23 May 2012

Address by Ms PJ Williams MEC for Northern Cape Sport, Arts and Culture, to the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature on the occasion of tabling of Budget Vote 7 for 2012/13 Financial Year

Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker
Honourable Premier
Members of the Executive Council
Members of the Provincial Legislature
Comrades and Friends
Ladies and Gentlemen

Honourable Speaker

It is fulfilling to be standing before you this afternoon during the 2012/13 Budget speech of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. This budget speech takes place during a very crucial year, the centenary celebrations of our beloved movement, the African National Congress.

Honourable Speaker,

During this year government will strive to honor all heroes and heroines who had fought for the liberation of our country from oppressive laws of the past. It was through their blood, sweat and tears that South Africa was able to become the non-racial, non-sexist and a free democratic society it is today.

Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker,

I am making this budget presentation for the 2012/13 financial year under a theme: “Looking Back a Century Lived, and Together Working Forwards Towards Unity.” The theme will resonate at every event of the Department throughout the 2012/13 financial year.

In looking back at a century lived, I would like to remind this House of the long road we have traversed to where we are today, a free and democratic society based on the will of the people. A society committed to the elimination of sexism, racism and all forms of discriminatory practices.

With the founding of the South African Native National Congress on Sunday, 8 January 1912 in Bloemfontein, the oppressed people found themselves in quite a peculiar position in the country of their birth. The conclusion of the South African War or Anglo-Boer War with the Treaty of Vereeniging in 1902, set the stage for the further exclusion of the African masses from participation in the affairs of governing a country.

Our resistance goes back to the days when the African people fought spear in hand against the British and Boer colonizers. Over the last 80 years, the ruling party has brought together millions in the struggle for liberation.

With the establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910, our worst fears were confirmed. The majority of the South African population was excluded from any decision-making affecting their lives and the way the country is governed. The period from the establishment of the SANNC up until 1940’s witnessed the promulgation of many restrictive laws, the most notorious of which, in no doubt, is the 1913 Land Act. This Act formally apportioned 87% of the land to 13% of the population. Despite many deputations to voice opposition to this Act, the process of land dispossession continued unabatedly.

By the 1940’s, a new generation of leadership like Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu called for a radical shift in the way the ANC opposed the system which excluded the majority of South Africans. This period saw the establishment of the ANC Youth League in 1944 with Nelson Mandela as its first President.

The period 1950 -1952 began with a commitment to militant African nationalism and mass action and to tactics of boycotts, strikes and civil disobedience. The period culminated in the Defiance Campaign, the largest scale non-violent resistance ever seen in South Africa and the first campaign pursued jointly by all racial groups under the leadership of the ANC and the South African Indian Congress (SAIC).

One of the biggest results emanating from the Defiance Campaign, is the fact that the ANC membership grew from 7 000 to more than 100 000. Most importantly, the Campaign gave rise to a new breed of leadership who recognized that the struggle called for courageous actions, which included danger and sacrifice.

1955 marked the Year of the Freedom Charter. More than 10 000 Freedom Volunteers heeded the call made by Chief Albert Luthuli in May 1954, to canvass support and collect demands from numerous representative groups and organizations. These demands were drawn together in the Freedom Charter adopted at Kliptown on 26 June 1955.

The next year witnessed yet another milestone in our struggle for freedom. On 9 August 1956,
20 000 women of all races marched against the extension of Pass Laws to African women. Today we still salute those courageous leaders like Lillian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa, Helen Joseph and Sophie Williams. Your sacrifices will always be remembered!

The 1960’s saw Apartheid tightening its iron grip on the lives of millions of people in our country with the introduction of the Bantustan through The Promotion of Bantu Self-Government Act of 1959. This Act laid the legislative framework for the establishment of the homeland system with a legislative assembly that could not take decisions unless it was first approved by Pretoria.

This period also saw the incarceration of many of our leaders as a result of the now historic Rivonia Trial. Through the imposition of life sentences on our leaders, Apartheid thought it would quell our yearning for a free and democratic South Africa. Our structures and leaders were forced underground, taking the struggle to another level. Our hopes and aspirations for freedom remained alive. We will continue to remember and honour the victims of the Sharpeville killings of 21 March 1960 when 69 people were killed, most of them shot in the back.

By the 1970’s Apartheid tried to further extend their grip on the lives of our people. The introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in African Schools was the spark in the proverbial gunpowder keg which put our revolution on a path of no return. This historic event irrevocably paved the way for the intensification of our struggle for freedom. The formation of the United Democratic Front in 1983 and COSATU in 1985 not only served to consolidate resistance to Apartheid, but sent out a strong signal to our oppressors that we will attain “Freedom in our Lifetime”.

All these events eventually paved the way for the release of our leaders from the late 1980’s, the release of Comrade Nelson Mandela on the hot, sunny afternoon of Sunday 11th February 1990 as he walked down the prison drive, toward a throng of delirious supporters and the world's press, the negotiated settlement and our first democratic elections in April 1994.

