Cape Town - The auditor-general (AG) has blasted the Robben Island Museum (RIM) in its annual report for failing to act against senior officials over the institution’s irregular expenditure.
The historic island was thrust into the spotlight last year over allegations of irregular salary increases, nepotism, irregular expenditure and bad management.
Approached for comment, the RIM referred to 2021 statements in which it said it had hired two companies to probe the allegations.
In one of the statements, the museum said its council resolved that some allegations of mismanagement by the Ex-Political Prisoners’ Association (Eppa) be investigated and a disciplinary inquiry was supposed to start in June.
On legal advice, the hearings were withdrawn.
However, the AG said in the museum’s 2021/22 annual report: “I was unable to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence that disciplinary steps were taken against officials who had incurred irregular expenditure, as required by Section 51(1)(e)(iii) of the PFMA.
“This was because investigations into irregular expenditure were not performed.”
MPs last year pressured the RIM to explain the decision to withdraw charges. The AG’s report is expected to lead to a showdown between MPs and the institution when the Arts and Culture Department and its entities appear before MPs to discuss the audit outcomes tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the acrimonious relationship between the museum and Eppa members persists.
The RIM council chairperson’s foreword states that the relationship “at times proved challenging” and to improve it they had established a committee.
“Addressing some concerns, such as beneficiation, is a process beyond the remit of RIM as a cultural and heritage institution. RIM has also initiated a process to enter into a memorandum of understanding with Eppa which represents all the membership of (ex-political prisoners) to regulate the relationship,” the report’s foreword said.