Thinus Ferreira
The troubled National Film and Video Foundation which has been lurching from crisis tot crisis over the past few years, has suspended its acting CEO Onke Dumeko with immediate effect pending a review.
Onke Dumeko was appointed acting NFVF CEO in September 2025 and has served almost a year as acting CEO at the beleaguered film agency of the department of arts, culture and sport.
Prior to being appointed as acting NFVF CEO, Onke Dumeko was the NFVF's head of operations since April 2022.
Onke Dumeko replaced Rirhandzu Machaba who was acting NFVF CEO before her. Her appointment followed a highly turbulent period of leadership turnover at the NFVF, that saw the unqualified Pastor Vincent Blennies resign in May 2025 after less than three months into his appointment last year.
Abigail Thulare was then redeployed from Robben Island to head up the NFVF temporarily in early 2025, with Lebogang Mogoera who was NFVF acting CEO until February 2025.
The NFVF has so far failed to issue any press statement about Onke Dumeko's suspension that took place with immediate effect on 25 June. This leaves the NFVF without any acting boss and with department heads who are forced to "manage teams and staff"
It's as yet unclear why exactly Onke Dumeo has been suspended. The troubled NFVF has been without a permanent CEO for over a year.
In an internal memo signed by Leon van Nierop, NFVF council chairperson, confirmed to the board that Onke Dumeko has been suspended.
"A precautionary suspension is a standard governance procedure intended to ensure an unhindered process and does not represent a disciplinary finding or any prejudgment of the matter," the memo states.
"The council has full confidence that the current heads of departments will continue with their management teams and staff, steer the organisation effectively during this interim period until an acting official is announced."
"As this is an internal administrative matter, we request that staff respect the privacy and confidentiality of the process."
In response to questions from TVwithThinus to the NFVF, the NFVF on Tuesday responded as follows:
Can the NFVF please comment on the suspension of Onke Dumeko as acting CEO?
Answer: The NFVF Council resolved to place the acting chief executive officer, Onke
Dumeko, on a precautionary suspension pending the finalisation of an independent
administrative review.
Can the NFVF please say why it decided not to issue a statement to the public/industry media
about the suspension last week?
Answer: This is an internal administrative matter that remains subject to an ongoing review
process.
Is it correct that the NFVF has no acting CEO currently, and department heads are making their own decisions without oversight?
Answer: The NFVF council is finalising the appointment of an acting official and will
communicate this appointment to staff and industry stakeholders in due course.
