BLOEMFONTEIN – The Performing Arts Centre of the Free State (Pacofs) in Bloemfontein has begun the search for a new chief executive officer (CEO) to replace outgoing Themba Dlamini, whose fixed contract comes to an end this month, on 26 January. His five-year term ran from 1 November 2022.
In the interim, the agency of the Free State Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has appointed Gabisile Simelane as acting CEO until a suitable candidate is found to take the position. Simelane currently holds the position of Chief Financial Officer.
The agency announced this development on Wednesday, 14 January in a media statement. The organisation has expressed confidence that Simelane will ensure continuity of leadership and operations until a new chief executive officer is appointed. Simelane is a Chartered Accountant with 13 years’ experience in the public sector.
According to the agency, Dlamini managed to steady the organisation’s leadership during a period of transition.
“The Pacofs Council wishes to acknowledge Dlamini’s contribution and service to the broader performing arts sector. During his tenure and working alongside the Pacofs Council, Dlamini was charged with strengthening governance processes, stabilising operations, and advancing its public mandate,” the organisation stated. The institute believes he showed leadership ability in stabilising the affairs, noting that he attained this despite a constrained budget.
Dlamini took over during a period of turbulence which was fraught with legal battles involving employees, who included two former CEOs. The two former CEOs who were at the centre of labour disputes were Peter Pedlar and Greg Segoneco. The latter’s significant labour dispute was concluded around mid-2021, with the Labour Court ruling in Pacofs’ favor in a long-running conflict over his departure from the organisation in 2017.
Segoneco was then replaced by Pedlar in 2019. However, the agency suspended him barely 14 months after being appointed citing allegations of corruption. This dispute ended after Pacofs signed a mutual agreement with Pedlar, leading to Dlamini’s appointment. Meshack Xaba and Sharon Snell were appointed as acting CEOs in the interim before Dlamini’s appointment in 2022.