As we look back to our struggle for democracy, we salute the contributions of Enoch Sontonga who wrote the hymn ‘Nkosi Sikelele iAfrika’. This hymn has now become Africa’s most famous anthem of black struggle against oppression. In our democratic order this hymn has been included as part of our National Anthem and has been translated into numerous African languages. This National Anthem embodies the true spirit of social cohesion and nation building.

This honourable members, is the history about our struggle for freedom and justice. It indeed tells the story of the ruling African National Congress. Together we have fought for our land, against low wages, high rents and the pass laws. We have fought against Bantu Education, and for the right to vote for a government of our choice.

Having said that, I am proud to be standing before this house this afternoon, following the successful celebrations of the 2012 Human Rights and Freedom Days. During the Human Rights Day celebrations, the Department managed to restore the graves of five former Umkhonto We Sizwe cadres in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District. These combatants include the likes of the late Tau Tikane, Litter Monare, Boitumelo Mabilo, Thabo Moorosi and Patrick Mogotsi.

Honourable Speaker, the above reaffirms the Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile’s declaration of 2012 as the year of Heritage. During this year, Minister Mashatile said that we will continue to honour heroes and heroines of our struggle for national liberation.

I am also pleased to announce to the House that, as part of the celebrations, the Department managed to upgrade and restore the graves of the late Abraham Esau in Calvinia and rehabilitated the graves of former activists including the late Booi Mantyi and Sizakhele Mbekushe in De Aar as well as the grave of the late Ulysses Modise in the Frances Baard District.

Honourable Speaker,

As I present the Department’s is budget speech this afternoon, I draw my inspiration from the late Brian Hermanus, one of the outstanding leaders of this Province. As a former MEC of the Department, Brian Hermanus was a great sportsman, a family man and a comrade. Brian displayed his versatility and was ranked amongst the country’s best ten swimmers irrespective of colour during the trying times of apartheid. In 1972 Brian together with Shreef Abass, both from Kimberley were selected amongst the top five swimmers in the country for further training in London where he equaled the 100m record of the World and Olympic champion David Wilkie. Brian would probably have broken the world record or been chosen for the Olympic Games had it not been for the restrictive oppressive laws of the past.

He also displayed excellence in soccer, rugby, tennis, table tennis and athletics at school and Provincial level. Apart from his involvement in sport and as an MEC the late Brian Hermanus was determined to see every child take part in sport as he believed that a “Child in Sport is a Child out of Court”. He was also passionate about and lived by the slogan which was coined by South African Council on Sport (SACOS) “No normal sport in an abnormal society”. We will commemorate his contribution to sport in the Province in this financial year.

Honourable Speaker, the hosting of Bokkie Sport as a racially segregating sporting activity in its current format is therefore condemned with disdain. The incident that took place during the hockey tournament in Rustenburg in the North West cannot and shall not be tolerated in our country. The young black hockey player who had to suffer the horrific throngs and fangs of apartheid at such a young and tender age because of being black is disgusting. Such atrocities must be stopped immediately and those organizers be brought to book. Sport and recreation programmes that seek to advance transformation, unity and broader access is key to the development of our society. As the custodians of sport and recreation we shall continue to embark on a vigorous campaign of educating our communities on the need to ensure that access to sport and recreational activities shall be to the benefit of all learners and citizens irrespective of race, color or creed as captured in the Freedom Charter under the principle of “The doors of learning and culture shall be opened to all”. We will ensure that these racist practices in sport will no longer be tolerated in this Province and the country at large. We will not allow abnormal sport in a democratic society.

Honourable members, we are also sad to announce here today, the sudden death of one of our four students who was studying at the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance in Cape Town towards a degree in Television Production. The Department is saddened by this loss and again takes this opportunity to convey our sincerest condolences to the Bodibe family for the loss of their beloved son, Ohentse.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Braam Snyman and Raino Diederichs, two aspirant tennis players of Diamantveld High School, who died tragically in a car accident on their way home form Bloemfontein.

Honourable Speaker,

Allow me to join in the words of our President, the Honourable Jacob Zuma who during his State of the Nation address instructed the nation “We must perform better in sports this year”. I would also like to join the President in congratulating Oscar Pistorius who has set the standard for the year by winning the 2012 Laureus Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award.

We also congratulate the national women’s soccer team Banyana Banyana, the men’s and women’s hockey teams for qualifying to participate in the Olympics for the first time, which will be held in London. With our support, indeed they will do well.

We want to congratulate the following provincial sport achievers namely:

• Mi-Chaelle Robertson who is currently in London playing county cricket and receiving coaching training. On his return he will be linked to the club development programme through the Griqualand West Cricket Board.

• Donald Mojaki has qualified for football coaching level three under the auspices of SAFA places further qualifies him for professional coaching.

• Frederick Sekwari, an athlete from Hartswater, who has been included in the national team to represent South Africa in 2012 International Sport Karate Association World Championships in Kickboxing in Orlando, Florida in July this year.

