Sports minister Mthethwa names committee to decide on relief applications

Minister of sports, arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa.
Minister of sports, arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa.
Image: Gallo Images/Jeffrey Abrahams

Minister of Sports Nathi Mthethwa has announced a six-member adjudication committee to make recommendations on the applications from federations on who qualifies for financial relief from the government during the national lockdown.

Last month‚ Mthethwa committed R150 million towards a relief fund to assist artists‚ athletes‚ and technical personnel to soften the heavy economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Saturday‚ Mthethwa announced that Keitumetse Lebaka‚ Leon Fleisher‚ Allan Williams‚ Simanga Matholeni‚ Dr Linda Ncube-Nkomo and Marupini Ramatsekisa are part of the independent and external panel.

The panel will be led by Lebaka‚ the CEO of the Culture‚ Arts Tourism‚ Sports Sector Education and Training Authority (Cathsseta) as its chairperson.

“On 17 April 2020 Minister Nathi Mthethwa held meetings with the members of the adjudication committees appointed to adjudicate and make recommendations on the applications received from sport federations and artists for relief funding as well as online project funding‚” read a statement from the ministry.

The ministry also confirmed that it has received over 300 applications that were submitted through sporting federations and the adjudication committee has started work‚ and has processed most of the applications.

It also indicated that some applications were sent back due to technical errors and the final step will be of processing of payments to athletes who have been recommended by the panel.

The Sport Adjudication Committee:

Keitumetse Lebaka - AC Chairperson‚ CEO of the Culture‚ Arts Tourism‚ Sports Sector Education and Training Authority (Cathsseta)

Leon Fleisher - Acting General Manager: High Performance Sascoc

Allan Williams - CEO of the Sport for Social Change Network Southern Africa

Simanga Matholeni - senior projects and stakeholder manager at the Sports Trust

Dr Linda Ncube-Nkomo - CEO of the LoveLife Trust

Marupini Ramatsekisa - Project manager for grant funding at the National Lotteries Commission