Modern, Growing, Successful Province

Budget Speech 2016/17

Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker
Honourable Premier
Members of the Executive Council
Members of the Provincial Legislature
Officials from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture
Comrades and Friends
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Molweni, Dumelang, Goeie Middag, Good Afternoon

Honourable Speaker,

I am honoured to deliver what constitutes my maiden Budget speech for the Department Sport, Arts and Culture and the McGregor Museum to this Esteemed House that stands as a symbol of the clarion call our people made in 1955 that “The People Shall Govern”.

Today, we assembled as a sovereign nation with its own symbols and a people at work to craft that beautiful vision our people dreamt of in Kliptown sixty one years ago.

This speech ushers in the third year of our MTEF period the timing could not have been better as we just surpassed the mid-term of the Fifth Democratic Parliament that was ushered in by the youth upheavals that ended the previous calendar year and baptized the new one. This Budget speech happens during Africa Month and this year will be the promotion of the African Union Flag and Anthem, especially among our School learners.

Africa Month will be celebrated under the theme "We are Africa: Africa Unite for Peace and friendship from Cape to Cairo".

We wish to take this opportunity to invite all members of this House as well the public out there to join us as we celebrate African-ness. Various events, showcasing our culture and arts will be held throughout the Province in the next few weeks.

We are also celebrating 40 years of 1976 June 16. We are reminded and honoured that we the youth of our country took to the streets forty years ago in the struggle to “open the doors of learning and culture”, our youth remain as the wheels of the locomotive of change. In June we will have a number of events dedicated to the memories of this gallant heroes and heroines who changed the destiny of history from the classroom to the streets until they swelled the ranks of our liberation armies in exile. Today we live and benefit from the fruits of their bravery. We have an Education Summit to shape our foundation for development as well as a youth summit as part of June youth month activities to rekindle our commitment to deal with youth challenges and their empowerment.

Our past continues to hang over us like a specter haunting our present. The debilitating effect of racism and dispossession negatively impacts the possibilities for reconciliation and nation building. We are thankful for the blood of Tsietsie Mashinini, Khotso Seathlolo and Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu for their selfless contribution to change the lives of youth. The likes of Sibongile Mkhabela and Seth Mazibuko of the Class of 76 continue to inspire our lives through their leadership roles in society

As we commemorate the forty years of the June 16, uprising we are reminded that there are still challenges that we need to address to better the lives of young people. The remarkable progress we have made under this democratic government is so astonishing; the rising buildings of the Sol Plaatje University are but one monument to our commitment to the goals of our freedom struggle.

This year also marks the sixtieth anniversary of the heroic march of the women of our country in 1956. Women boldly proclaimed “Strydom! You strike a woman, you strike a rock”. The word “imbokotho “continues to define the tenacity and character of the women of our country in the struggle against patriarchy and complete emancipation, we will later in the year celebrate and honour in our province the life and history of Ma Frances Baardt by erecting a memorial wall in the legislature precinct dedicated to an icon who led our provincial delegation to the 1956 March. The service delivery programmes of government in all their facets strive for the realization of a democratic and non-sexist society. Even the oppressor has been liberated from that shameful past of defending and swallowing the guilt of apartheid. Slowly the future our people envisioned is taking root.

We also commemorate a century since the publication of his famous book Native minds.This must be understood in the context of the history of our country. A reality most appropriately immortalized a hundred years ago by the erudite Sol Plaatje, the first General Secretary of the African National Congress when he wrote his book in 1916 and said; “Awakening on Friday morning, June 20, 1913, the South African native found himself, not actually a slave, but a pariah in the land of his birth… children whose skins are dyed with hue that does not conform to the regulation hue”. We will celebrate the centenary of Sol Plaatje’s book “Native Life “in a dedicated Northern Cape Writers Festival in October 2016 in celebration of his birth on 9 October 1876.

