The end of the sit-in coincides with the interim appointment of Sharon Snell as the Acting Pacofs Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Whilst no mention is made of the previous acting Pacofs CEO, Meshack Xaba, in the statement announcing the appointment, the provincial coordinator of the Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of South Africa (Ccifsa) in the Free State, Mbuyiselo Nqodi, tells OFM News Xaba remains a Pacofs employee, and has only been demoted from the senior position. Nqodi explains why they decided to call an end to the protest, despite him not being given the complete boot by the council.

“We left because we wanted to give the acting CEO a chance to stabilise the institution because our aim was not to disrupt it from functioning, but rather to deal with the issue of Mr Xaba”. 

He reveals that Snell’s responsibility includes dealing with the recommendations of a 2018 investigative report by forensic auditing firm, Morar Incorporated, that finds the current artistic director, Xaba, guilty of wrongdoing. He is embroiled in the favourable treatment of a former Pacofs council member in the organisation of a gospel festival that was pitched to the centre by a local artist. He says they left to show good faith.

Before Snell’s appointment at Pacofs, she held the CEO position at the National Museum in Bloemfontein. She holds a Master's Degree in Law.

“The provisional appointment of Ms Snell is a strategic measure to enable the council the opportunity to facilitate stability at Pacofs by ensuring the institution’s business continuity whilst attaining sound corporate governance. She joins the institution with a wealth of knowledge in the creative and cultural industries. The council is confident that she will lead the administration well,” says the council chairperson, Advocate Thato Moeeng.

The Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture was in Bloemfontein post the Easter weekend to attend to issues at the heart of the weeks-long sit-in. The committee is on Thursday 22 April expected to deal with those issues during a virtual sitting of the committee in parliament.

OFM News