• Cameron Petersen who has been included in a South African Tour Team to Scotland and Wimbledon to participate in various tennis academy programmes.

• Phillipa van der Merwe from Postmasburg for representing South Africa in the 100m World Junior Team.

• Ruben Ramolefi from Upington for being the SA record holder for steeplechase.

• In netball we congratulate Lauren-Lee Christians for her inclusion in the under 23 National Netball Team.

• Congratulations to Pabalelo High School and Rietvale High School for representing the Northern Cape Province at the inaugural National Football Shootout School tournament held in Boksburg particularly to Rietvalle High School who emerged as tournament champions.

We further wish to congratulate our provincial teams and athletes for their achievements during the hosting of the National Biathlon Championships held in the Kimberley recently.

We congratulate the Noleen Andrews School of Dance in Kimberley, for their achievement at the National Dance competition and will be going to Las Vegas to compete on the international platform sometime in July 2012. Well done.

We also need to acknowledge the performance and achievements of the Griqua Diamonds Cricket team who won the Cricket South Africa 3 Day Semi-Professional Competition the past season. The list is endless, but the following is also worth mentioning.

• Successfully hosted the International Federation for Sport for Para-athletes Tri Nations for the intellectually impaired cricketers from South Africa, England and Australia at the De Beers Diamond Oval.

• Mark Arthur from Griqua Diamonds is the South African National coach for the SA Intellectually Impaired team.

• Hermanus Laven from Griqua Diamonds is the South African National Coach for the South African Blind Team.

• Gihahn Cloete and Diego Rosier selected for the SA U/19 team that played against Pakistan and Zimbabwe in January. They are both in the SA World Cup Squad to play in the ICC U/19 World Cup in Australia in August.

• Wendell Bossenger, the current coach of Griqua Diamonds has been selected to be assistant coach to the South Africa “A” side to tour Zimbabwe and also to Ireland.

• Reeza Hendricks from Griqua Diamonds and the Knights franchise has also selected to play in South Africa “A” to tour Zimbabwe and to Ireland.

With regards to Rugby the Provinces’ hosting of the match between England and the South African Babarians as well as the recently held Vodacom Cup final once again bears testimony to the Province’s ability to host international and national matches.

Although the provincial team, Griquas Rugby Team did not win the Vodacom Cup Final on the 18 May 2012, we must applaud their endeavor and strides taken in reaching the finals of this competition for the 7th time. They have indeed made the Province proud. We extend our congratulations to the winning team, Western Province, who won the Griquas only after normal match time had expired with a score of 20 -18.

The Province’s successful hosting of the Uruguay national football team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup has yielded positive outcomes. The capabilities demonstrated by our Province and the city of Kimberley in particular, has led to Cabinet awarding our beautiful city an opportunity of being one of the four host cities for the 2014 African Nations Football Championship. The move will surely put not only the city, but the entire Northern Cape Province on the international map and create much needed economic opportunities.

Honourable Speaker, the last twelve months have seen significant milestones achieved in the Arts and Culture sector. The year started off with the hosting of the National Consultative Conference by the Department of Arts and Culture. This conference gave birth to the Mzansi’s Golden Economy vision. In the words of Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile, I quote:

“The new vision of arts and culture goes beyond social cohesion and nourishing the soul of the nation. We believe that arts, culture and heritage play a pivotal role in the economic empowerment and skills development of a people.”

In responding to this new vision outlined by the Minister, the Department acknowledges that we can only achieve this vision through the establishment of strategic partnerships with stakeholders within and outside the sector and consolidating existing partnerships.

Working together with the Kimberley Academy of Music, the Department will at the end of this month, be launching the Northern Cape Music Development Initiative. This, honourable speaker will ensure the Department’s efforts to grow the Music Academy in the Province.

The Northern Cape Music Development Initiative is aimed at establishing Music Academies in each of the five Districts of the Province with the assistance of possible funding from the Private sector. The launch will be in the form of a fundraising Gala Dinner where possible funders will be invited and encouraged to pledge towards the project.

We are pleased to announce to this house that the Northern Cape Arts and Culture Council was appointed during September 2011. The 2012/13 allocation to the Northern Cape Arts and Culture Council totals seven hundred thousand rand (R700,000).

We are further pleased to announce that we will be appointing the Northern Cape Performing Arts Council during this financial year. We have recently finalised the regulations for the establishment of the Northern Cape Performing Arts Council that will take responsibility for the management of our facilities. Its broader mandate will include the optimal functioning of our academies as well as the hosting of world-class productions at the newly upgraded Northern Cape Theatre.

It is our belief that these two entities will play a critical role in achieving the new vision outlined by the Minister for Arts and Culture.

As a Province, we will be focusing on education and skills development, job creation and infrastructure development for this financial year.

