Sport, arts department withdraws review application against Public Protector report

The Minister and Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has agreed to withdraw their review application against a report by the Public Protector after a 2018 court order.

In a statement on Wednesday, acting Public Protector advocate Kholeka Gcaleka welcomed the move by the department and its decision to implement remedial action contained in the report without qualification.

“We acknowledge the department’s decision to effect the court order thereby ensuring that justice has been done. It is important that there be redress where complainants are found to have been unfairly discriminated against and improperly prejudiced.

“Above all, it is critical for organs of state to understand that when we take appropriate remedial action, we merely seek to bring the wronged party as close as possible to where they would have been but for the discriminatory and prejudicial conduct. Other state functionaries must take a leaf out of the minister and officials’ book. They must just act sooner so as to not prolong the complainant’s suffering,” Gcaleka said.

According to Public Protector spokesperson Oupa Segalwe, both the court order and the report followed a 2017 investigation into allegations that the department failed to implement a settlement agreement it entered into on 01 April 2014 with the South African Roadies Association (SARA).

SARA is a non-profit organisation which equips young people with technical skills in entertainment productions.

Segalwe further said the remedial action in the report mirrored the terms of the 1 April 2014 settlement agreement.

“Following the Minister and his department’s decision to abandon their review application in favour of implementing the agreement, the agreement was turned into an order of the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria.”

Read the full statement below:

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