In effect he was defining the legacy of dispossession aforehand to the extent that it has had the effect of reducing the native to a status below that of a slave. We are reminded of the desolate souls and bodies at the bottom of the ocean, who sacrificed their lives for their country and freedom, who sank with the SS Mendi, ninety nine years ago; the majority of them indigenous natives tragically best captures this historic status of our people. The National Orders has immortalized their sacrifice as a proud icon of resistance and bravery a spirit that has personified our freedom struggle.As a province we are humbled and honoured that a son of our soil Comrade Mogogi Ulysses Modise was bestowed post humously the Order of Mendi for bravery by President Jacob Zuma on 28 April 2016

We pay homage to the departed souls of icons like Prince, Papa Wemba and Vusi”Dukesoul”Sikhuphelo. A moment to remember one of our own, the late MEC for Education, Grizelda Cjiekella, the ten Ekurhuleni compatriots who are victims of road carnage who perished in a bus accident on their return from the ANC Manifesto launch in Port Elizabeth as well as many a woman , youth and children who died over the last year. May their souls rest in eternal peace as they will be sadly missed, as we say”tshwidi’, akwehlanga lungehlanga ‘. We join the rest of voices to condemn all incidents of racism that defeats the spirit of reconciliation, nation building and social cohesion as embedded and protected by our constitution, As we celebrate twenty years of our world reveered constitution we will dedicate our efforts towards encouraging community dialogues and social interaction and with a special attention and focus on the singing of the national anthem and African anthem in our schools and youth gatherings as part of our national identity campaign.We must be proud South Africans and be prepared to die for our national pride.

Somlomo ohloniphekileyo, allow me to turn my attention to the plans of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture for the 2016/17 financial year in our effort to address the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality as well as advancing and promoting social cohesion and building a united and prosperous nation.Stats SA released a shocking report in April 2016 highlighting Youth hunger and unemployment in the Northern Cape as a major threat to youth development.We will respond in our programmes through job creation initiatives targeting youth,woman and disabled taking advantage of the incentive grant as well as the Expanded Public Works Programme(EPWP).

Our Vision for 2016 /2017 includes the following highlights:

  • We are hosting our Second Provincial Sport Awards in August 2016 and will include awards for Arts and Culture practitioners for the first time.
  • We are delighted to host this years National Sports Awards in Nov 2016 in partnership with Minister Fikile Mbalula of Sport Recreation South Africa.
  • The NC Theatre hosted its first event the Long Service Awards; we thank Lourens Geldenhuys for 40 years of unbroken service to the Public Service which ended on 30 April 2016.
  • We thank Mr. Tswangae Jacob Hammer our Manager for Language Services who will be retiring in June 2016 after 30 years of diligent and dedicated service to the people of the Province.
  • We congratulate our employee Ms Kelemogile Morweng who obtained her Masters Degree in Human Resource Management in India as an ITEC programme beneficiary.
  • We congratulate our Theatre Group – Dance Garage from Namaqua district who attend an international theatre festival in Qatar.
  • We hosted a successful professional Boxing Event, which included an International Bout in February 2016 and our next bout, will be held in September 2016.
  • The upgrade of the Floors Swimming pool into a state of the art aquatics precinct is on track in partnership with Swim SA and Sol Plaatje Municipality and the renaming of the facility will be the culmination of the process later this year.
  • DSAC will commence its move from current provincial office in phases to one provincial building at Mervyn. J. Erlank Complex to ensure smooth transition once our lease expires in the next 5 years. This will generate much needed savings from the current lease agreement for the department to reprioritise for service delivery.
  • The refurbishment of our District Office in Kuruman will commence during the course of this year (2016). This brings us closer to communities and serve as a new district library (John Taolo Gaetsewe was serviced by Frances Baardt since the icorporation of Kgalagadi District from the North West to the Northern Cape Province) a key pillar of our district decentralisation process.
  • We continue to explore options to construct a new district library in Z.F. Mgcawu district to bring services closer to our communities.
  • In an effort to improve service delivery, we separated strategic management and district management to give full support to the decentralization and more efficiency to districts by initiating an M&E section within the Policy Planning Unit.
  • To improve reporting and compliance to MPAT (Measurement of Perfomance Assessment Tool), we designated a person for risk management to intervene and improve on our audit outcomes.
  • We will continue to strengthen oversight in public entities by seconding more efficient officials to assist these entities on our shared service model to share costs and improve efficiency.
  • We are Strongly exploring the rationalization of public entities from 5 to 3 by unifying the sports council and sport academy into the sport authority and relooking at the feasibility of Ngwao- Boswa Kapa Bokone and possible incorporation into the McGregor Museum or Northern Cape Arts and Culture Council (NCACC).
  • Through the conditional grant, the improvement of service delivery across districts will be enhanced through our participation in the Fleet purchase initiative and provide more resources to reach all corners of the province.The fleet will be branded and easily identifiable with stricter procedures to monitor their usage.
  • Ten (10) additional libraries recently completed from 2015/16 will have free public internet access.
  • Free controlled wifi access at all Internet connected libraries as we promote the “bring own device” Vuk’uzenzele initiative.
  • We will continue with our Public Private Partnership with Transhex mine that involves installation of IT in community and dual libraries in Buffelsrivier, Soebatfontein, Komagas and Hondeklipbaai.
  • We will study, respect and implement the resolutions, impact and Importance of Eminent Persons Group report on transformation of Sports. Those federations have a footprint in our province we remain committed to hold their hands to help them achieve those transformation targets within our province. Our relationship remains intact yet the principle as per the ruling and Ministerial directive also remain enforcable, asidlali asijiki siyaqhuba!
  • We have completed 5 multi purpose sport and recreation facilities through a cost of R20 million and will be appointing caretakers in each of those facilities to oversee programme implementation as well as facility amangement.
  • We improved in the National School Sport Athletics Championships for Secondary schools in Bloemfontein, from the traditional position 9 to position 7 with a special reference and congratulations to a young, special and talented learner and athlete, Jean- Marie Vermeulen who received two (2) gold medals in the 100 meters and 200 meters respectively. She clocked best personal times 11,93seconds in the 100 meters and 24, 59seconds in the 200 meters.
  • The province is excelling at Aquatic Sport as the medals achieved at the youth Championship Swimming Level 1 and 2 display : GOLD MEDALS obtained in Level 2 - Tharien Thompson (200m Freestyle) she also obtained Bronze in 100m backstroke and Silver in 400m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle, 200m Backstroke and 50 m Butterfly, Stephan Thompson (100m Breaststroke, 100m Butterfly, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly, 200m Medley race). Carina Brand obtained three GOLD MEDALS obtained in Level1 –
  • Zaid Moonsamy (200m Breaststroke, 100m Breaststroke), Zaid also obtained silver in 50m Breaststroke and Bronze in 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay and 4 x 100m Freestyle relay.
  • SA national youth champion in Biathlon (running and swimming) in Griquas - Hardus van der Merwe who beat the field with a great finish on the track and pool.
  • 2 x Athletes with Downs Syndrome from the Northern Cape Province is part of the National Team which will be competing in the World Trisome Games in Florence Italy from 14 – 23 July 2016: It will be the first time that the NC Down Syndrome athletes will be part of the National Team representing SA abroad.
    • Breyton Mokae broke the world record in the 800m and received gold in the 400m during the World Games in November 2015 in Bloemfontein. He is also selected in the National Futsal (Football) Team.
    • Lazarus Mabilo is selected in the National Futsal (Football) Team.
  • In 2015, the under 18 girls hockey team ended runners up in the annual IPT B tournament. What makes this a remarkable achievement is the fact that the girls have been playing together from under 14. The loss in the final was their only defeat. Southern Gauteng ended up eventual winners Northern Cape beat this hockey powerhouse during the pool stages.
  • Mr Edison Masoeu from the Sol Plaaltje University is selected as Table Tennis Team Manager for the SA Team represent South Africa at the coming CUCSA games Bulawayo in August 2016. The Sol Plaatje University participated since last year in national sport activities for universities.
  • It is with great pride that I would like to announce that 2 of our lifters have been selected to represent South Africa at THE “1st WOMEN’S & MEN’S IPF OPEN, SUB/JNR, JUNIOR & MASTERS WORLD CLASSIC BENCH PRESS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016” We are hounoured to have the contest hosted in Potchefstroom, North West - South Africa from 14 – 21 May 2016. Tommie Denysschen (from the HopeTown area) a master 2 lifter (50 + age group) will attend as the SA representative in the 74kg class, including Ian Mouton a master 1 lifter (40 + age group) will attend as the SA representative in the 120 +kg class.
  • Emma Hendricks is the first female President for the ZF Mgcawu South Afrian Football Association (SAFA) Region in the Northern Cape.
  • We are revamping the Warrenton Cultural Resort in an effort to lure more national events and to host our annual youth camp this year.This will be a revenue generating initiative for the Northern Cape Arts and Culture Council.
  • We are envisaging a Youth Festival in December in Norvalspond (Pixley ka Seme) to promote social cohesion ,this is going to be an annual event to focus on youth participation and social dialogues.