We are also pleased to announce that the first group of students has successfully completed the NQF Level 4 Drama Course at the Mayibuye Centre during November 2011. Of these students who graduated during 2011, four are furthering their studies at University and one is doing a puppetry project with the Department of Education. The Mayibuye Centre has been inundated with applications from prospective students since the beginning of the year. There are currently 45 students registered on the programme. We will be working closely with the Northern Cape Arts and Culture Council to ensure that opportunities for further support and development are created through its grant support to arts practitioners.

We are further pleased to announce that as of 01 January 2012 the Mayibuye Centre no longer hosts events and conferences. Its focus will be on the development of sport, arts and culture only. The Centre currently plays host to fourteen drama production companies, music bands and dance groups. In terms of our agreements with these groups, the Centre will provide rehearsal space as well as assist in the staging of their various productions that will be staged quarterly at the Centre.

An amount of R1.797 million has been budgeted for the Mayibuye Centre Academies.

This financial year will also see the launch of “Northern Cape has Talent”, the provincial talent search programme that will see us travelling to each and every municipality in the Province to unearth the best talent that this Province has, from singing to dancing and acting. This programme is not only aimed at identifying talent where it exists in the Province, it is also intended to create opportunities for development for art practitioners throughout the Province. Closely linked to this programme is our plan to ensure the establishment of Community Arts Centres that will assist in the nurturing of talent at a local level. We wish to invite all art practitioners to participate in this programme in order to make it a success. R1.246 million has been budgeted for “Northern Cape has Talent” programme.

Honourable Speaker, as we turn our attention to Language Development, we are pleased to announce that the draft Language Policy has been completed and will now be taken through the various forums and clusters for finalisation.

The Department will this year also focus on ensuring that the Language Laboratory based at the Mayibuye Centre is able to provide translation and interpretation services to the Department.
Furthermore, we will also continue to consolidate our relationship with the Provincial Language Committee as well as with PANSALB in support of Language development and multi-lingualism in the Province.

Honourable Speaker,

As we continue “Looking Back at a Century Lived”, it remains the responsibility of every society to preserve and promote its heritage and culture. This is to ensure that the definition of its material existence reflects its own journey of evolution and how natural and human influences have impacted on its current state of nationhood. Failure to recognise and protect the significance of heritage as an instrument that defines a society is tantamount to the failure to recognise the existence and attributes of such nationhood. The mandate to preserve and promote our heritage and culture is thus expected to be inherent and embedded in all tendencies, policies and legislation of a country.

Honourable Speaker,

The Northern Cape Provincial Government has over the past decade been able to place the Province as a significant agent of preserving and promoting our heritage and culture. We have throughout our endeavours presented our historical story in ways that have been educative and inclusive albeit remaining firm and determined. We have emphasised that, given our unfortunate discriminative past, both our tangible and intangible cultural heritage attributes should remain central in the definition of our society.

Working together with statutory agencies, organs of civil society and the private sector, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture created a model in which a structured and appraisable working environment defines roles and confines of legislation. The challenge of the sector however remains the prioritisation of heritage and culture in all developments, be they physical or intangible.

We report today that we are encouraged by the continuing process of re-engineering the role, focus and functions of the statutory agencies within the sector. As part of the Mzansi’s Golden Economy, a comprehensive thematic intervention project of the national Department of Arts and Culture that defines the economic role of the arts, culture and heritage sector of our country, we are repositioning these entities to be responsive to the Minister of Arts and Culture’s clarion call that this sector should “play a pivotal role in the economic empowerment and skills development of a people”.

It is our pleasure to welcome the appointment of the Ngwao Boswa Kapa Bokone Council – the Northern Cape Provincial Heritage Resource Authority. This departmental agency has for some years mainly focused its work on the issuing of built and demolition permits. The agency was not geared towards responding to our social challenges such as poverty and unemployment. A rigorous programme of advocacy, community participation and economic empowerment will be the kernel of all projects of the entity.

Communities will during this financial year take lead in the identification of provincial and local heritage sites. These sites will not only be marked as points of historic and cultural significance but, through partnerships with communities and other stakeholder, will also create opportunities of training and job creation through the production of indigenous articles of trade and the promotion of cultural tourism.

Ngwao Boswa will during this financial year facilitate the identification of five provincial heritage sites, one in each district. The entity will also revisit the existing inventory of heritage sites in the Province in order to allocate appropriate grading. This exercise will enable the Province to link sites and develop a comprehensive model for all heritage sites.

An amount of R1.133 million has been budgeted for the 2012/13 financial year transfer to Ngwao Boswa Kapa Bokone.

Honourable Speaker,

The names of Transvaal Road, Sidney Street and Jones Street in the Kimberley Central Business District have been changed to Phakamile Mabija Drive. Working together with the Department of Education, the Head Office of the Department of Education was renamed the Kevin Nkoane Building. Allow me, Honourable Speaker, to confirm to this house that all necessary processes are followed at all times in consultation with communities. We have records of all adverts and notices placed with regard to all name changes that have happened to date. An amount of eight hundred thousand rand (R800,000) will be transferred to Provincial Geographic Names Change committee in this financial year. The process of Name Changes will continue and be used as a vehicle to unite the people of the Province.

