The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has begun its inaugural #ForTheRecord information sessions to keep the public informed about its economic recovery and reconstruction efforts for the creative sector.
The initiative comes after the department was repeatedly accused of being unresponsiveness and uncaring towards the creative sector.
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa says these sessions will be held regularly.
He says the accusations and allegations levelled against the department are not backed up by facts, and that the department has. made verifiable documents available to the public on its website. The documents include a list of beneficiaries who have received the COVID-19 Relief Fund.
According to the Minister, it is due to limited resources that the department is unable to support every role player in the sector who is in need of assistance.
“If anything, monies spent thus far (August 2021) are just under R700 million. That is over half a billion rand. This translates into just under 65 000 beneficiaries. By all accounts, this cannot be counted as a small feat,” he says.
Minister Mthethwa says the department implemented a communication and outreach plan to mobilise role players so that they can apply for the relief funding.
He adds that the department is currently focused on providing relief funding, but it will be part of its medium - long-term initiative, focus on the economic recovery and reconstruction of the sector.
A list of persons and organisations that have benefited from the funding is available on the department’s website: www.dac.gov.za / www.srsa.gov.za
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