The report on the forensic investigation at the rot and corruption at South Africa's National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an organisation funded by the department of arts and culture, uncovered various NFVF staffers and council members who took family members with them on luxury trips to Sun City for the South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas), as well as high flying overseas trips with taxpayer's money without the minister of arts and culture's permission and sign-off.
The investigation by Comperio Consulting and dubbed The Comperio Report found a massive overspend by the National Film and Video Foundation on things like office renovations with money that should be going to fund film and television production in South Africa.
While the NFVF's projected legal costs are spiraling, The Comperio Report also found problems with staff appointments and numerous abuses of the NFVF's finances.
The NFVF is responsible for the shoddily organised South African Film and Television Awards that remains shockingly bad every year without improvement and in 2018 once again horrified viewers and the local TV and film industry with its mistake-riddled 2-night award shows in March that was was boycotted by some of South Africa's biggest TV productions.
Shadrack Bokaba is currently the acting NFVF CEO to provide "organisational stability" and replaced Zama Mkosi who abruptly resigned in May and left under a cloud when the findings of The Comperio Report started to be implemented.
Two NFVF council members – Thabiso Masudubele and Pam Mashiane – are accused of flouting international travel regulations, while Phil Molefe allegedly made several high-flying overseas trips from Cannes to China without sign-off by the minister of arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa as is required.
Several questions have been put to the National Film and Video Foundation in a media enquiry about The Comperio Report but Neo Moretlwe, NFVF communications coordinator and Xolelwa Nomgca, marketing and communications manager, despite asking several times, somehow didn't provide specific answers.
The NFVF was asked what its response is to the Comperio report that found that NFVF executives and NFVF council members took family members to Sun City for the Saftas at taxpayer’s expense. The NFVF was asked why this happened and will this continue to happen?
No response.
The NFVF was asked its response about NFVF council members like Thabiso Masudubele and Pam Mashiane who allegedly broke international travel regulations and for instance flying first class.
No response.
The NFVF is supposed to help and support the local SA film and TV industry and was asked of the NFVF is worried that the image of NFVF executives and council members and news about luxury local and foreign trips and stays, and taking family members along is damaging the NFVF’s image within the industry, with media and with the public? The NFVF was also asked what its is doing to improve its image?
No response.
The NFVF was also asked how the NFVF quantify the
value or the return of investment (ROI) when people are flown internationally? How
did the NFVF work out the return on investment it got from people and media who
were invited to stay at Sun City for this year’s Saftas and what was the press
coverage of media who were invited and stayed at NFVF expense?
No response.
The NFVF was also asked if its budget for legal
spending of R85 000 has been changed to R1.35 million and if so, why?
No response.
The NFVF sent a quote, attributable to Shadrack Bokaba, NFVF acting CEO, stating that "the NFVF has undergone numerous changes, all investigations have
been completed and recommendations are being implemented".
"The work of developing and providing funding to filmmakers has never
ceased, and the focus now is to stabilise the organisation to continue
fulfilling our mandate. Budget allocation towards all activities is informed by past
trends, accompanied by a precautionary increase."
The NFVF was asked several times which of the questions the statement is the answer to, and where the other answers are, but there has been no response. If the NFVF respond with the other answers and where the one answer received fits, it will be added here.
