HUNDREDS of performing artists who had applied for relief funds provided to help them financially during the lockdown period could not be paid due to various reasons.
Sport, Arts, and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa said the artists could not meet the criteria as set out in the gazetted regulations and therefore the department could not pay them.
Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing to provide an update, Mthethwa said some of the artists were advised to immediately lodge appeals and a three-person panel has been established to help them with the appeals.
“A huge number of people did not get relief fund as they did not meet the criteriaOn Arts and Culture, the total number adjudicated upon is 1050, 232 were recommended and the process of payment has started, 603 were not recommended and 203 were referred to the department,” said Mthethwa.
When the government announced the lockdown last month, it set aside R150 million to help artists who would be affected. Some of the artists who were set to benefit were those whose performance had had to be cancelled due to the deadly virus.
Mthethwa also used the briefing to announce strict guidelines for production companies who might in the near future be allowed to start shooting local content.
The guidelines require production companies to prepare the workplace and daily routine to be established after, include, sanitising of the environment before the shoot commences, during each shoot day, and after wrap each day.
“There must be dedicated cleaning staff to sanitise and clean bathrooms spaces on a regular routine throughout the day, and a daily register of all people granted access to the set with details of their daily temperatures must be compiled.
“Where possible, all crew and cast must use their own transport and those without, must be provided by the production, in terms of the guidelines issued by transport arranged by the production management must be provided with the driver, and all occupants in a vehicle must wear face masks,” he said.
Mthethwa said catered meals on set must be packed in boxes per person with sealed cutlery, alternatively, the crew and cast must be allowed to bring their own meals.
No shared craft and catering areas would be allowed while crew and cast must be supplied with their own water bottles.
