Rosemary Mangope resigns from NAC and settles amidst disciplinary process
The terms of settlement between the CEO and the NAC however remain known.
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
AS Rosemary Mangope the Chief Executive officer of the embattled National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) last week resigned amidst a disciplinary process and after reaching a settlement with her employer, questions are being raised about the terms of the settlement. The NAC in a statement revealed that it had reached a settlement with Mangope, but did not release the terms of the agreement. The secrecy of the settlement terms is currently raising eyebrows in the creative sector.
This is so because this high profile case, which involved maladministration of public funds in the height of Covid-19 difficulties for the creative industry is being watched carefully by the sector.
The cause of Mangope’s woes and her executive team as well as the then newly inaugurated council is the way the NAC mishandled the Presidential Economic Stimulus Funds (PESP) meant to mitigate the effects of the impact of Covid-19 on the creative sector.
The disbursement of the funds exposed systemic failure as well as management inefficiencies at the NAC, which resulted in chaos with some deserving artists complaining that their applications were not adequately adjudicated upon by the panels, and even those whose applications were successful had to wait for months before receiving their grants. Some applicants were initially granted the money they had applied for, but which were later reduced in a biod to accommodate more deserving applicants, leading to litigation action by some irked organisations.
For example the National Arts Festival (NAF) took the NAC to court for reducing its funds, and the courts granted its wishes, ordering the NAC to pay the NAF its initial grant last year, worth millions..
A forensic investigation was then launched by the Department of Arts and Culture late last year, uncovering the chaos including management liability, therefore resulting in charges being pressed by the NAC Council against Mangope, some senior management team members, including the Chief Financial officer.
However on Friday on the eve of the long weekend the NAC announced on their website that Mangopoe had chosen to settle and resigned. But no details were given regarding the terms of the settlement reached with her.
“In June 2021, the National Arts Council (NAC) appointed Mazars Forensic Services (Pty) Ltd (Mazars) to conduct a forensic audit of the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP). The scope of the investigation included, but was not limited to, determining whether there were any irregularities or inconsistencies in the management, adjudication, and approval of PESP applications, and whether there was any gross negligence, misconduct, or dereliction of duties with regard to various officials of the NAC, including Ms. Rosemary Mangope, the Chief Executive Officer of the NAC.
Following the conclusion of the investigation and submission of the final report in September 2021, the NAC instituted a disciplinary hearing against the CEO in respect of various allegations of misconduct. The hearing proceeded before an independent chairperson on the 14th of December 2021; 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th of February 2022; 23rd and 25th of March 2022; and on the 4th of April 2022.
Prior to the conclusion of the hearing, the NAC and Ms. Mangope agreed to part ways amicably. The mutual separation agreement was signed by the parties on the 14th of April 2022 and its terms remain confidential. Following conclusion of the agreement, the NAC has withdrawn the charges against Ms. Mangope,” the NAC statement reads.
The culture of paying senior executives who find who themselves on a collision course with their employer to go away is a regular frequency in both the private and public sectors, bur remains a controversial issue, especially where public funds are involved.
Mangope was in her second term as Chief executive officer of the NAC, and CITYLIFE/ARTS understands she had a year left to complete her five year term.
We could not reach Mangope nor the NAC Council for comment on Monday.