Hon Chairperson of the session, Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, Dr Joe Phaahla, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture, hon Babalwa Sunduza, hon members of the portfolio committee, hon Members of Parliament, Director-General Xaba and senior managers, chairpersons of our boards and councils, art, culture and heritage practitioners, business leaders here present, ladies and gentlemen, before I start, let me take this opportunity to bid farewell to our departed brother, former Minister Sicelo Shiceka. To his family and friends we say, akwehlanga lungehlanga. [We send our condolences]. May his soul rest in peace.
I am humbled by the opportunity to present the 2012-13 Budget Vote for the Department of Arts and Culture. We present our budget two days after the people of our country joined the rest of the world in celebrating Workers' Day. We will forever remember the heroism and sacrifices of the workers of our country. We recommit ourselves to the goal of defending the gains of the working people of our country, especially our cultural workers.
Hon members, just under a week ago we marked the 18th anniversary of freedom and democracy, under the theme: Working together to build unity and prosperity for all. On that important occasion we reflected on the progress we are making to build a nonracial destiny for all the people of South Africa, who are united in their diversity.
We also committed ourselves to continue building an economically prosperous society. The Department of Arts and Culture has declared the year 2012 the year of heritage. In this regard we will intensify the work we are doing to preserve our country's cultural heritage, paying particular attention to our liberation heritage. This year is also the year of the centenary of the oldest modern liberation movement in Africa, the African National Congress. The Centenary of the ANC is part of our tangible heritage, which we must preserve for current and future generations.
Over the past 18 years we have made significant progress in addressing the challenges of poverty and underdevelopment. However, many of our people, in particular women, the youth and those in rural areas, are still faced with these challenges on a daily basis.
We are pleased to report that as part of our Mzansi Golden Economy strategy a number of high-impact programmes, targeting youth and women in the arts, have been identified. These include the Indoni, My Heritage My Pride programme, which aims to provide young people with life-skills training, education and encouragement in appreciating who they are, their heritage and their culture.
We are also implementing the Trendsetter Initiative, through which we encourage the youth to participate in the arts, and thus contribute to the development of their communities. We have begun to implement the public art programme, through which we are providing young people with skills and employing them to beautify their communities by using their artistic abilities.
This year we funded the Emerging Creatives programme, providing an opportunity for 40 young designers to showcase their designs alongside established designers at the Design Indaba in Cape Town.
Having declared 2012 the year of heritage, we will continue to honour the heroes and heroines of our struggle for national liberation. We will also use heritage infrastructure development as a catalyst for local economic development, job creation and nation-building.
A total of 28 heritage projects have been identified for implementation during the current financial year. Working together with the Independent Development Trust, IDT, we have begun to implement our programme to refurbish the house of the former ANC President, O R Tambo, in Bizana. [Applause.] We are also erecting a statue of O R Tambo and refurbishing the Garden of Remembrance and an interpretive centre in Kantolo. An access road linking Bizana to O R Tambo's homestead will also be built. An initial amount of R25 million has been set aside for this project. This project is expected to create 50 permanent jobs, as well as 90 short-term, medium-term and occasional jobs.
We are proceeding with the development of the Ingquza Heritage Centre in Pondoland. This project includes the refurbishment of the Holy Cross Church in Ngquza Hill, of which OR Tambo was a member. The church will also be declared a heritage site. A total of R15 million has been set aside for this project. The project is expected to create 40 permanent jobs and 75 short-term, medium-term and occasional jobs.
The Waaihoek Church and Maphikela House in Mangaung have also been declared heritage sites. In February 2012 we launched the John Langalibalele Dube Legacy Project in Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal. More than R60 million has been set aside for this project, which is expected to create 270 jobs.
We will, in the coming months, open the Steve Biko Centre in Ginsberg, in the Eastern Cape. We have invested more than R170 million in this project, which has created 609 jobs to date. We have also declared the graves of Robert Sobukwe, Helen Joseph, Lilian Ngoyi and Charlotte Maxeke as national heritage sites. In the coming months the graves of Dr Beyers Naud and Rahima Moosa will also be declared national heritage sites.
This year we are celebrating the centenary of Alexandra Township and Sophiatown - now that is my hometown. Both of these areas have a rich history of struggle and were vibrant hubs of cultural and artistic expression.
