The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has made significant progress in the disbursement of Relief Funds for athletes and artists, whose livelihoods were affected by the COVID-19 lockdown, Minister Nathi Mthethwa said on Saturday.

The department, said Mthethewa, received 470 applications for relief funding.

The original number of successful applicants was 1 250, but the high number of those rejected compelled us to start an appeals process to speed up the platform for those who were rejected for their cases to heard by the independent appeals committee," he said.

On 6 May, the department met with the sector to look at how those in dire need of assistance would receive funding.

He said the department is not oblivious to the daily challenges of athletes and artists due to the measures of the lockdown.