3. No action has been taken against anyone, as indicated above. This matter was handled as a result of a grievance lodged by staff and management felt that there was no ...
(1) Whether a certain person (name furnished) is suing the National Library of South Africa (NLSA); if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a)(i) what is the lawsuit for and (ii) what is the total amount the lawsuit claims and (b) what has been the progress in the matter;
(2) whether the lawyer of the NLSA admitted to the accusations; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, why is the NLSA wasting time and state money in defending this matter;
(3) whether the lawyer of the NLSA withdrew from the matter after the evidence has been submitted; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
1. Yes, the person is suing the National Library of South Africa
(a)(i) The lawsuit is for alleged defamation of character
(ii) R 10 million
(b) The matter is at the High Court awaiting a trial date.
2. The NLSA accepted the summons and are defending the matter.
3. In light of the above, the lawyer has not withdrawn and is still the NLSA’s ...
(1) Whether a certain person (name furnished) was dismissed by the National Library of South Africa (NLSA) on serious allegations; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) what were the allegations, (b) for how long has the specified person been at home receiving a salary and (c) was someone paid an acting allowance in the position;
(2) whether the person was reinstated; if so, (a) on what grounds, (b) what are the reasons that the NLSA did not challenge the matter and (c) what total amount has the case cost the NLSA;
(3) whether the institution is facing any law suits in respect of the specified person; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the further relevant details?
1. Yes, the staff member was dismissed on 7 August 2019. The staff member appealed the decision and it was ruled in the staff member’s favour.
(a) Allegations include acts of sexual harassment, victimisation and intimidation.
(b) Six months
(c) Yes
2. Yes, the person was reinstated
(a) The person was reinstated as a result of the outcome of the appeal
(b) The NLSA ...
(a) Why did his department decide to use a certain federation (name furnished) that claims to represent artists, to manage the distribution of monies to deserving artists, (b) what was the criteria his department used to select the specified federation and (c) how will he ensure that the money in the fund gets to the artists?
a) The Department is not using the said federation to manage the distribution of funds to artists
b) and (c) falls off, as the Department is not using the federation
(1) (a) Who (i) authorised and (ii) signed off the printing of Simply Larry by the National Library of South Africa (NLSA), (b) was the decision in line with the rules of the NLSA publishing grant policy and (c) who decided to print 1 000 copies instead of 300 as policy dictates;
(2) whether the biography that was printed falls within the scope of books authorised to be published under the NLSA grant; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) whether the biography belongs to a certain person (details furnished); if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the further relevant details?
1. (a) (i) The National Librarian and CEO
(ii) The Acting Director: Centre for the Book
(b). The decision to publish the manuscript was in-line with the Community Publishing Grant’s Guidelines for Special Projects. While the Community Publishing Grant focuses on fiction works, the Special Projects focus on non-fiction work that capture the history of our country not captured in conventional history books.
(c) ...
(1) (a) Why the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) is in the horse racing business through its 100% ownership of a certain company (name and details furnished), whose sole asset is 388 088 shares in Phumelela Gaming & Leisure, (b) who are the directors of the specified company and (c) why have no audit reports of the company not yet been submitted to Parliament;
(2) what are the reasons that the horse racing and/or jockey association have separate membership from the SA Equestrian Federation and SASCOC?
1. SASCOC not in the horse racing business.
(a) According to the SASCOC; the listing of Phumelela Gaming on the stock exchange was conditional on shares being issued as part of an empowerment requirement. SASCOC was identified as one of the beneficiaries of these issues, which shares were issued at no cost to SASCOC.
A special vehicle investment company, Gride Investments (Pty) Ltd was ...
(1) Whether there will be an additional opportunity for artists to apply for funding during the Covid-19 lockdown; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether artists who can provide proof that their applications were submitted before the cut-off date of 6 April 2020 will be considered for funding; if not, (a) why not and (b) can the artists appeal; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) (a) who selected the panels for both the Sports and Arts and Culture sectors, (b) what were the criteria for selecting the respective panels, (c)(i) who will be considered for the arts and culture funding and (ii) what criteria will be used, (d) what total number of artists will be accommodated and (e) on what date will the lists of (i) those who qualified for funding and (ii) the amounts they received be made available?
1. A decision on an additional opportunity for artists to reapply is not under consideration for now. An engagement with industry stakeholders has taken place, which has contributed in guiding the approach. On 6th May 2020, we met with industry stakeholders, and the industry unanimously proposed that the Department finilise those that had initially applied but could not make it. Only after these agreed-upon ...
