DOWNTOWN Music Hub, once known as Downtown Studios, is allegedly falling apart.
The board of the recording facility is said to be fighting because of corruption, nepotism and maladministration.
Board chairman Rudolph Mamabolo laid a complaint against new CEO, Mpume Mabuza, while two board members have left.
Mamabolo told Daily Sun he sent a letter of complaint to the Hawks, Corruption Watch and Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.
“When Mrs Mabuza was appointed as CEO, she did not disclose she knew the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, Cynthia Khumalo.
“That is very important as that automatically put the other candidates in a disadvantaged position. Had we known, we were going to do a background check for any conflicts of interest. But we couldn’t as she didn’t mention it,” he said.
Mamabolo claimed Mabuza also hired people she knew and paid them a lot of money.
“Our CEO is now on a mission to employ senior staff through corruption and nepotism. I’m getting reports from some junior staff on how people are being employed. For instance, the employment of the financial manager, who is being paid almost R70 000 per month, is highly questionable for such a small institution. They go to the same church. The marketing manager was employed without following due processes.”
Mamabolo said employees told him they were victimised, abused and made to sign non-disclosure agreements.
Responding to claims of getting her job unfairly, Mabuza told Daily Sun: “It is best that the person/s making the claim provide evidence to the claim. The minister, board or police would then have to take the necessary steps. This is very important in dealing with such, otherwise it is defamation of character against a number of people and Downtown Music Hub as an institution.” She also denied that staff signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).
“I think it is fair the claimant provide evidence of this. Does she/he have a copy of the NDA? Can he reveal his sources to you and you investigate and determine on your end if staff feel scared or are abused?”
The department’s head of marketing, Zimasa Velaphi, said: “The letter has been presented to the office of the acting director-general for further investigations. It came to attention of the department that the same allegations presented in the letter are also being addressed by the board of Downtown Music Hub and a report will be submitted to the department as soon as the process has been completed.”