We expect to officially open the Matola Monument and Interpretive Centre in Mozambique before the end of this year. We have invested R65 million towards this project. In Matola alone, we have created a total of 245 contract and 15 permanent jobs. Through this project we are strengthening the bonds of friendship and solidarity with the people of Mozambique.
We will also work with the Department of Correctional Services to implement the Gallows heritage project.
Later this year we will open the second phase of the Freedom Park Museum - Ixapo, to tell the South African story of precolonial times. Some of the work we are doing this year on the subject of heritage will form part of the National Liberation Heritage Route.
In line with our commitment to nation-building and national healing, we declared the Voortrekker Monument a national heritage site. We have also opened a road linking Freedom Park to the Voortrekker Monument, symbolising a new era of co-operation between the two institutions.
In order to restore the dignity of the San people and to promote national healing, we have repatriated the remains of Klaas and Trooi Pienaar from Austria, where they were illegally and criminally taken for so-called research purposes. A decent reburial of the remains of Klaas and Trooi Pienaar will be held later this year. We are well on track with the establishment of the Sarah Baartman Centre of Remembrance. We are investing R168 million in this project. The project is envisaged to create 230 contract jobs and 45 permanent jobs.
The creative economy is now at the centre of the international economic and development agenda. We too, in South Africa, have for some time now placed the creative economy at the centre of our endeavour to grow the economy, create jobs and build sustainable livelihoods.
It is for this reason that, through the Mzansi Golden Economy strategy, we have identified key policy interventions that will support the growth and development of the creative economy. We are, therefore, pleased to announce that our Mzansi Golden Economy strategy has been endorsed by National Treasury.
The Mzansi Golden Economy strategy seeks to enhance our sector's contribution to the national effort to create 5 million jobs within the next 10 years. Specifically through our public art programme and the establishment of the art bank, we will create 10 000 new work opportunities over the next three years.
We piloted the concept of a sourcing enterprise during COP 17, resulting in the creation of more than 8 000 direct work days over a two-week period. As part of audience development we are piloting five cultural precincts and information centres in five major cities.
Through this initiative we anticipate a baseline target of more than 2 000 new work opportunities. This is expected to grow significantly over the next three years. Targeted support will be provided to 26 major cultural events every year across the country, which will generate a baseline target of more than 2 000 work opportunities per event.
A recreational underwater museum in Kosi Bay will be developed. The museum is expected to boost adventure and cultural tourism for the West Coast. Working together with the Department of Basic Education, we are making progress in bringing back arts education in schools. [Applause.] Through this intervention we are targeting 3 000 new work opportunities over the next three years.
We are also making steady progress towards the establishment of the National Skills Academy for the Arts. We will work with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development towards the establishment of a cultural observatory to collect and analyse data within our sector.
Hon members, funding for film production has increased. Equally, support for documentary production has increased in 2009 and 2011. For every documentary film produced with a budget of R500000, we create at least 10 direct jobs. It is against this background that we will continue to increase funding for film and television productions.
We will also create access to local film and video products, increase the volume of film production and provide training and skills development opportunities. Our long-term vision is to establish a national film commission and streamline film funding through a film fund.
In order to strengthen the local music industry and to build sustainable livelihoods for local musicians, we facilitated a co-operation agreement between the Association of Independent Record Companies and the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC. This agreement will increase local music content in public broadcasting and ensure needle time for the creators of content. [Applause.] We are also working with the music industry, the Department of Trade and Industry, DTI, and law enforcement agencies to strengthen the fight against music piracy.
In the month of May we will celebrate Africa Day. Working together with the Department of International Relations and Co-operation we will ensure the successful hosting of Africa Day celebrations. In line with our commitment to building a better Africa and a better world, we continue to be active on the international front. This we are doing in order to promote our culture in other parts of the world and to grow the local creative and cultural industries.
In this regard, we have signed cultural agreements and programmes of co- operation with Spain, Argentina, the State of Palestine and Angola. We have also signed a film coproduction treaty with New Zealand. We are reviewing our cultural agreements with the United Kingdom and the United States of America, with a view to further strengthening those relations.
During the Cannes Film Festival this year we will sign a film treaty with the Republic of Ireland. In September this year the government of the State of Qatar will host a South Africa Week in Doha. During this period we will also sign a cultural agreement with the State of Qatar. We expect Cabinet will soon ratify the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance. The charter will allow us to strengthen the work done by the African Union on the cultural front.