Programme 3: Libraries and Archival Services

The rollout of library services has not been without challenges. The following achievements are recorded:

In the year past 145 library sites have been supported with IT services to the community and this has enabled free internet access to information and education resources. An informed community develops an educated citizenship. This service will be sustained and maintained in this year. With the appointment of network controllers, all districts have access to professional support services immediately. R2,3 million is budgeted for this service.

Transfers to municipalities have been effected to rollout community library services. These transfers support the upkeep and maintenance of services, though funding is challenging, municipalities also benefit from support by the province in the form of Library Transformation officers in some municipalities to effect outreach services directly to communities. Staff appointments, equipment and book purchases, training support and infrastructure development and maintenance are done with these transfers. Oversight is done in a structured performance monitoring regime on a monthly and quarterly basis. This budget totals R 50,2 million.

The Annual Northern Cape Writers Festival took place in all districts for the first time thus enlarging the footprint of the programme to support a culture of reading and writing in the province. In this year we will centralize a part of the NCWF in celebration of the centenary of Sol Plaatje's book "Native Life", and roll out a smaller district component.

Access to information in previously disadvantaged and rural areas is created in the rollout of infrastructure projects to communities.

Nine of the previous construction projects are due to be opened this year with the appointment of staff and information services as well as equipment being installed. The project manager is Department of Roads and Public Works and we look forward to implement the five outstanding projects which were awarded in Tsineng, Kamassies, Carolusberg, Petrusville and Askham. Churchil is a mutli-year project and will complete this year as well. The infrastructure budget is R 34,6 million.

Further to this, In Archives Services a successful routine of records managers training and client office inspections have been maintained and all targets met.

The first intake of archival records has taken place with the transfer of material from the Provincial Legislature and Frances Baard District Municipality. The assessment of records will continue to ensure the province will benefit from accessible material from all Northern Cape communities. The total Archives Services budget is R 5,3 million.

The provincial Archives Services will continue to access archival material for the province. The current transfers have engaged government departments and offices and there will also be a focus on private collections worthy of archival assessment. The routine of inspections and records management training will target all client offices and also support the move to clean audits. Records management is at the heart of all audit projects.

In this past year the province hosted the Annual Auditor General Symposium in support of Project Clean Audit. We look forward to foster this relationship to benefit and develop records management services in client offices.

In addressing challenges successfully dedicated focus will be placed on the following aspects of service delivery:

  • Maintenance will be addressed through the assignment of staff currently employed in the department. Regular maintenance will prevent major costs for infrastructure upgrades in years to come.
  • The library information management system to be maintained will be given attention through the provision of more technical functionality to enable the asset register which was compiled over the past year and a half, a major feat given the backlog.
  • The staff component to maintain the system is also addressed through the appointment of administrative and IT technical staff at district and provincial level.
  • Training and development will be addressed through the Annual Symposium and study support for staff as approved through the Skills Committee as well as asset verification training on the SLIMS system.

Business Plans have already been drawn up by municipalities for the transfers to effect services and these will be interrogated in a dedicated consultation session to ensure all compliance issues are addressed adequately.