Honourable members, as we continue to mark 2012 as the year of heritage, I am proud to say that we in the Northern Cape have already initiated this process in 2011. During the year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Olympic Primary School in Kimberley. The year also marked the 10th anniversary of the school having been declared a provincial heritage site.

Honourable Speaker, we report today that one of most horrendous acts of dehumanization befell many parts of our Province a hundred years ago. An Austrian researcher named Rudolph Poch and his team travelled on a wagon in search of gravesites in order to exhume bodies and remains for research. The Austrian Museum of Natural History currently has an inventory which amongst other includes the skeletal remains of 80 persons, 150 skulls casting made of people whilst still alive. All of which have been unethically acquired during his journey though the Northern Cape from 1908 -1909.

We are glad to report that through intensive engagement and consultation involving a myriad of institutions and government departments with the Austrian government, the remains of a couple that was exhumed while in a decomposing state have been safely repatriated back to South Africa. The remains of Klaas and Trooi Pienaar were returned to their homeland after a century of indignity. This presents itself as a living manifestation of a country that honours its ancestry. The remains of Klaas and Trooi Pienaar will be laid to rest in Northern Cape soil thus restoring their dignity and basic human rights. They were taken as objects and have now returned as fully fledged citizens of our democracy.

We will during this financial year conclude the reburial of Klaas and Trooi Pienaar in an area agreed upon by the living descendants and the affected community. It must be indicated that the repatriation of this couple is a beginning of a long and arduous process to see to the return of all remains in Austria. A process of consultation has started and we are confident that all other remains from Austria will return in dignity.

Honourable Members, we are proud to report today that the Coffee Table Book version of recording of the Northern Cape History of the Liberation Struggle has been published. The book is a precursor to a three volume project. We will during the 2012 Heritage Month in September launch the second version which is targeted at learners and the general public in the Province. The final version will in the main be an academic product for research and higher learning. We applaud the selfless sacrifices that have been made by the McGregor Museum researchers, who are responsible for the important task of ensuring that we correct the recorded history of the Province and that of the country.

The McGregor Museum has further broadened the history of the liberation struggle through a number of exhibitions which include the late Steven Bantu Biko. An exhibition honouring the life and times of Comrade Ahmed Kathrada is currently on display at the Museum.

The Museum also launched the book on the life of Kgosi Luka Jantjie during the previous financial year. This book, authored by Kevin Shillington from England, depicts the atrocities of the colonial era and heroic acts of outstanding African leaders such as Kgosi Galeshewe and many others.

The Museum will during the current financial year open the Liberation Wing exhibition which displays the chronicling of individuals and events of the liberation struggle in the Northern Cape.

The 2012/13 transfer to the McGregor Museum totals R2.893 million.

Honourable Speaker, community libraries are currently administered by twenty seven local and one district municipality in the Province.

In its effort to build constructive and sustainable partnerships with stakeholders, the Department concluded Memorandum of Understanding agreements with the twenty-seven local municipalities and one district municipality, ensuring the continuity of the delivery of library services at a local community level.

Honourable Speaker, through these partnerships the Department assists municipalities with the strengthening of its capacity to render library services on municipal level through the provision of library transformation and development funding, thus enabling municipalities to increase staff capacity and carry out general maintenance work at community libraries.

This financial year will see a continuation of the programme to support municipalities to increase staff capacity at community libraries through the appointment of 132 full-time, part time and cleaning staff throughout the Province. The funds allocated to give effect to this programme amounts to R8.070 million.

The Department will also capacitate community library workers to enable them to improve and transform their service delivery through skills development and capacity building programmes. 500 community library workers are targeted through 10 training programmes ranging from Batho Pele and Customer Service Orientation training to Information Dissemination training like conducting bibliographic searches. An amount of R2.85 million has been budgeted for this purpose. To ensure that capacity development takes place at the District level, an additional R488,000 has been budgeted for training programmes in all five districts.

In addition to this, library transformation officers have been appointed and seconded to 16 municipalities to carry the transformation agenda for libraries forward. The main task of these officials is to promote a culture of reading and library usage for which an amount of R2.5 million has been put aside.

The Department has sanctioned and supported infrastructure improvement at 27 municipal libraries throughout the Province at a cost of R4.5 million. These funds were allocated to municipalities in the previous financial year and the project expands the major construction projects undertaken by the Province. It is expected that the projects will be completed in September 2012 in the Gamagara, Tsantsabane, Renosterberg and Kgatelopele municipalities. In addition to these projects funds will be transferred to 20 municipalities for minor infrastructure improvement and maintenance at community libraries. The total amount set aside for this is R1.3 million.

Transfers to municipalities for the 2012/13 financial year totals R18.624 million.