In June this year we will host the South African leg of the SA-French Seasons 2012-13. The season is aimed at showcasing our cultures and strengthening cultural co-operation between our two countries. South Africa will, this year, host the African chapter of the Unesco Conference on World Heritage. The conference will give us an opportunity to develop a shared African perspective on the link between development and the preservation of current and envisaged World Heritage Sites.
Next year South Africa will once again participate in the prestigious Venice Biennale. We are in a process of securing permanent space at the biennale for South Africa. This will give certainty with regard to our intention to continue exporting our creative goods to major international markets.
As part of the work we are doing since signing a cultural agreement with Jamaica last year, we will this year participate in the 50th anniversary of the independence of Jamaica. We will use that occasion to showcase our culture to the people of Jamaica, with whom we share strong bonds of friendship and solidarity.
In conclusion, hon members, we are putting together a team of senior managers that will ensure the effective implementation of our programmes. We are confident that the goals we have set for ourselves, working together with you, will be realised. Our ultimate objective is to create better conditions for the production, distribution and consumption of the arts, culture and heritage so that they yield better and greater economic and social benefits for all. Thank you.
Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon Members of Parliament and distinguished guests ...
... molweni ndiyanibulisa. Le ntombi iphambi kwenu LiHlubikazi, uRholeni, uMazibuko, uMlambo, uMwelase, uXhakaza, ndicela nindiphe iindlebe zenu. [... greetings. The lady in front of you is a Hlubi of Rholeni, Mazibuko, Mlambo, Mwelase, Xhakaza, and can you please listen to me.]
Hon Chairperson, we meet during Workers' Month and I, therefore, would like to salute all workers who vigorously fought for their labour rights from the slavery period through to the apartheid era until the war was won. This victory culminated in labour rights as enshrined in the Constitution. What united these workers was music, slogans and dance.
Ndiyanikhahlela basebenzi. [I salute you workers.]
I will start by saying that the ANC supports this Budget Vote. Why? Because the ANC is doing the will of the people based on the Freedom Charter, which is the guiding document of the liberation movement. The Freedom Charter is a document that led to a united South Africa; a document that paved the way for our Constitution today. Recently, even opposition members have been quoting from it. I hereby affirm the Freedom Charter as a premise for discussing social transformation.
South Africa belongs to all who live in it. Government cannot justly reclaim authority unless it is based on the will of the people. The ANC is governing based on the will of the people. Today, I've got my stick and I'm going to beat somebody who disturbs us. [Laughter.]
We were robbed of our birthright as Africans. We suffered injustice and inequality and we will never be ashamed of it. The Department of Arts and Culture has a mandate to restore our dignity and pride, to unify all races and cultural groups and to promote our languages until we reach a stage where all languages are equal.
Further, the department has an obligation to promote our history through heritage promotion and the national liberation route. I want to salute and honour all heroes and heroines of the struggle who took part in the frontier wars against African kingdoms and who fought with spears against gunpowder. I talk of Cetywayo, Sikhukhune, Hintsa, Sandile, Bhambatha and others. [Interjections.]
I stand before this House just five days after we celebrated 18 years of freedom, freedom from more than 300 years of colonialism and more than four decades of apartheid rule. [Interjections.]
Luister hier! Dit is 'n feit dat toe die ANC as regering verkies is, het die meerderheid van die bevolking beperkte of geen toegang gehad tot nasionale erfenisterreine, nasionale argiewe of biblioteekdienste. Dit is waar dat die viering van nasionale dae en ander kulturele gebeurlikhede in silo's, al langs die kleurskeidslyn af, plaasgevind het.
Dit is ook absoluut waar dat slegs twee tale - uit die vele wat ons in die land het - gebruik was vir amptelike kommunikasie en regeringsdoeleindes, ten spyte van die feit dat dit die tale was wat die minste in die land gebesig is. Dit was die tipe kuns- en kultuursektor wat die ANC gerf het toe ons in 1994 die regering oorgeneem het. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Listen! It is a fact that when the ANC was elected as the government the majority of the population had limited or no access to national heritage sites, national archives or library services. It is true that the celebration of national days and other cultural events took place in silos, along the colour line.
