Cape Town - The Ex-political Prisoners Association (EPPA) has called for the release into the public domain of the Morar forensic investigation report into corruption and maladministration in the management of the historic Robben Island Museum (RIM).
The Morar report, which came about as a result of allegations made by EPPA in 2018, was commissioned before the more recent McRoberts report and presented to the RIM council in January 2020. It was never made public.
The two reports allegedly implicate two senior officials who were supposed to undergo disciplinary processes. The two charges have since been dropped and the disciplinary charges against the two discontinued.
EPPA secretary Mpho Masemola said: “We want the Morar report and its recommendations implemented. RIM seems to have deleted the Morar report, which was commissioned with taxpayers’ money.”
EPPA’s demands came as DA provincial cultural affairs and sport spokesperson Reagen Allen said he would be submitting a Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia) application to obtain both investigative reports.
Allen said: “This follows the refusal of the RIM management and Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthewthwa to make these reports public, despite our continued calls and the fact that no disciplinary action has been taken against implicated individuals.
“The Paia application provides us with an avenue for transparency. We want the public to fully understand the extent of the allegations levelled at the senior officials of the museum, since this is a public institution that residents fund.”
RIM council chairperson Khensani Maluleke has meanwhile insisted that the RIM council remains committed to transparency with regard to the investigation into mismanagement, and the subsequent action taken.
“It was always our intention to make the report public, upon conclusion of all processes. We do, however, have to take into account the legislative prescripts of the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia), which came into effect on July 1, 2021.
“The report is currently being verified for Popia compliance, and we are also engaging the shareholder (Mthethwa) to keep him abreast of the latest developments. Once we are satisfied that the report does not infringe on any party’s rights, the content will be made public.”