The Department, during the previous financial year, succeeded in distributing 30 923 items which are inclusive of all the official provincial languages to its many service points across the Province. In addition, Library Services has provided access to the Internet to 84 community libraries. Further, the National Library has provided additional funding to the amount of R3,8 million to the Northern Cape Province for the roll out of internet connectivity to 140 library service points across the Province, instead of the 7 libraries originally planned. This will enable us to expand the internet footprint through Satellite and ADSL Connectivity. Provincial support to the programme will be provided though the Library Automation project. The funds budgeted to support this project during this financial year is R1.828 million. This increases our ability to support learners, thus emphasizing the pivotal role that libraries play in supporting out of school learning and non-formal education.

This venture adds impetus to our programme to accelerate transformation in library services through community governance and participation. It is through this endeavour that libraries will be transformed from mere book repositories to vibrant community information centers.

The Department continues to expand library services through the mobile book box service operating in 20 communities and the container library service that is operating in 56 communities in the Northern Cape. The budget allocated to support this initiative is R7.6 million.

Honourable Speaker, the Department also intends to avail four bursaries to the value of R200,000 for formal training in the Library and Information Science field.

Honourable Speaker, in fulfilling our mandate of inculcating a culture of reading, the Department has officially opened the Hartswater Community Library and will be officially opening the Barkly West and Nababeep Libraries in this financial year.

We are proud to report that the Barkly West and the OM Mothibi Library in Hartswater are fully operational, fully stocked and have sufficient capacity to deliver a quality library service to the communities it serves.

The Nababeep Community Library was completed during the previous financial year and this state of the art facility will open shortly for use by the general public.

The construction of the two new libraries in Groblershoop and Churchill will commence and conclude in this financial year. The amount allocated for these infrastructure projects totals R19.084 million.

In addition to this, 15 libraries have been identified as sites for the establishment of Educational Toy libraries. These educational libraries will be located in mostly rural libraries and expands on the 65 Education Toy libraries already established at community libraries throughout the Province. The funds set aside for this purpose amount to four hundred and twenty thousand rand (R420,000).

In heeding the call to promote a culture of reading, library usage and life-long learning the Department supports the programmes of the Department of Education. The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is set to provide additional learner and literacy support material, as well as reading materials to all libraries in the Province. It intends to purchase 40 000 books for this purpose. An amount of R12.450 million has been budgeted for this purpose.

The Department intends to hold outreach programmes at all community libraries and schools throughout the Province. This is in our effort to promote reading and library usage. To this effect eight programmes are envisaged in all five Districts of the Province, and 5,900 learners, 2000 youth and 150 disabled persons are expected to participate. These programmes include financial assistance to various Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s), the Northern Cape Writers Festival, the annual Run to Read marathon, the Premiers Choice reading competition and the Library Week celebrations.

We will continue to build on the success of the last four years of hosting the Northern Cape Writer’s Festival, by elevating the Festival to one of national significance. In the words of the well renowned author, Marita van der Vyver, I quote:

“What I love about the Northern Cape Writer’s Festival, is the fact that it is community based and that the participants as well as the audience represent the South African population more honestly than any of the other festivals I’ve attended – and I’ve been to quite a few”.

This illustrates the potential for the festival to become a landmark event on the national calendar of events as it draws participation across all spheres of society from local, national and international levels.

An amount of R4.098 million has been budgeted for Library Services’ Outreach and Awareness programmes.

Honourable Speaker, the Department has commenced with the construction of the Archives Repository in the previous financial year, and the first phase of this project will be concluded by June 2012. The Archives Repository will enable the Province to reclaim the archival records and heritage that was kept in custody at both the Western Cape and National Archives. The amount earmarked for the completion of the first phase in this financial year is R3.300 million. The Archives Repository will be opened with a complement of competent and qualified staff that is currently located within the Department. The staff will begin the process of the repatriating the archival records from the National and Western Cape Archives.

Honourable Speaker,

The Department has recently entered into an all important bilateral agreement with the Uruguayan Football Association (A.U.F) which is intended to promote mutual co-operation in the field of football development in the Province. The co-operation will for the first time create an enabling environment for football prosperity in this Province.

It includes the development of football and co-operation in the following activities:

a. exchange programmes in the fields of sport education and football development;
b. exchange programmes for the training of managers, administrators and technical officials;
c. the exchange of information in the field of youth and football development and;
d. any other activities of co-operation in the fields of youth and football development as mutually agreed upon by the contracting parties.
e. Promotion of football development between the contracting parties with respect to the following scope:
(i) Partnership on football development focusing on junior / amateur programmes (U/15, U/ 17 boys and girls),
(ii) Partnership on football development through existing programmes Uruguay have with other countries,
(iii) Capacity development of coaches, managers and technical officials within the football fraternity through expertise provided by the Uruguay Football Association or its associated partners,
(iv) Football exchange programme within the junior / amateur programmes between the Province, Uruguay Football Association and any country that has partnered Uruguay Football Association in this area.
(v) Possibility of educational opportunities within the Sport and Recreation sector (Sport Science and Sport Management studies) at a University in Uruguay,
(vi) Linkages within the Sport Science and High Performance areas between the Northern Cape and the Uruguay Football Association.