It is also absolutely true that only two languages - of the many that we have in the country - were used for official communication and government purposes, despite the fact that these were the languages used least in the country. This was the kind of arts and culture sector that the ANC inherited when we took over the government in 1994.] Nindive kakuhle? [Did you hear me correctly?] [Applause.]
Today all citizens have constitutionally guaranteed cultural rights. The arts and culture sector has undergone certain major transformational changes since 1994. As a matter of fact, the arts and culture sector has become an active contributor to the country's economic development drive. Job creation is indeed a central point of priority in the ANC government. Over the past five years the sector has managed to create about 150 000 jobs, thus making a significant contribution to the country's gross domestic product, GDP.
For the purpose of this debate, my focus will be on Programmes 3 and 5, National Language Service and Heritage Promotion. The purpose of the National Language Service programme is to promote the official languages of South Africa and enhance the linguistic diversity of our country. You will agree with me, hon chairperson, that despite the fact that we have 11 official languages, as per the Constitution, the fair and equitable use of these languages is still a challenge.
This is attested to by the ongoing process to finalise the promulgation of the South African Languages Bill. This is one of the key functions that the allocation of the National Language Service programme must cater for during this financial year.
It is important to note that the programme's expenditure grew from R92 million, and is still growing at an average of 2,7%. Over the medium term it is expected to grow to R137 million, at an increased average rate of 9,8%, largely because of the R41 million allocated to PanSALB to address its operational shortfalls.
Uyabona ke Mphathiswa, ndicela undive kakuhle kulo umba kwaye undimamelisise. [Hon Minister, please understand me clearly in this matter and listen carefully.]
PanSALB's mandate is derived from the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa; but the people tasked with the management of PanSALB are failing the will of the people of South Africa. We have been vocal about this matter. PanSALB has been experiencing some worrying operational challenges for some time now. Instead of carrying out the constitutional mandate, the institution has become a tug-of-war camp.
Kuyaliwa yi ... [They are fighting,] ... it's a battlefield and the taxpayer's money is used to fight court cases left, right and centre.
Mamela ke, Mphathiswa, asijiki ke kule. [Hon Minister, listen, we are not turning back on this one.]
The portfolio committee took a unanimous decision that no money must be given to PanSALB except for overheads and salaries and the department must play an administrative role, until they respect the will of the people of South Africa; you know asijiki [we are not turning back].
PanSALB must put its house in order. As things stand, there will be no money transferred to PanSALB.
Usimamele ke Mphathiswa kuba siyikomiti ejongene nesebe, siyakuxelela kwaye mna nawe masingaxatyaniswa ngu-PanSALB. [Hon Minister, you must listen to us because as the portfolio committee we must inform you about these things, and you and I must not let PanSALB come between us.]
It is as simple as that.
We have noted the use of consultants by the Department of Arts and Culture. The sooner the department recruits, trains and develops its own skills base, the better for all of us because consultants are standing in the way of job creation. We understand that there are scarce skills in South Africa, but the use of consultants - hayi, makhe yehle kancinci [no, it must be minimised].
The purpose of heritage promotion is to preserve, protect and promote South Africa's cultural heritage through socioeconomic development, social cohesion and national identity; to improve the effective management of the heritage sector and to promote South Africa's cultural heritage and symbols.
Over the medium term, expenditure for the programme is expected to increase to R88,8 million at an annual rate of 4,9%, due to increased transfers to heritage institutions for operations and increased capital works spending.
Through the National Liberation Heritage Route, which is spearheaded by the National Heritage Council, significant historical accounts of events, places, epochs, individuals and communities will be recorded for posterity and for transformation of and transmission to future generations in our society.
In addition, in recognition of the contribution made by the heroes and heroines of the struggle for freedom, the ANC has embarked on a legacy project that seeks to upgrade and declare as national heritage sites some of the significant homes, houses, graves and memorial sites. This is what we call preserving our heritage for generations to come. We hereby support these programmes, as they speak about our heroes and our struggle and will teach generations to come.
Siyabulela mfo kaMangcotywa; uyibambe njalo. [We thank you, Mr Mangcotywa; keep it up.]
We speak about the history, not only of apartheid but also of the frontier wars, as I have spoken about with regard to the tribes.
