Pretoria:The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has dissolved the Council of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF). This decision was described as an act of institutional accountability rather than a finding of dishonesty against any individual member.

According to South African Government News Agency, the decision followed a process initiated on 7 July 2026, when the Minister addressed legal defects in the Council's appointment of one of its own members as Acting Chief Executive Officer. Despite being presented with two lawful alternatives, the Council did not take action, leading to the continuation of the arrangement.

On 14 September 2026, the Minister issued a Notice of Intention to dissolve the Council, inviting written representations, which were submitted on 18 September 2026. After considering these representations, the Minister decided to dissolve the NFVF Council on 23 September 2026, under section 6(10) of the National Film and Video Foundation Act 73 of 1997.

The Council acknowledged in its representations that it understood section 13(4) of the Act does not allow the appointment of an Acting Chief Executive Officer from outside the Foundation. It also accepted the resignation of the concerned member was defective, as it failed to comply with section 7(3)(e) of the Act, causing a conflict with the Council's oversight function.

The Minister expressed that the Council was aware of legal requirements, yet failed to act accordingly. Additional factors influencing the decision included the resignation of the Council Chairperson and the poor handling of the former Acting CEO's suspension.

Following the dissolution, the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation will take over as the accounting authority under the Public Finance Management Act until a new Council is appointed. Approved funding, including the current PESP6 Blockbuster cycle, will continue without interruption. An independent investigation into whistleblower allegations at the Foundation will also proceed unaffected. The process to appoint a new Council will start in accordance with the Act.

Minister McKenzie emphasized the need for swift action to avoid disruptions in funding approvals, ensuring that governance issues do not impact the stakeholders reliant on the Foundation.