The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is calling on the Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation (SACR), Mbali Hlophe to speed up the process of providing the Gauteng arts crafters, musicians, athletes, and freelancers with financial assistance.
This follows the revelation that the Gauteng arts crafters, musicians, athletes and freelancers have not yet received any financial assistance from the Gauteng Department of SACR as part of the relief fund since the inception of the national lockdown period due to the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.
This information was revealed by the Gauteng MEC for SACR, Mbali Hlophe in an oral reply to the DA’s questions during the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s (GPL) virtual sitting.
According to MEC Hlophe, the artists, freelancers and athletes have not yet received any financial assistance and the process is still underway.
The department has budgeted R28 million to assist the arts and sports sector in this province. The applications for relief funding was open on 14 June and will close on 26 June. The payment process will begin in July until December.
It is worrying that in more than three months of the national lockdown the department has not yet provided any financial relief to our artists and athletes who are struggling financially and finding it difficult to make ends meet due to the strict lockdown regulations that have completely closed down the industry.
Many of the arts and culture freelancers do not qualify for social grants and as a result they have been left hung out to dry for more than three months with no income while the department drags its feet in rolling out the R28 million set aside to assist them.
These freelancers play a crucial role in the arts and culture industry and they have contributed immensely towards social cohesion and nation building.
It is the department’s responsibility to support our arts and culture freelancers both on stage and off stage as they still have a massive role to play in building this country.
The DA will monitor the process of providing financial assistance to our artists, athletes and freelancers and continue to put pressure on MEC Hlophe to speed up the process.