  • As archival material is transferred the need for a fully functional reading room becomes critical. In this year the reading room will be installed to make information available to the community.

Digital services will be available through the acquisition of scanning equipment for the Provincial Archives.

Programme 4 Sport and Recreation:

Madam Speaker as we mark another year since we were re-admitted as a country to participate in global affairs, including the Olympics that will be hosted in Brazil, we are certain that as a country of insurmountable potential and talent our teams will once again go out and excel. Our hopes and prayers is that Wayde Van Niekerk will bring us the gold medal for the 400 meters.

This year we also mark the twenty first anniversary of the victory of the Springboks as they won the William Web Ellis trophy, the symbolic unity of that day mirrored the vision that we painstakingly crafted in the Freedom Charter. For the first time the vision of our struggle could enter the imagination of all South Africans, the belief in our common future became a reality.

This momentous achievement became the springboard on which the victory of Bafana Bafana was partly build in 1996, when they became African Champions, here on home soil. As we celebrate twenty years of this victory we can be proud of the fact that this year, 11th June, we will mark six years of hosting one of the most successful FIFA World Cup tournaments in the history of football.

We have travelled a distant road and there is much that we can still achieve, the achievements of the Rietvale High School in Ritchie over the past few years on the soccer fields nationally speak to this remarkable ability that we have notwithstanding our background.

Somlomo ohloniphekileyo asidlali asijiki siyaqhuba, the Department will be accelerating access to sport and recreation facilities in order to advance an active and winning Nation through the construction of the following sport facilities in the Province:

  • A sport centre in the Kamiesberg(Namaqua) to the value of R1,2million,
  • A multipurpose sport facility in Khai Ma municipality(ZF Mgcawu) to the value of R8 million,
  • An outdoor sport facility in Noupoort(Pixley) to the value of R6,5 million,
  • A multipurpose sport facility in Kathu(JTG) to the value of R10 million.
  • An artificial turf and a multipurpose sport and recreation facility in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District in Laxey as part of our rural sport development to the value of R7 million.

These sport facilities will be constructed as part of a pilot programme under a transitional arrangement of the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) facilitated by SRSA. We believe many more facilities will be constructed through this initiative in creating better and quality sport facilities for the sector.

This sector during the 2016/2017 financial year will be embarking on the following programmes as a direct response towards youth, women and the differently abled in the Province, and they are:

  • District, Provincial and National Schools Sport Championship which will see nine (9) priority sport codes, both Primary ad Secondary schools including selected teams participating, competing and receiving support for the benefit of more than 1000 learners and athletes. A total budget of R12,5 million is set aside for this activities,
  • Hosting of the newly launch Rural Sport Development programme that will see 4 of the mostly rural Provinces of the country participating in a sport programme comprising of 4 sporting codes (Football, Netball, Rugby, Atletics) that seeks to address and accelerate rural and peri- urban development. A total budget of R1,2 million is set aside for this project,
  • Hosting of the National Recreation Day on the 1st October every year as declared by Cabinet in 2014 and the Big Walk which happens on the 2nd October. These programmes aim to encourage all South Africans from different walks of life to participate in the promotion of active and healthy lifestyles through health promotion initiatives. I urge all Public Servants to support this initiative and go out in numbers to minimise or eradicate communicable deseases that are caused by unhealthy lifestyles. A total budget of R150 000 is set aside for these activities,
  • Capacity building for the sport and recreation sector will see the training and skilling of technical officials, referees, Umpires, Judges, Managers ans Administrators representing the various sporting codes with emphasis on the 9 provincially prioritized codes taken through their phases and levels of capacity building. This in fact assists the development of the game amongst others to advance the transformation of the sector. A total budget of R950 000 is set aside to address this objective.
  • We will be providing 100 schools, 120 community clubs and 27 Hubs with equipment and attire to advance sport and recreation promotion and development. A total budget of R1 million has been set aside for these activities.
  • Conduct sport and recreation roadshows throughout the five (5) Districts of the province to consult, engage, discuss, share and enrich the sport people of the province on the Provincial Sport and Recreation Authority Act (Act 4 of 2015). A milestone achievement for both the province and the country. This Act brings to the sector a total new ethos and approach in terms of civic participation, sport development and promotion. It further strengthens the accountability and governance of the sector to ensure the transformation of sport and recreation is realised as echoed in the National Sport and Recreation Plan, informed by the Eminent Person’s Group (EPG). The Act will be operationalise from the 1st April 2017 when its Board which will be appointed through a public nomination process reflecting all five (5) Districts of the Province will be inaugurated and inducted. A total budget of R200 000 has been set aside for this programme, asidlali siyaqhuba,
  • Hosting of the Youth Camp event for young people in the province. Around 250 youth will be targetted and benefitting from this programme which seeks to educate, capacitate and mobilise our communities in advancing Social Cohesion and Nation Building. These young people will become trailblazers for the sport movement in the country. A total budget of R3 million is set aside for the programme.

