McKenzie demands answers on the employment of foreign nationals on Robben Island

The Minister of Sports, Arts & Culture, Gayton McKenzie, says his department will investigate the hiring of foreign nationals at the Robben Island Museum.

McKenzie was speaking at a parliament portfolio committee meeting on Friday.

He was responding to allegations that foreign nationals were being prioritised more than South Africans regarding vacancies at the museum.

“When I became minister, the first thing I asked was, ‘How many foreign nationals are there in the department?’ I was told none.

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“I am busy drafting a letter to the ADG and I will CC Robben Island Museum on it. I want to assure the committee that I will handle this matter personally and consider it dealt with today. We cannot have a situation where foreign nationals are being given jobs while our children do not have jobs in the Western Cape,” he said.

MPs demand answers on employment processes at Robben Island Museum

Some portfolio committee members of parliament (MPs) raised concerns about the knowledge of South African history displayed by some foreign nationals employed at the museum.

They also requested that the Robben Island Museum provide parliament with a report on the number of foreign nationals hired, how they were hired and why other candidates were rejected.

The acting CEO of the Robben Island Museum, Jonty Tshipa, told the committee that he did not have the number of foreign nationals that have been hired at the top of his head.    

“I do not have the numbers at the top of my head, but we have received from the department how many foreign nationals we have. May I request that I should provide accurate information to the committee through the secretary? I do not have the numbers at the top of my head now,” he said.

There are also concerns about the maintenance of buildings on the Island and complaints about the Robben Island ferry.

McKenzie on preservation of history on Robben Island

McKenzie said the Robben Island Museum must be fully functional and equipped because of the expected tourists who will attend the G20 summit later this year in South Africa.

Meanwhile, McKenzie also announced plans to build a wall of remembrance on Robben Island. He said this gesture is to honour all political activists who were locked up on the Island.

“We cannot have people spend half their lives on Robben Island, and there is not even a stone with their name on it. That is not right,” he said.

McKenzie told MPs that he understood the importance of the Robben Island Museum because he himself had played a role in the fight against apartheid.

“I was not just a gangster, I had my own role to play, I may have not been on Robben Island, but I had my role.

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