We must not be held to ransom when we want to transform the names of towns and streets. Speaking of geographical names, we can't be living in Kaffirskop or Boesmansgat - when you drive around, you would pass through these places. So, the programme of national heritage to change geographical names, let it ... [Interjections.]
Nee! Maak jou mond toe! [Gelag.] Ek is nie seker of dit die gat is wat ... [Onhoorbaar.] [No! Close your mouth! [Laughter.] I am not sure whether that is the "gat" [hole] that ... [Inaudible.]]
So, I'm saying it's Boesmansgat.
Ek is nie seker of dit die gat is wat ... [Onhoorbaar.] [I am not sure whether this is the "gat" [hole] that ... [Inaudible.]]
Order! Order, please!
With regard to the topic of heritage, let's also talk about our music. Let us allow live music to liberate us. We were united through music; let our music be part of our heritage. We had Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens, Miriam Makeba, Jabu and may others.
The Freedom Charter states clearly that:
All national groups shall be protected by law against insult to their race and national pride;
The preaching and practice of national, race or colour discrimination and contempt shall be a punishable crime.
As is stated also in the ANC Youth League's 1948 basic document on cultural policy ...
Ndakuqhekeza wena vala umlomo. [I will crack you into pieces. Shut up.] [Laughter.]
... more identity, it speaks of national liberation of identity; it speaks about languages.
When you want to destroy a nation, you must start by destroying the language. When you do that you destroy the identity, pride and heritage of that nation. That's what the apartheid government did to black Africans. We support the South African Languages Bill and urge the department to heed the call and get the legislative process under way.
I want to say today that we will never destroy Afrikaans. I want you to listen very carefully, hon Van den Berg. And where is the FF Plus? They are not here. We will never destroy Afrikaans or any language for any reason whatsoever. If we do that we will be insulting the wisdom of the ancestors who fought for the Freedom Charter, who drafted it for a united South Africa. Afrikaans is one of the official languages, as per the Constitution, and we, as the ANC, cannot go against our own victory. [Applause.]
However, it is critical for people to understand that we still need to promote all our official languages, especially people like those on racist school governing bodies that do not want to transform and are still locked in the past, frustrating African children, as seen in the recent case in East London.
I therefore appeal to the Minister and the department to strengthen its memorandum of understanding with the Department of Basic Education on the issue of languages, so that we can have our own isiXhosa-, Xitsonga- and Tshivenda-medium schools.
Our African children are not enjoying their rights as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic. They are forced to speak English and Afrikaans, even during lunch breaks, by teachers who say it's a school rule because it's an English- or Afrikaans-medium school. Even parents are forced to speak English at home because they are told children must speak good English for it is good for their brains. That is absolute nonsense.
It is worth indicating that arts and culture have gone beyond the stage of being generally viewed as only being concerned about entertainment and heritage matters. Today arts and culture play a role in cultural tourism. They play a central role in stimulating the world's economy.
It is estimated that 15% to 35% of all South African tourist visits are for cultural purposes. For South Africa to improve this figure, it has to ensure that strategies are put in place for the new Mzansi Golden Economy, and that it is supported. This also applies to other projects to massively increase cultural tourism in the country.
While South Africa has made great strides in ensuring that our arts and culture contribute to the country's economic development, the government of Italy spent over 7 billion euros just on arts and culture in 2011, which translated to a sizeable share of spending, contributing about 1% of the total jobs in that country. Whereas Italy has 44 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, or Unesco, World Heritage Sites, in comparison South Africa has only eight. Through the legacy project the number of national heritage sites will be increased.
The challenge for government would then be to market these heritage sites, both locally and internationally, and raise their status in order to ensure that they meet the Unesco requirements for recognition as World Heritage Sites. Once that is achieved, South Africa will have a chance to attract more tourists to the country, which will contribute to economic development and job creation.
I want to conclude by quoting the great Mahatma Gandhi, who once said, "A nation's culture resides..."
Musa ukuveza ubuqaba phakathi kwabantu. Kukho abantu phaya kwaye bakujongile. Musa ukusihlaza apha. [You mustn't show other people that you are not civilised. There are people there and they are looking at you. You must not humiliate us.]
"A nation's culture resides in the heart and soul of its people."
