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Cape Town – Zama Mkosi has abruptly resigned as CEO of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) following a forensic investigation into allegations of mismanagement, waste of funds and other issues at the embattled organisation supposed to promote and support South Africa's film and television industry.
Mkosi is out with immediate effect and is being replaced by Shadrack Bokaba as acting CEO for the time being, "in the interest of organisational stability" according to the NFVF. There's been no quote or statement from Mkosi or any reasons given why she's left the NFVF abruptly, but she resigned on 27 May.
The NFVF says it will start the process looking for a new CEO. Zamantungwa Mkosi was appointed NFVF CEO in February 2012.
The past few years the NFVF has been embroiled in various allegations of money wasting and mismanagement of funds by senior executives, seriously damaging the credibility and reputation of the NFVF with the organisation that has seen its relationship with both the TV and film industry deteriorate, as well as with the media.
The allegations of mismanagement and money waste included not just overseas trips and expense accounts for foreign travel in luxury hotels with outrageous travel demands – money meant to fund film and television in South Africa – but also local splurging with trips to Sun City.
FORENSIC INVESTIGATION ORDERED AFTER COMPLAINTS
The bulk of NFVF staffers in an open letter complained about NFVF working conditions and made a litany of allegations of corruption within the NFVF and other irregular issues, implicating Mkosi, as well as the NFVF's chief financial officer and NFVF council members.
It led to the minister of arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa ordering a forensic investigation into the NFVF, the report and findings of which the department has so far refused to make public although it was delivered to the government in March 2018 already.
The NFVF that continues to organise expensive overseas trips, also continues to be criticised for the badly organised and low quality of the televised South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas), the NFVF's supposed showpiece, that keeps being marred by in-fighting and unhappy producers and production companies who boycott the awards.
At the 12th Saftas held in March and televised on SABC2, Mkosi who got an executive producer title, used the platform to lash out at and slam South Africa's media. Alluding to the allegations of corruption, mismanagement and mismanagement of funds inside the NFVF, Zama Mkosi told viewers how difficult it is to find funding for the Saftas due to the "ongoing bad press" the NFVF gets in the media.
The NFVF in a statement now says "Zama Mkosi has resigned as CEO of the NFVF with immediate effect". The NFVF "also announces the appointment of Joy Mawela as the head of industry development, training and marketing effective 1 June 2018 and Mbali Buthelezi as chief financial officer effective 1 July 2018".
"In the meanwhile the NFVF council has commenced implementation of the findings of the forensic report that was commissioned by the minister of arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa, with regard to the various allegations of impropriety at the NFVF."
"Equally important to the NFVF council is the desire to improve staff morale and brand reputation of the NFVF, amidst all the negative publicity that has engulfed the NFVF in the recent past," says the NFVF.
