Seven months after Parliament asked for it, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has still not handed over the investigation report said to clear National Arts Council (NAC) officials Julie Diphofa and Reshma Bhoola.
The deadline was 10 April 2026.
ANC MP Tebogo Letsie raised it in the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture on Tuesday, 10 November.
“We met the NAC on 27 March 2026. Out of that meeting, we took resolutions as the portfolio committee. Number one: we requested DSAC to submit a full investigation report that clears the names of Ms Diphofa and Ms Bhoola. I don’t think we have received that information till today.
“Number two, we requested the procurement details and terms of reference for the forensic investigation conducted at the NAC. We requested a full report and documents on the disciplinary processes relating to previous NAC management implicated in maladministration. We haven’t received that information.
“The date we set for the department was 10 April 2026. We are still sitting here today, and we don’t have such information, Chair. Can DSAC tell us when we are going to receive it?” Letsie said.
DSAC acting deputy director-general Sibusiso Tsanyane said the documents may have been lost in a staff change.
“My understanding was that those were sent. I know there was a change in the DG’s office, because one official retired. But I was under the impression that they were forwarded. So we need to follow up and check the records,” Tsanyane responded.
Tsanyane was then asked whether MPs would have everything by the end of Wednesday.
“We’ll check and do that, Honourable member,” Tsanyane said.
ANC MP Matsholo Mmolotsane said it was not only the NAC. She said questions on Robben Island Museum and the National Film and Video Foundation had gone unanswered since 27 August.
“Every time we meet with an entity, at the end of the day we have resolutions, and they give us timelines. Unfortunately, the timeline passes without us getting responses. And when we write to the department, it’s like now we are digging for answers. The more they don’t give us answers, the more we dig for more answers.
“We had a meeting on 27 August with Robben Island. We did not get the answers. We had the meeting again recently with Robben Island. We did not get the answers. NFVF, 27 August. We don’t have answers. Why are we supposed to sit in the meeting, and at the end of the day we don’t get our answers? This is so frustrating.
“Can you please take us seriously? This can’t be happening. And at the end of the day, people will say we attack them. We don’t attack anyone. They are paid to do that,” she said.
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie apologised.
“Firstly, I want to apologise, because I was not aware of what I’ve just heard. It’s very wrong. As politicians, we get a hundred questions, and we answer them. We don’t have the luxury of not answering them.
“I’m saying in front of the staff that it should never happen again. Whether we like the questions or not, we should answer. I don’t want excuses. It will be the last time that questions don’t get answered, because that is the cornerstone of accountability: answering the questions,” McKenzie said.
Letsie warned that the committee could summon officials.
“The existence of this committee is enshrined in section 55 of the Constitution, for Parliament to hold ministries and departments accountable. And section 56 of the same Constitution says we are empowered to summon any person, any documentation. If you don’t give us these responses, unfortunately we would have no choice but to activate section 56,” he said.
The NAC council says a Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr investigation cleared Diphofa and Bhoola.
It has never released that report. DSAC director-general Dr Cynthia Khumalo undertook in the same meeting to send it to the committee.