The Uruguay partnership will see the hosting of 10 technical officials from Uruguay throughout the Province. They will be responsible for the following areas of operation: Capacity building for local coaches and educators, support towards local football structures in the districts, support towards talent identification and to assist in the establishment of district football academies. The total allocated budget is R1.9 million.

On a local level, engagements have been concluded with Athletics South Africa to unify Griqualand West and North Cape West Athletics Federation. The joint hosting of the Athletic South Africa and Athletic Griqualand West 10 km championship is a result of this engagement. In addition, there has been a fruitful engagement with SAFA resulting in the finalisation of a development plan in support of Football Development in the Province.

The Department has concluded discussions with South African Rugby Union and Griqualand West Rugby Union to forge collective development of Rugby at grassroots level. So to interaction with Swimming South Africa has been concluded with the aim of fostering unity and development in swimming.

Honourable Speaker, a century lived has surely been a path laid with thorns, but we the government can only create a conducive environment that will allow for the prosperity of our local soccer teams. It is therefore against this background that the Department have speedily concluded the handover of the three artificial football turfs at Bergsig in Namakwa District, Britstown in the Pixley ka Seme and Upington in the Siyanda District. These facilities are aimed at creating an enabling environment for the prosperity of soccer in the Province. To this end a development plan in consultation with SAFA is being concluded for the optimal usage of these facilities.

The Minister of Sport and Recreation South Africa, Minister Fikile Mbalula’s vision of the development and transformation of the sport and recreation sector remains at the helm of our list of priorities. We can in this regard proudly highlight the achievements and gains we have made, namely:
• The achievement of gold for the Provincial Football Team at the SA Games held in Limpopo;
• Participation with distinction of the provincial team at the World Gymnaestrada Festival in Switzerland;
• The confirmation and the hosting of a first division soccer outfit in the Province (United FC);
• Signing of the Memorandum of Agreement with the Uruguay Football Association for football development in the Province;
• The completion of the upgrading of the AR Abass Stadium at a cost of R14,3 million;
• Provision of financial support totaling R7 million for the upgrading of a sport facility in Phillipstown and Victoria West;
• The provision of R7 million has been made for the construction of an artificial football turf in Van Zylsrus in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District;
• The official opening and the handover of two artificial football turfs including clubhouses in Britstown and Bergsig.

In pursuit of excellence in sport and recreation, the Department has aligned itself with the key strategic thrust from Provincial to National, in the form of the Provincial Sport, Growth, Development & Transformation Strategy and the National Sport & Recreation Plan. Central to these strategies is the transformation of the sport & recreation sector with emphasis on development. Our approach to these critical objectives is the integration and alignment of our programmes to address the challenges faced by the sector. We have ensured that the Conditional Grants and the Equitable Share allocations provide the necessary support and we have eliminated any duplication of programmes, in keeping with the Minister’s Road Map on Sport and Recreation.

Honourable Speaker, for the 2012/13 financial year as we mount a comprehensive campaign on promoting unity through diversity and transforming the sport and recreation landscape in the Province the following activities will be implemented:

• Hosting of the Provincial Albert Luthuli Games in September 2012 which is a celebration of the hard fought battles for equality and transformation of our society through sport. This will see the identification of eight (8) sporting codes (swimming, boxing, gymnastics, athletics, tennis, golf, gold ball and netball). These sporting codes will be implemented throughout the Province with a total allocated budget of R1.4 million

• The Department will be providing support to eight priority codes for development purposes in the following areas: Provide administrative support to the federations, the procurement of equipment and the implementation of leagues and competitions. These codes are: Table Tennis, Rugby, Hockey, Football, Volleyball, Cricket, Cycling and Disabled Sport. The total allocated budget is R2.56 million.

• The Departmental support to the success of the International Maloof Money Cup in 2011 has seen the development of thousands of young skateboard enthusiasts across the Province. The Province has had both international and local support and participation in this skateboarding event. To ensure participation across the Province to the event approximately 600 youth from different districts were transported to witness and experience the world cup event.

• The Department will be intensifying the skate board development programme in all the districts through the following: Train the trainer, provision of street courses and the hosting the Provincial Skate Board qualifier. In order to further support skateboard development, the Department has employed one provincial skateboard co-ordinator and two skateboard development officers. The Department will be further employing three skateboard development officers per district.

• The Department will be rolling out the Provincial School Sport Programme throughout the Province. Schools in the Province will benefit from the programme through the following: training of educators responsible for school sport programmes; provision of equipment to all participating schools in the programme and support towards provincial & national games (National Youth Olympics). The provincial rollout of the School Sport Leagues will be held later in the year at the AR Abass Stadium in Kimberley. This event ushers the new approach towards School Sport in the Country, culminating in the conclusion of the National School Sport Policy. The total allocated budget is R3 million.

