STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE MR JOB MOKGORO ON THE ISSUES AFFECTING THE NORTH WEST ARTS COUNCIL:
Media reports that the North West Government, the MEC responsible for the North West Arts Council and the Director General are "turning a blind eye" to alleged corruption and mismanagement at the council are patently untrue.
The Director General's response to staff allegations about top management last year was to immediately appoint a committee of enquiry Staff at the Arts Council were free and encouraged to submit evidence to the committee.
Setting up such a committee was in keeping with government's commitment to responsiveness and its open door policy. If staff have any further grievances, they are once again encouraged to use existing channels to air their views.
Responsibility to the council as well as to the country at large necessitates that workers should accept restructuring and transformation of former homeland structures to fit in with the new democratic South Africa.
The fact remains that the Arts Council, together with other State institutions, need to be transformed from serving the sectarian interests of the former regime to that of the current democratic order of President Nelson Mandela. It is unfortunate that employees and former workers have acted irresponsibly and dishonestly in making the wild allegations afresh.