A written question by the DA Member in the National Assembly, Veronica van Dyk, to the minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, revealed that there have been three legal cases and thirteen disciplinary cases within Pacofs. 

However, the Minister’s response did not fully answer Van Dyk’s question regarding what the status or reasons for the cases were or the amount of money that has been spent on each case. Another question that was not answered, is how much was spent on the upliftment of artists within the province.

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However, the last question of whether the recommendations of the Bonakude and Morar forensics investigation reports have been implemented, was answered in full. The Bonakude report was done by the Bonakude Accountants and Auditors and submitted to the entity late last year. The report was brought in with the aim to investigate the maladministration within the entity and whether any appointment of officials was done irregularly. The written answer by the minister states that 90% of the Bonakude report’s recommendations have been implemented and that the process is already underway to conclude the remaining 10%.

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Early last year (2021), artists from the province staged a sit-in due to the challenges they wanted to be solved within the entity. However, the Free State Provincial Coordinator of the Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of South Africa (CCIFSA), Mbuyiselo Nqodi, stated they were told the resolutions to the challenges they have, have been implemented. The investigation by the Morar Incorporated Accounting Firm was roped in to investigate the alleged collusion in procuring tenders and the favourable treatment of a former Pacofs council member. 

Nqodi also added that the suspension of the previous CEO, Peter Pedlar, and the appointment of the then acting CEO and Artistic Director, Meshack Xaba, do not go unnoticed as both of them have allegedly been accused of wrongdoing in the 2018 Morar report.

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The answer of the minister to Van Dyk concludes that the recommendations of the Morar report have been fully implemented.

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