As I said earlier, I want to thank the portfolio committee members, my parents, Vera, Faith, Hlengani, Thobani and Johnny. I also want to salute our own cultural artist, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, for winning an award from Unesco. She's an African woman who kept us in song during apartheid.
I would like to say...
... kumfo wakwaShiceka, eMampondweni, eNgquza, ulale ngoxolo mfo uyidlalile indima yakho. Ndiyabulela. [... to Mr Shiceka, in Phondoland, in Ngquza, rest in peace, you have played your role. I thank you.]
As I said, the ANC supports the Budget Vote. Thank you. [Applause.]
Voorsitter, ek wil darem net vir die voorsitter van ons komitee, die agb Sunduza, s dat sy vandag regtig baie mooi lyk in haar rok. [Gelag.] Ek wens ek was nog 'n jong man.
Voorsitter, na 18 jaar van die viering van vryheid in ons land, is die uitdaging om ons demokrasie in stand te hou nog net so groot of dalk groter. Kuns en kultuur is die senuweesentrum van al die mense in ons land in hul kleurryke, veeltalige verskeidenheid.
Baie dankie vir die geleentheid om te kan praat in die Parlement van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika; 'n demokratiese Parlement. Die werk wat die departement doen is veel belangriker as wat ons ooit sou kon dink. Kuns en kultuur is 'n abstrakte "iets", maar tog ook nie.
Al is ek en jy gebore Suid-Afrikaners, s die boodskap wat die Departement van Kuns en Kultuur uitstraal of my en jou hart in Suid-Afrika welkom is. Dink hier aan name, taal, kultuur-uitlewing en dies meer. Wat belangrik is, is die bou van 'n gesamentlike toekoms wat ons moet deel, in teenstelling met 'n verdeelde, verbrokkelde verlede. Ons moet harder werk om almal te laat inkoop in verandering. Ons moet aanvaar dat die toekoms dinge gaan verander. Ontwikkeling is in wese verandering. Suid-Afrika het nou, na 18 jaar, stemreg.
Die DA stem saam dat name verander moet word sodat almal deel is van die toekoms. Dit is baie belangrik en ek stem saam met die agb Sunduza dat hierdie name wat mense se harteseer maak, nie inpas by die nuwe Suid-Afrika waarin ons almal moet inkoop nie. Ek dink ons moet dit eenkant toe skuif; dit is nie meer onderhandelbaar nie. Ek dink ons stem 100% saam daaroor. [Applous.]
Die geskiedenis van die land moet baie deeglik gerespekteer word. Dit gaan nie hier oor net die Afrikaanse name nie, maar oor meer as dit. Prosesse moet deeglik gevolg word wanneer die historiese belangrikheid van name beoordeel word. Daar is baie belangrike historiese name wat gebruik word as straatname en dies meer. Ons moet baie fyn kyk sodat ons nie dele van ons wonderlike geskiedenis sommer net weggooi ter wille van verandering nie. Wat baie belangrik is, is dat nasiebou en versoening sentraal in hierdie hele proses moet staan.
Die Minister het baie gepraat oor die erfenisterreine en so meer en dis baie belangrik dat dit gebeur, maar ek vra die departement om hierdie nuwe erfenisgebiede te bemark sodat wanneer iemand deur die land ry, hy sal weet dat daar byvoorbeeld 'n wonderlike museum in Oos-Londen is. Ons moet die straatadres ken!
Op hierdie wyse kan ons mekaar se geskiedenis, ons erfenisverlede, leer ken, want ons ken nie mekaar se verlede in hierdie land nie. In ons komitee hoor ek van die name van persone oor wie ek moet vra watter rol die persoon in ons land gespeel het. Daar is ook baie ander name wat sommer eenkant toe geskuif word, en daardie mense het vir die opbou en die totstandkoming van Suid-Afrika baie beteken. Ons moet nie net name weggooi omdat ons in daardie stadium so voel nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Mr N J VAN DEN BERG: Chairperson, I just want to tell the chairperson of our committee, the hon Sunduza, that she really looks very pretty in her dress today. [Laughter.] I wish I were still a young man.
Chairperson, after 18 years of celebrating freedom in our country, the challenge of keeping our democracy intact is still as big or perhaps bigger. Arts and culture form the nerve centre of all of our country's people in their colourful, multilingual diversity.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak in the Parliament of South Africa; a democratic Parliament. The work done by the department is more important than we could ever imagine. Arts and culture denote an abstract "something", and yet also not.
