Urgent interventions for situation at Nelson Mandela Museum
The Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture has requested the Department of Arts and Culture in consultation with senior management and the Board of Nelson Mandela National Museum to come up with urgent plans to turn around the worrying situation at the museum. The Committee expects this plan to be ready within the next seven days.
The Committee is worried that the museum bearing the name of a South African and world icon is facing the kind of challenges it is today. The Committee is of the view that the museum should be in the forefront in terms of good governance more especially because of the name it carries. The regression to a qualified audit opinion undermines the ethos of man Nelson Mandela was.
“The current situation within the museum is untenable and is a direct contradiction of what Nelson Mandela stood for. We have as a Committee directed the department to urgently intervene to ensure that this museum delivers on its mandate. The effectiveness of this museum is central to social cohesion initiatives the country is currently undertaking and these challenges are impeding the delivery of these initiatives,” said Mrs Xoliswa Tom, the Chairperson of the Committee.
What is more worrying to the Committee is the note by the Auditor General of a lack of consistency between the Strategic Plan, quarterly reports, Annual Performance Report and budget. The Committee is of the view that planning is necessary to reach desired goals and the inconsistencies with these plans within the museum point to lack of clear plans and goals.
Furthermore, the Committee has called for the board to speedily conclude the disciplinary hearing of the Chief Executive Officer. The Committee remains worried that the matter has not been concluded despite the CEO being suspended from June 2014. The conclusion of this matter will ensure governance processes within the institution are returned to normality.
In dealing with these challenges the Committee has demanded from the board and the department a deadline driven programme of action on ways to deal with areas of concern. This will enable the Committee to effectively monitor the current situation. The Committee has committed to return to the institution within this financial year to assess the impact and progress in turning the situation around.
For media enquiries and interviews with the Chairperson please contact:
Malatswa Evans Molepo (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8438
Cell: 073 297 1914
E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za
