Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has shared troubling details about the department’s monthly spending on the Silapha Wellness Intervention Programme, with only a fraction of the over R500,000 paid each month being properly accounted for.
During a session in the National Assembly, McKenzie explained that the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) pays R507,120 monthly to Workforce Healthcare, the company hired in 2023 by former minister Zizi Kodwa to manage the programme. The initiative was designed to provide mental health support, financial guidance, substance abuse assistance, and legal advice to artists.
However, out of the R507,120 spent each month, only R76,690 has a clear salary breakdown, covering project management, Silapha ambassadors, and clinical staff. This leaves more than R430,000 per month without a detailed explanation.
The total contract awarded to Workforce Healthcare was R18.3 million over three years. While DSAC states that 1,181 artists have benefited from the programme—exceeding the original target of 800—no records have been provided to identify these artists or detail the support they received.
“The department still cannot account for over R400,000 monthly, nor can they clarify what they mean by ‘engaging and impacting’ artists,” McKenzie said. “Transparency is crucial, especially when public funds and well-being are involved.”
EFF MP Eugene Mthethwa, a member of the DSAC Portfolio Committee, raised serious concerns, stating, “I don’t know any artist who has been assisted by this programme. If 1,181 were helped, at roughly R13,000 each, there should be evidence to prove it.”
To date, the DSAC has not provided clear explanations for how the remaining funds are being used.