Even if you and I are born South Africans, the message which the Department of Arts and Culture broadcasts tells us whether your and my heart are welcome in South Africa. Here consider names, language, cultural expression and the like. Of importance is building a joint future which we must share, as opposed to a divided, disintegrated past. We will have to work harder at getting everyone to buy into change. We must accept that the future is going to change things. Development is, in fact, change. South Africa now has the right to vote after 18 years. The DA agrees that names have to be changed so that everyone can become part of the future. This is very important and I agree with the hon Sunduza that those names which are causing people heartache are just not suited to the new South Africa which we all have to buy into. I think they will have to be pushed aside; this is no longer negotiable. I think we are 100% agreed on this. [Applause.]
The country's history should be properly respected. This is not just about the Afrikaans names, but about more than that. Processes should be properly followed when evaluating the historical importance of names. Very important historical names are being used as street names and so on. We should look carefully so that we do not just throw away parts of our awesome history simply for the sake of change. What is important, is for nation-building and reconciliation to take a central position in this whole process.
The Minister has spoken at length about heritage sites and so on and it is important for this to happen, but I am asking the department to market such new heritage sites so that when someone is travelling through the countryside they will know that there is, for instance, a wonderful museum in East London. We have to know the street address!
In this way we can get to know each other's history, our cultural past, because in this country we do not know each other's past. In our committee I hear the names of people regarding whom I have to ask what role that person played in our country. There are also many other names that are simply pushed aside, yet those people meant a lot in the building and establishment of South Africa. We should not just discard names because that is how we feel at that stage.]
The vision of the Department of Arts and Culture states clearly that it is a sector that contributes significantly to social cohesion, nation-building and economic empowerment.
Die DA se parlementre leier, die agb Lindiwe Mazibuko, het haar dikwels daaroor uitgespreek dat die Parlement weer sentraal moet staan in al ons werk, en dat die Ministers die Parlement met groter agting moet bejen. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[The DA's parliamentary leader, the hon Lindiwe Mazibuko, has often voiced her opinion that Parliament should once again be central to all our endeavours, and that the Ministers should hold Parliament in higher regard.]
Chairperson, through you, I formally ask the Minister please to attend the meetings of the Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture. We don't see him or his Deputy. Please, we want to see you there. The Director-General of Arts and Culture is not in charge of your department; you are, sir. Please, let me see you in future. This happens at a time when we are discussing the South African Languages Bill.
Ek wil nie in die verlede dool nie. Ons kon al baie verder gewees het, Minister, as u net daar teenwoordig was. As woordvoerder vir kuns en kultuur, wil ek dit beslis herbeklemtoon: die DA veg vir elke taal in hierdie land.
Ek wil by die agb Sunduza aansluit. Al ons tale in Suid-Afrika is vir ons belangrik. Die een is nie belangriker as die ander nie. Ek stem 100% saam dat sekere tale in ons land in die verlede eenkant toe geskuif is vanwe die feit dat dit 'n beleid was van die apartheidsregering dat Afrikaans en Engels voorrang moes geniet.
Soos ons die toekoms ingaan - ons het daaroor gepraat in ons komiteevergaderings - moet ons baie deeglik kyk na daardie tale wat 'n minimumvereiste is en ons moet kyk na die maksimum wat ons kan akkommodeer, byvoorbeeld vier tale. Hierdie ding wat ingesluit is in die wysigingswetsontwerp, dat voorheen benadeelde tale bevoordeel moet word, kan weer beteken dat tale wat voorheen 'n soort gelykberegtiging gehad het eenkant toe geskuif word.
Ek s spesifiek dat dit nie hier net oor Afrikaans gaan nie. Ons weet daar is tale in Limpopo wat deur min mense gepraat word, en ek het ook aan die komitee ges, en agb Sunduza sal met my saamstem, dat ons nie daar kan sit as 'n komitee, as deel van die Parlement van Suid-Afrika, en dinge besluit oor die toekoms wat ons kinders en kleinkinders gaan benadeel nie. Ons moet 'n ding skep wat almal gelukkig sal maak.
