Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, on Friday responded to reports that his department allegedly failed to account for over R400,000 a month in funding for the Silapha Wellness Intervention Programme.
“I am the one who is stopping all these funny payments. I have asked the finance team to explain every payment made in the last financial year, and we are putting a stop to many of these payments immediately," McKenzie wrote.
"Legal is looking at many, like Downtown Studios, certain beneficiaries with no offices, etc.”
This follows a Sunday World report revealing that the department has been paying R507,120 each month to Workforce Healthcare, the company managing the programme. However, according to the report, only R76,690 of that amount could be properly accounted for.
I am the one who is stopping all these funny payments, I have asked finance team to explain every payment made in last financial year, we putting a stop to many of these payments immediately. Legal is looking at many like downtown studios, certain beneficiaries with no offices… https://t.co/pmgP8LFmBN
According to the report, the department was unable to provide details on how the remaining funds were spent.
Launched in 2021, the Silapha Wellness Intervention Programme was introduced to "address some of the pressing issues that affect South African sport and creative workers, including mental health, substance abuse, financial management and legal matters," the department said at the time.
It added that it was "compelled by the dire circumstances and painful incidents that negatively impact the lives of sport, creative and cultural practitioners, to identify and develop programmatic interventions which can redress these challenges."
Workforce Healthcare was reportedly appointed by former minister Zizi Kodwa.
IOL News