29 March 2020
Our country is dealing with a
national emergency, as all efforts of the government, private sector and civil
society combine to fight the health disaster that threatens to ensue with the
rapid spread of COVID-19 across our provinces. Furthermore, the resultant
projected economic losses are an additional threat for our country’s already
struggling economy. The JSE, banking, telecommunications, mining, export and
other sectors have already lost billions of Rands, and Moody’s has downgraded
South Africa’s credit rating to junk status at the worst possible time for our
economy. This also means that South Africa’s Government Bonds will be excluded
from the FTSE World Government Bond Index. There is not a single sector that
will not be affected and millions of ordinary South Africans will lose their
incomes and livelihood in the months to come. The President of the Republic has
announced a relief fund along with other measures to assist primarily small
businesses that are likely to suffer the most during the COVID-19 crisis.
It is with this massive challenge
in mind that the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Minister Nathi Mthethwa,
announced measures and a relief fund of R150 million towards assisting
artists, athletes, technical personnel and the core ecosystem that supports
them, to soften the economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on their
livelihood, on 25 March 2020.
The criteria for accessing this
support, the identification of beneficiaries and the mechanism through which
the relief fund will be managed has now been finalised in consultation with
SASCOC and CCIFSA for the different sectors.
ATHLETES, COACHES AND
TECHNICAL SUPPORT PERSONNEL
The athletes who
were confirmed to participate at events that have now been cancelled or
postponed due to COVID-19, and whose income is generated solely through
specific sporting events will be eligible for relief. They must provide proof
that their events have been cancelled and their taxes must be in order.
Coaches and technical
support personnel must work with athletes whose sporting events
have been cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19, and make their
earnings solely from these events. They too must have
their tax matters in order.
Athletes on the Operation
Excellence Programme (OPEX) are potential medalists earmarked for
International Multi-coded events such as the Olympics, Paralympics,
Commonwealth Games etc, and the above conditions and criteria are applicable to
them.
NB: For Sports,
relief will only be availed to athletes, coaches, or technical support
personnel after the date on which the cancelled or postponed event would have
been held.
The Department reserves the
right to determine the quantum of relief based on the availability of
resources.
ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR RELIEF
CRITERIA
The following categories of arts
and culture are to be considered for support through the relief intervention.
For DSAC funded projects that
have already entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department,
and the first tranche of payment has been made, where artists, venues and other
suppliers of the project have been paid, but the project implementation has
been cancelled due to COVID-19, the beneficiaries will be compensated for the
expenditure incurred. To benefit from the compensation, the beneficiaries will
have to submit a claim that does not deviate from the original MOA and provide
supporting documents such as contracts and valid invoices to the Department.
The DSAC reserves the right to determine a flat rate fee for all such
beneficiaries. The above criteria also applies to Funding and
Associated Institutions such as the National Arts Council (NAC),
the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), the National Heritage Council
(NHC), Business and Arts South Africa (BASA), etc.
For DSAC Institutions whose
productions and events have been cancelled, the Playhouses that
have had to cancel productions scheduled from March to June will pay the
artists and practitioners who were already booked for these productions.
For cancelled Non-DSAC
Funded Projects, the list of 25 productions and 15 live events
already submitted by national industry organisations will be compensated. To benefit
from compensation, producers and organisers are required to submit a
spreadsheet of the costs that were due to be incurred from March - June with
proof of existing contracts and relevant documentation. A second spreadsheet of
the full details of practitioners and committed costs will also be required.
The Department reserves the right to determine the compensation to be made.
The Department has been
receiving, and will continue to accept, spontaneous Project
proposals for the use of online solutions (4th Industrial
Revolution) until 4 April 2020. These concepts should respond to
the effect of COVID-19 on the sport, arts and culture sectors with digital
platforms, VOD ideas (Video on Demand), streaming, podcasts, social media,
webinars, short animations and documentaries, etc. Compensation will be in the
form of a flat rate payment, to be included in the proposal. The Department
reserves the right to make the final determination of the artist’s fee. The
duration of the project must be limited to two months, and not more than five
pages clearly outlining the concept, budget and time frames. The projects must
also involve artists to assist them in making an income during these difficult
times. A list of artists and practitioners must also be provided. Only
proposals from good standing compliant sector organisations will be accepted
(NPC, NPI and Companies).
NB: Proposals should be
addressed to the Arts Culture Promotion Development (ACPD) Branch and sent
to DSAC.covid19@dac.gov.za by
the 4th April 2020
For the Arts, relief
will only be availed to producers, organisers, project managers and department
beneficiaries after the cancelled project/event would have been held.
The Department reserves the
right to determine the quantum of relief based on the availability of resources.
Minister Mthethwa said, “The
above relief support of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is guided by
Schedule 5 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
Therefore, athletes that have not earned the status of being national athletes
would have to be catered for by their respective provinces, and projects and
events that are not considered to have an impact at a national level, involving
artists and practitioners from various provinces, would have to approach their
respective provinces.”
Excluded from the above
relief framework are, athletes, coaches and technical personnel
who do not rely solely on income earned from participating at sport events and
permanently employed personnel in institutions and organisations. In other
words, all athletes and art practitioners on fixed term contracts (with
Salaries).
…ends//
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
SPORTS, ARTS AND CULTURE
Media enquiries:
Ms Masechaba Ndlovu
Spokesperson: Minister of
Sport, Arts and Culture
Ms Zimasa Velaphi
Chief Director Communications
and Marketing: Arts and Culture
Mickey Modisane
Chief Director Communications
and Marketing: Sport and Recreation