Somlomo ohloniphekileyo, yimi zamo yethu yokunyazelisa ukulwa isifo sikakhetsekile, kunye nentswel’ ngqesho ekuhlaleni nasebantwini bakuthi. Ulwamvila lokuswel’ ingqesho nopuhlwempu asinakho ukulishiya limajovujovu. Isimo sethu njengenkhokheli zabantu no khongolose eludabini asikalufezekisi yaye neenjongo zokuphuhlisa ubomi babantu sisaqhuba asijiki yaye asidlali!

We further want to declare 2016/2017 as a year of functional structures and good governance in club and federation development.

Programme 2 Cultural Affairs:

We wish to congratulate Mr. Moagi Modise whose Theatre Production, Lepatata, was nominated for six Naledi Theatre Awards. Lepatata is the first Setswana Play to be featured at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg. It received many good reviews and managed to win one Award at the Naledi Theatre Awards. We take our hats off to Mr. Modise on this rare achievement for our Province. We hail the progressive announcement by SABC to increase airtime, play and promotion of local music on all our Radio and TV stations to at least 90% local content ,this goes a long way for language preservation ,local tourism and talent preservation.

Honourable Speaker, during the last year we have been able to realise the following achievements under the cultural affairs programme:

  • Work on a brand new walkway for Wonderwerk Cave (a national heritage site 40km outside Kuruman) to the value of R3 000 000.00 commenced in January 2016. The construction is being paid for by the South African Heritage Council (SAHRA) and was completed in April 2016.
  • In April, after instituting urgent court action the McGregor Museum, with assistance from the Sol Plaatje and Wits Universities, succeeded in preventing further unlawful mining operations on the National Heritage Site of Canteen
  • Kopje, near Barkly West. Canteen Kopje is the country’s oldest dated archaeological site. Together with the heritage of communities still living in the area, it boasts a Stone Age history stretching back some 2.3 million years.
  • Through our Commemorative days, we were able to promote social cohesion and nation building by linking the celebration and commemoration of these days with Memorial Lectures as well dialogues within communities.
  • We continue to experience success at the Mayibuye Training Academies and were also able to open two more Academies in Phillipstown and Kuruman.
  • Work on the Northern Cape Theatre has now been completed and we are currently in the process of finalising the procurement of sound and lights for the Theatre. We look forward to the opening of the Theatre during this year.
  • The Department also commenced with bilateral engagements of all Provincial Departments to brief them on their responsibilities with regard to the Northern Cape Use of Official Languages Act.
  • In collaboration with the Toto Royal Family, we also commenced with a research project to assist in locating the site where the remains of Kgosi Toto and his Son Robanyane are buried. This project will be concluded at the end of May 2016.
  • Speaker, we are also proud to inform this house today that the National Cabinet has approved various sites tabled by the Department of Arts and Culture as part of the National Heritage Liberation Route. Among the sites approved by Cabinet are the following sites in the Northern Cape:
    1. The Langeberg Rebellion site near Olifantshoek
    2. The 1952 Mayibuye uprising in Galeshewe
    3. The Upington 26 site in Pabalello

