01 May 2020
On 25 March 2020 Minister Nathi
Mthethwa announced a R150 Million relief fund for the sector, in response to
the dire circumstances faced by athletes and artists due to the impact of the
Coronavirus pandemic.
SPORT
Independent adjudicators were
appointed and the adjudication process is currently under way.
The sport sector adjudication
committee was the first to be appointed and to resume the process of
adjudication. They were the first to complete the process due to the limited
number of applications that were received from the sector, which was just over
300.
Over 90 athletes were approved by
the adjudicators and have subsequently received their funding. The remaining
applications are still being processed and upon completion, the Department will
finalise the sporting sector relief funding process.
The athletes who have already
benefited come from different sporting codes ranging from the South African
Sport for the physically disabled, Netball, Gymnastics; to mention a few.
ARTS AND CULTURE
By the deadline of 6 April 23h59,
the Department had received 6, 000 submissions. After processing the data,
approximately 5, 000 were COVID-19 Relief Fund applications.4
The adjudication process has
overseen 1, 000 out of these 5, 000 applications.
Of these 1, 000 applications, 105
have been approved and are being processed for payment.
The Department, together with the
adjudication committees, is devising mechanisms to fast track the process.
It is however important to note,
with concern, that most of the applications did not meet the basic
requirements, as stipulated in the criteria for application.
This ranges from lack of proof of
cancellation of events, to outstanding basic personal information, et al…
The major concern about this is
that most of these applicants are people who seem to be the hardest hit by the
impact of COVID-19.
The Minister will give feedback
on the outcomes of the adjudication process in the next few days.
//END//
Media Enquiries:
Masechaba Khumalo: Spokesperson (Minister)
Tel: 066 380 7408 | Email: MasechabaN@dac.gov.za
Mr Mickey Modisane: Chief Director Marketing and
Communications (Sport)
Tel: 082 992 0101 | Email: Mickey@srsa.gov.za
Ms Zimasa Velaphi: Marketing and Communications (Arts and
Culture)
Tel: 072 172 8925 | Email: ZimasaV@dac.gov.za
