Arts and Culture ordered to act on forensic report into monies wasted on reed dance precinct

09 November 2016 - 14:08 By TMG Digital
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A damning forensic report critical of the way R130-million was spent on “upgrades” near the palace of Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini appears to be gathering dust.

Parliament’s portfolio committee on arts and culture on Wednesday “denounced the lax response to the forensic report into the development of the Enyokeni Cultural Precinct” by the Department of Arts and Culture.

The committee said the department had shown little or no enthusiasm to remedy the challenges raised in the report.

The department had ambitious plans to upgrade the area‚ where thousands of maidens gather to take part in the annual reed dance‚ into a major tourist attraction. But there is little evidence of the promised development.

Committee chair Xoliswa Tom said: “The department seems to be cold towards the report and the many wrongs that have been uncovered. As the committee we encourage the department to move with speed to find corrective measures to challenges raised. The department must also work closely with law enforcement agencies to investigate and bring the matter to finality.”

The root cause of “challenges” around the project‚ said the committee‚ were a failure to plan and the unavailability of a policy guiding the funding of such projects.

Despite the disbursement of R129.8-million‚ it was worrying that “there is no value for money for the work that had already been done”‚ said a statement by the committee. The project remains incomplete and more money will have to be spent to finish the work.

“The forensic report must assist the department to get reimbursements from those that did not deliver on agreed work. The committee is clear that there must be maximum returns for money spent‚” said Tom.

The department was instructed by the committee to come up with a detailed plan to tackle the issues raised in the forensic report. – TMG Digital

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