• The renovations and upgrading for the focal school has commenced as part of phase 1 (Infrastructure). The upgrading will see the completion of office accommodation for the management of the school, with phase 2 commencing in June 2012. The budget allocated for this project is R1.1 million

• In the promotion of an active nation and living a healthy lifestyle, the Department has introduced the aerobic programme as part of Recreation and Wellness Programme. The programme currently in its infancy has attracted a huge pool of enthusiastic departmental participants and community members. Currently, the programme is hosted at the Mayibuye Centre and at the Frank Roro Cricket Pitch.

• The Sport and Recreation sector in support of the provincial priority on job creation will be creating 144 job opportunities through the Expanded Public Works Programme Incentive Grant and the Mass Participation Programme both as Conditional Grant allocation. This will range from Local Sport Development Coordinators (1 per Municipality), Schools Cluster Coordinators (1 per Municipality), Facilities Coordinators (3 per Municipality), Skateboard Development Coordinators (3 per District) and Sport Administrators. The total allocated budget is R9.6 million.

Honourable Speaker,

The celebration of Commemorative Days events is one of the tools used by the Department to execute its all important mandate of Social Cohesion and Nation Building. Honourable Speaker, I am therefore pleased to announce a budget of R8.814 million for the hosting of Commemorative Days for the 2012/13 financial year.

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is tasked, as part of its broader mandate, with the responsibility of planning and organizing the celebration of all Commemorative Days in the Province.

The challenge for the Department is to structure Commemorative Day events in such a manner that they can appeal to all sectors of our communities. This will also enable the Department to realize its core mandate of ensuring social cohesion, patriotism, nation building and unity among our communities.

While every attempt is made to ensure participation from all communities, we still experience the major support for Commemorative events from the Black communities. The proposed programmes for commemorative days for the year will ensure that all communities recognize and celebrate commemorative days for their significance in celebrating and acknowledging our past as a country and use these days to reconcile and unite our communities.

Having said that, I would like to reiterate that all commemorative events for the year will be celebrated under the banner of the History of the Liberation Struggle, hence the theme: “Looking back a century lived, and together working forward towards unity”

In order to sustain a year-long comprehensive programme linked to the theme and to ensure that the events have maximum impact the programmes outlined for the events will be mass-based, educational and dialogue stimulating. Ultimately, the continued research into the History of the Liberation Struggle in the Province conducted by the McGregor Museum Research Team will serve as a source to guide the Province, districts and local municipalities on where, how and whom to honour during the year.

The research on heroes and heroines project is on-going and will be used as a basis for the identification of projects in support of the History of the Liberation Struggle. The Liberation Struggle Heroes and Heroines will be honoured through memorial lectures, erection of memorials, marking of gravesites, and name changes. The 2012 Heritage Month programme will be celebrated in support of honouring Chief Albert Luthuli. The Names Change and Heroes and Heroines project will be central to the planning of the commemorative events.

Honourable Speaker, a holistic approach will be taken in responding to the call made by the President to improve monitoring and evaluation of departmental performance. The outcome hereof will be the evaluation of both service delivery performance as well as organisational / administrative performance. The systems implemented to effectively monitor and evaluate performance as per the Annual Performance Plans will be further strengthened. The process of monitoring performance will be deepened through the evaluation of administrative compliance in the following four key areas:
• Governance and Accountability
• Strategic Management
• Human Resources Management
• Financial Management

To improve on the prior years’ of audit outcomes, the Department has made an undertaking to adequately capacitate the Department’s Financial Management Directorate. The management structure of the directorate is in now in place allowing for better management oversight of the Department’s financial management function thus working towards an improved audit outcome. Systems have been put in place to root out corruption. To this end four officials have been charged and the outcome hereof is currently pending.

Honourable Speaker the Department’s Compensation of Employees Equitable Share Budget has decreased from 58.6% in 2011/12 financial year to 51.4% in the current financial year. This has been a deliberate attempt to direct the limited funds of the Department to prioritise service delivery.

Honourable Speaker, for the 2012/2013 Financial Year I present to you a total budget of R223.566 million of which equitable share is R122.200 million and conditional grants R101.366 million.

The Programme breakdown of the 2012/13 budget allocation for Vote 7 is as follows:

Programme 1: Administration R49.730 million;
Programme 2: Cultural Affairs R42.524 million;
Programme 3: Library and Archives Services R93.480 million of which Library Transformation conditional grant is R72.395 million;
Programme 4: Sport and Recreation R37.832 million of which Sport & Recreation Mass Participation Programme conditional grant is R27.404 million and the Expanded Public Works Programme grant is R1.567 million.

Honourable Speaker, allow me to thank our Acting Premier, my colleagues in the Executive Council and the members of the Education, 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 Head of Department and each official of the Department for their continued commitment and loyalty.

I thank you
Ndiyabulela
Ke a leboga
Baie dankie