NFVF Council Dissolved with Immediate Effect for a 2nd Time in 2 Years as Fired Board Members are Slammed Over 'Loss of Confidence' to Provide Governance for SA's Rudderless Film Agency

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's beleaguered and unstable National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) has had its latest board dissolved for the second time in two years, following shocking and damning failures around the egregious and irregular appointment of a council member as latest acting CEO.

Gayton McKenzie, South Africa's minister of sports, arts and culture fired the entire board of the struggling South African film agency on Wednesday, 23 September with immediate effect, bringing their term to a shocking and abrupt end.

Gayton McKenzie dissolved the previous NFVF council just two years ago in July 2024, following allegations of mismanagement and corruption.

The latest board firing comes after the NFVF council appointed one of its own council members, Nondumiso Madlala, as acting CEO of the struggling agency in July.

Nondumiso Madlala's appointment as acting NFVF CEO - a position the rudderless NFVF also continues to struggle to properly fill - was done while NFVF whistleblowers accused Nondumiso Madlala of allegedly "protecting" the previous acting NFVF CEO Onke Dumiso, who was suspended.

Nondumiso Madlala became the 7th person to be placed in the NFVF's CEO chair over the past three years since 2023.

The NFVF council appointed Nondumiso Madlala as acting NFVF CEO despite serious allegations that were raised against her as well, by insiders.

In a shocking turn of events, the NFVF council brazenly admitted that section 13(4) of the National Film and Video Foundation Act doesn't allow the board to appoint a council member as acting NFVF CEO.

After the minister complained, the NFVF council quietly terminated Nondumiso Madlala as acting NFVF CEO and quietly appointed Neliswa Bam as acting NFVF CEO - the 8th person to serve in this position.

The NFVF didn't bother to either issue any press release or statement about Neliswa Bam's appointment, or to inform South Africa's TV and film industry, when this happened.

By Friday night, the NFVF's website still listed the fired NFVF council although they've been fired two days before.

Leon van Nierop is still listed as NFVF council chairperson, with Mthokozisi Radebe as deputy chairperson, together with Chad Louw, Andrea Gordon, Siphosethu Mtamzeli, Omphemetse Mokgosi, Tony Ferreira, Simon Clarke, Yazeed Kamaldien, Nobuntu Dubazana, Nondumiso Madlala, and Lindeka Moeng as company secretary.

According to Gayton McKenzie, the brazen decisions by the now-dissolved NFVF council members caused a "material loss of confidence" in the NFVF council's ability to "provide the lawful and accountable governance required by the Act".

The minister's office didn't immediately respond to a media query made on Friday afternoon about the firing of the NFVF board and why this was done.

TVwithThinus also asked the NFVF, in a media query on Friday afternoon for comment, and also why it failed to issue any press statement on Wednesday, two days ago, and decided not to inform South Africa's film industry that the board is gone.

The NFVF's communications officer, Busisiwe Hoho, in response, said "The appointment and/or dissolution of the NFVF council is the sole prerogative of the minister of sport, arts and culture. The onus therefore rests with the office of the minister".

In a statement on Friday afternoon, the Democratic Alliance (DA) political party said Gayton McKenzie's "recent dissolution of his own appointed NFVF council, citing governance concerns, has once again raised serious questions about his appointment of the same individuals to multiple public entities he ultimately controls".

"Three individuals in particular highlight the extent of these overlaps: Simon Clarke, Omphemetse Mokgosi and Siphosethu Mtamzeli."

"Before the NFVF council was dissolved on Wednesday, 23 September, all three simultaneously served on the NFVF Council, the Board of the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), and the National Arts Council (NAC)."

The DA says "Multiple board membership is not automatically improper. But where the same individuals appear across several public entities facing significant governance and operational problems, alongside documented political relationships involving senior appointees, parliament and the public are entitled to know how and why those selections were made."

ALSO READ: NFVF council member Nondumiso Madlala appointed latest acting NFVF CEO at SA's troubled film agency

NFVF council member Nondumiso Madlala appointed latest acting NFVF CEO at SA's troubled film agency

by Thinus Ferreira

The destabilised and struggling National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), has appointed its council member Nondumiso Madlala as the latest acting CEO of the beleaguered South African film agency.

The latest appointment of an acting NFVF CEO comes while NFVF whistleblowers have accused Nondumiso Madlala of allegedly "protecting" the previous acting NFVF CEO Onke Dumiso, who was recently suspended.

Nondumiso Madlala is the 7th person to be placed in the NFVF's CEO chair over the past three years since 2023.

The NFVF has appointed Nondumiso Madlala as acting NFVF CEO, although serious allegations have been raised against her as well by insiders.

The problem-filled film body's council has also once again simply filled the NFVF CEO void by moving a council member, tasked with oversight of the body, into what is an executive role and position.

Nondumiso Madlala replaces Onke Dumiso who was suspended last month pending an internal review. The NFVF has been without even an acting CEO for the past few weeks, with department heads left to run divisions.

In an internal letter on Tuesday 7 July that TVwithThinus has seen, NFVF council chairperson Leon van Nierop writes that Nondumiso Madlala "has officially assumed the role of acting CEO with immediate effect".

Once again, as with the suspension of Onke Dumeko - who is still listed on the NFVF website as acting CEO - neither South Africa's film and TV industry nor the broader public has been told about Nondumiso Madlala's appointment through any press release or NFVF statement.

According to Leon van Nierop, Nondumiso Madlala "joins the executive management team with a wealth of strategic leadership experience and a deep, historical understanding of our organisation's vision, values, and operational mandates through their previous years of being with the NFVF and her stellar service on the council."

"To ensure absolute governance integrity, transparency, and compliance with best corporate practices during this interim period, Nondumiso Madlala has stepped down from all council duties and oversight committees."

"The council requests that all staff members extend their characteristic professionalism, warmth, and full cooperation to Nondumiso Madlala during this transitional phase," the memo reads.

Whistleblowers, in a recent letter sent to the NFVF as well as the NFVF council, parliament's portfolio committee on arts, culture and sport, as well as to minister Gayton McKenzie, serious allegations have been made about alleged governance, procurement, as well as administrative irregularities at the NFVF.

Insiders detail numerous problems inside the NFVF and have asked for urgent parliamentary oversight and an independent investigation as they fear victimisation, alleging a workplace inside the NFVF "characterised by intimidation and bullying".

In another serious allegation, the whistleblowers have asked the parliamentary committee to urgently investigate whether any actual or perceived conflicts of interest may have "compromised governance processes relating to senior leadership oversight, particularly Onke Dumeko's protection by two particular council members: Mthokozisi Radebe and Nondumiso Madlala".

NFVF employees are also concerned about what they claim to be "significant expenditure on legal services over the past two financial years" as well as the NFVF's CEO recruitment process.

Whistleblowers have asked for an "independent forensic investigation into the allegations", for parliament to "ensure that neither the current NFVF council nor officials who may be implicated participate in directing or influencing the investigation" and that the investigation "review all procurement processes for compliance with applicable legislation".

The investigation should also "examine legal expenditure incurred over the past two financial years, investigate governance concerns relating to PESP funding and the implementation of internal audit recommendations", and "recommend appropriate disciplinary, civil or criminal action where evidence supports such action".

ALSO READ: NFVF acting CEO Onke Dumeko suspended pending review leaving SA's troubled film agency without an acting boss