Turning our attention to programmes for the 2016/2017 financial year, our Cultural Affairs Agenda will this year be influenced by the following key anniversaries:

  • 20 years anniversary of our Constitution
  • 40 years of Youth struggles starting in SOWETO 1976 and spreading to the rest of the Country
  • 60 years of the 1956 Women's March
  • 100 years since the publication of Sol T. Plaatje's Book: "Native Life in South Africa""

We will thus (The McGregor museum will) focus on the following programmes:

  • In June 2016 the McGregor museum in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation will be opening a Photographic Exhibition: Between States of Emergency 1985-1990: Honouring photographers who risked all to expose apartheid.
  • A poster display honouring the 60th Anniversary of Women’s march in collaboration with the SA History Archives will be opened in August 2016.
  • Objects from the Museum’s archaeology and history collections will be on display at the British Museum in London (Oct 2016 – Feb 2017) and the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands (Feb 2017 – May 2017).

With regards to Heritage matters, we will also be rolling out the following projects during the financial year:

  • Unveiling of Tombstones in various Districts,
  • Commemoration of the Colesburg Four,
  • Commemorating and honouring the women of 1956 and other women who participated in the struggle for liberation,
  • Commemorating and honouring traditional Leaders who fought against land dispossession,
  • Embarking on various research projects in honour of the heroes and heroines of our struggle,
  • We have also renewed our partnership with the Department of Environmental Affairs with regards to providing assistance to the Richterveld World Heritage Site.

In terms of Arts and Culture, Honourable Speaker, we are proud to announce that we will be assisting four Production Companies who will be showcasing their Theatre productions at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown during June and July 2016. The following groups will fly the Northern Cape flag at the Festival:

  1. Atlegang Creatives
  2. Northern Cape Theatre Conservatoire
  3. Galeshewe Theatre Organization
  4. Maruping Agency
  5. Dramatic Zone

We wish them luck and hope they come back with the much needed awards.

During this year, we will continue with our programme of supporting Community Arts Centres. This programme is done in collaboration with the DAC and the Kapa Bokone Community Arts Centres Forum.

  1. We will also be consolidating our partnership with the NCEDA and the DTi in the roll-out of the Craft Sector development programme. Through this programme, Crafters throughout the Province will again benefit from training initiatives as well as opportunities to exhibit their products at some of the most prestigious Business Expos in the Country. We will continue to work in consolidating the functioning of the NC Arts and Culture Council (NCACC). We believe that it is only through a stable and sustainable NCACC that we will be able to make the impact we desire in the arts sector. We have, over the last few months witnessed an outcry by Arts Practitioners over the state of the arts and culture sector in the Province. This outcry is not baseless and a lot must be done to ensure that we increase investment into this sector.
  2. Lastly, we will this year be again intensifying the geographic name change process so as to ensure that we meet the targets set. The renaming of Government owned buildings will also receive priority this year.

Programme 1 Management and Administration

Honorable Speaker human resources development is also a key element to achieving the goals of National Development Plan. As part of the department’s strategic outlook the following projects are envisaged to support the department’s service delivery imperative.

1. Organisational Development

Honourable Speaker it is my pleasure to report that during the 2015/2016 financial year 38 posts were evaluated and approved for implementation.

Consequent to the approval of the submitted 38 job evaluation outcomes, the department has made strides to improve the conditions of service of low level employees.

During the 2015/2016 financial year, 87 Library Assistants were promoted through job evaluation to salary level 4, while 17 Sport Coordinators were promoted to salary level 7.

During the 2016/2017 financial year the department envisages to job evaluate all mandatory posts starting with posts on salary level 9-14. A budget has been made available to job evaluate these mandatory posts.

2. Human Resources Development

As part of our contribution to Outcome 12, Chapter 13 of the National Development Plan and the National Skills Development Strategy, the department placed three financial accounting learners and one intern in financial accounting unit. These comprised 3 females and 1 male.

The Compulsory Induction Programme - module 1 was also successfully completed by 170 departmental probationary employees. The department funded 15 employee bursaries during the 2015/2016 financial year. These comprised 11 females and 4 males. This is evidence that we are serious about staff development and women and youth empowerment.

