Defence committee to consult minister regarding support for Castle Control Board
Management salaries have not been paid since the start of the lockdown.
The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military said that the negative impact of Covid-19 on the Castle of Good Hope comes as no surprise, since the castle operates within the tourism industry.
According to the CEO of the Castle Control Board (CCB), Calvyn Gilfellan, a request for a R1.6-million relief support package was submitted to National Treasury in March 2020.
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Treasury has yet to respond.
The request was, however, submitted prior to the announcement that the Castle of Good Hope will only be fully operational under lockdown level two.
“The initial amount of R1.6-m could escalate to R3.2-m should the current levels be extended.
“It is too early to determine the full impact because we do not know when the country will get back to normality again,” said the chairperson of the committee, Cyril Xaba.
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The committee was informed that staff had received their full salaries up until March, but the CCB could only pay 70 per cent of the April salaries to operational staff.
The rest will be claimed from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
The committee also learned that the CCB has not been able to pay management salaries since the start of the lockdown and the payment thereof is based on the outcome of the relief support package.
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Xaba said the R1.6-m relief sought is an estimate based on the castle resuming full operations at the end of September.
The committee resolved to consult Minister of Defence Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and the Department of Defence with regards to providing financial support to the CCB.
The CCB is responsible for the overall management, maintenance and promotion of the Castle of Good Hope as a heritage site and tourist attraction.
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