Issued by: SA Communication Service
11 March 1998
STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF HEALTH IN RESPECT OF THE SARAFINA II INVESTIGATION BY THE HEALTH SPECIAL INVESTIGATION UNIT
PRETORIA
In April 1996, the Department of Health approached the South African Police Service to investigate the use of funds by Committed Artists, the production company contracted to stage the Sarafina II project. In August 1997, the Attorney-General in KwaZulu Natal recommended that the matter be referred to the Heath Special Investigating Unit for civil case investigation.
Subsequently the Department of Health contacted the Heath Investigating Unit in requesting them to assist in finalising the case. We have provided the Commission with all the relevant information and will continue to cooperate with the Unit in this regard.
The mandate for the Heath Special Investigating Unit was given by President Mandela on 24 February 1998 and published in the Government Gazette on 25 February 1998. We urgently await the result of the investigation so that we can finalise this matter and report to Parliament.