Philippa Garson
ROSEMARY MANGOPE, daughter-in-law of former Bophuthatswana president Lucas Mangope, still reaps the benefits of her former job as executive director of the Mabana Cultural Centre in Mmabatho, even though she left the centre when she fled the homeland 18 months ago.
After the homeland uprising, which toppled her father-in-law, she was suspended from her position pending the outcome of investigations by the Skweyiya Commission into maladministration by the former homeland government.
The diminutive Rosemary still draws a salary of around R200 000 a year and drives a five-series BMW belonging to the centre, which also pays for her petrol — yet lives permanently in her home in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg.
Chief director of legal services for the North-West province, advocate Nico Jagga, said Mangope’s suspension had nothing to do with the fact that she was Lucas Mangope’s daughter-in-law.
A report from the commission has been forwarded to Premier Popo Molefe, who will decide how to take the matter further, said Jagga.
Mangope has not resumed her position at the cultural centre, which is headquartered in Mmabatho and has five satellite branches around the former homeland, since her urgent departure in a helicopter during the homeland uprising shortly before the elections last year.
Her deputy, Peggy Machali, has been acting executive director since Mangope left, and according to staff members “the centre seems to be paying two executive director salaries”.
Married to Lucas Mangope’s second eldest child, Kwena, who is a colonel in the South African National Defence Force, Rosemary apparently lives a life of relative luxury, having just returned from a holiday to Disney World in the United States with her two children.
She incurred the wrath of staff members at the centre during the civil service strike shortly before the uprising when she refused to close down the premises. “People who worked at the centre started getting threats. They were told that if they didn’t quit or join the strike their houses would be burnt. Rosemary was approached but she refused to close the centre,” a staff member said.
However, when rioting and looting began around the city she was forced to close it down. “Later that afternoon people started burning the place down. Then she took her children out of Mmabatho in a presidential helicopter.”
During the riots the entire centre was ransacked, the theatre was burnt down, equipment was stolen and broken, “lorries were taken in to remove grand pianos” and a total of R16-million damage was inflicted.
Mabana Cultural Centre, which receives 80 percent of its funds from the government, has since been restored and continues to offer drama, arts and dance to the community.
However, “there is now a leadership vacuum there. We’ve questioned the government repeatedly, but since March last year nothing has been done.
“If the new government wanted to change things it could have done something by now”, said the staff member who preferred to remain anonymous.
Jagga said Mangope had been suspended in terms of the Mabana Cultural Foundation Act of 1987. “The fact that she’s under suspension does not mean she has been denied the rights that she has as chief executive director.” Jagga added, however, that the provincial government was aware that taxpayers’ money was being spent and “viewed the matter with utmost urgency”.
Mangope was not available for comment.