For the 2016/2017 the department has planned to increase the skills base for librarian professional service, Sport Practitioners and Coaches and Art and Culture Practitioners.

The department will also place interns and learners for work integrated learning within the department within this financial year.

Honourable Speaker our commitment to the development of staff, women and youth empowerment is further evidenced by the fact that during the 2015/2016 financial year:

The department has strengthened the McGregor Museum Public Entity by converting 15 contract staff members to permanent appointment in the entity.

In the 2016/2017 financial year the department envisages to fill 37 posts with a large number of these fulfilling the objective of strengthening the capacity of the Library Professional Service, Cultural Affairs and McGregor Museum Public Entity in the districts. The following are some of the Museum posts which are critical to service delivery:

  • Anthropologist
  • Botanist
  • Zoology collection manager
  • Anthropology collection manager
  • Archaeologist

In conclusion Honourable Speaker, please allow me to present to you the budget for Vote 7 Sport, Arts and Culture 2016/17:

The budget for the 2016 / 2017 financial year of the Department totals an amount of R 352.817 million allocated as follows:

Programme Equitable Share Conditional Grant Total % of budget
P1. Administration R 65 564 000 ------- R 65 564 000 19%
P2. Cultural Affairs R 62 386 000 ------- R 62 386 000 18%
P3. Library and Archives Services R 16 687 000 R 154 313 000 R 171 000 000 48%
P4. Sport and Recreation R 18 025 000 R 35 842 000 R 53 867 000 15%
TOTAL 2016/17 BUDGET R 162 662 000 R 190 155 000 R 352 817 000 100%

The budget for the 2016 / 2017 financial year of the McGregor Museum totals an amount of R 4.234 million allocated as follows:

Programme Amount % of budget
P1. Administration and Support R 3 792 900 90%
P2. Access and Audience Development R 84 100 2%
Collections and Research R 357 000 8%
TOTAL 2016/17 BUDGET R 4 234 000 100%

Honourable Speaker, Somlomo allow me to thank the African National Congress, the African National Congress Youth League, the honourable Premier, my colleagues in the Executive Council and the members of the Sport, Arts and Culture Portfolio Committee, for their leadership, support and guidance in the execution of this important mandate. I also extend my sincere appreciation to the Acting Head of Department and each official of the Department, the Board of McGregor museum and its Acting CEO and staff for their commitment and support. Lastly, let me thank my family oBhayi, oMvundle mgobhozi inyoka emnyama ecanda isiziba,ukhetsha intaka etya amantyontyo amancinci,nkonjane ebhabhela emafini,amathambo amamhlophe aphilisayo abantu ngexesha elifanelekileyo,mancinci ngesithombe,indevu ezixaba ubuso.Ngu MaBhayi ke lowo and my extended family .

Ndithi ngawo lonyaka wolutsha(In this year of youth focus) especially to our first time voters,please take heed of this words of wisdom ,”IT IS NOT EVERYTHING THAT SHINES THAT IS GOLD”, may I borrow from the words as written by a local female prolific youth writer from ZFMgcawu district Miriam Dube from her book titled “Leap of Faith” she is reminded by her father that I quote’ My child I suffered too much in my days and I am not prepared to see you make the same mistakes” these words in her book provides a sterning warning to many a youth to rather join the tried and tested and not be fooled by uncontrolled militancy and sloganism. Those people who shout and behave in an unbecoming manner, were not there they didn’t exist, they are Mafikizolo’s, some are repackaged residuals of the dark past, some are brand new and some are breakaway factions, hence they have no good story to tell.Put your feet where your heart is, defend the gains of our liberation struggle in memory of those martyrs whose blood watered the tree of our freedom .Put your faith and support on Africa’s oldest liberation movement. Let’s unite and express our voices by expressing our vote during the local government elections.We must act responsibly and exercise our right VOTE ON 03 August 2016 in celebration of 20 years of SA Constitution.

I thank you, Ndiyabulela, Kea Leboga, and Baie Dankie

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