Daarom is dit vir my so belangrik dat ons wat hier sit, alhoewel ons 'n verdeelde verlede het, saam met mekaar 'n toekoms moet bou. Die vierde Parlement moet help om dit te bou, sodat ons almal saam die toekoms kan instap, dat ons almal gelukkig en tevrede kan wees in di land waarin ons geplaas is.
Ons moet 'n toekoms bou. Ons wat hier sit, die vierde Parlement, moet help om dit te bou, sodat ons almal saam die toekoms kan instap; sodat ons almal gelukkig en tevrede kan wees in di land waarin ons geplaas is.
Dit is baie belangrik dat 'n taalombudsman aangestel moet word. Die Pan- Suid-Afrikaanse Taalraad, Pansat, kan dit bloot nie doen nie. Die komitee het sy kommer uitgespreek oor die wanfunksionele stand van Pansalb - en dit terwyl die raad steeds geld wil h. Daar is al daaroor gepraat, maar ek dink oor die taalkwessie stem ons saam, dat ons almal moet laat inkoop. Geen taal moet voel dat hy eenkant toe geskuif word nie, want dan doen ons ons demokratiese plig in hierdie Parlement nie korrek nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[I do not wish to roam around in the past. We could have been a lot further along, Minister, if you had just been present there. As spokesperson on arts and culture I definitely wish to reiterate: The DA is fighting for every language in this country.
I would like to link up with the hon Sunduza. All our languages in South Africa are important to us. One is not more important than the other. I agree 100% that certain languages in our country have been pushed aside because of the fact that it was a policy of the apartheid government that Afrikaans and English should take precedence.
As we head into the future - we have spoken about this in our committee meetings - we have to take a very good look at those languages that are a minimum requirement and consider the maximum we can accommodate, for instance four languages. This thing that has been included in the amending Bill, that previously disadvantaged languages should be favoured, could again mean that languages that previously enjoyed equality of status will be pushed aside.
I am saying specifically that this is not just about Afrikaans. We know that there are languages in Limpopo that are spoken by very few people, and I have said to the committee, and the hon Sunduza will agree with me, that we cannot sit there as a committee, as part of the Parliament of South Africa, and decide on matters regarding the future that may disadvantage our children and grandchildren. We have to create something that will make everybody happy.
That is why it is so important to me that we who are seated here, although we have a divided past, must build a future with each other. The Fourth Parliament must assist in building it, so that we can take steps towards the future together; so that we can all be happy and satisfied in this country in which we have been placed.
It is important that a language ombudsman be appointed. The Pan South African Language Board, PanSALB, simply cannot do it. The committee has expressed its concern at the dysfunctional state of PanSALB - and this while the board is forever in need of money. This has been discussed, but I believe we are agreed on the language issue, that we have to have everybody's buy-in. No language must feel it is being pushed aside, because then we will not be fulfilling our democratic duty in this Parliament properly.]
The Constitution sets us the ideal of ubuntu - that a person is made a person through his relationships with other people. Language is central to this experience. The DA believes that a language Act will provide us with the means to promote the tenets of ubuntu. The Act would facilitate social cohesion and unite us in our diversity, for a language is far more than a tool of communication - it is a bridge that can connect us.
A language Act would also provide many practical gains. We can think here about job creation - and I do not want to go further into that.
Now I have to touch on - oh, welcome to the new Chairperson [Laughter.] - the Venice Biennale. After 17 years away from the scene, South Africa was fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in the Venice Biennale, a contemporary art exhibition that takes place every second year. The project raked up a budget of R14,1 million, R10 million of which was financed by the Department of Arts and Culture. It is still unclear how the remaining R4,1 million was funded.
A web of suspicious connections was at the forefront of this event. The commissioner, Monna Mokoena, appointed Thembinkosi Goniwe to curate the South African pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Then, Goniwe included among the four artists selected to take part in the exhibition, two artists, both of whom were from Mr Monna Mokoena's stable of artists. Ha, ha! I wonder ... [Interjections.]
This resulted in an outcry from the arts community and a string of unanswered questions remains. It is thus understandable that stakeholders have questioned the "opaque" details and the "secrecy and lack of information" related to the event. The Minister's reply, however, raises more questions than it answers. I am sorry, sir, it is true.
Events like the Venice Biennale are unique opportunities to showcase South Africa's vibrant and diverse cultural scene and to create a platform for emerging artists. Our participation in the Venice Biennale appears to have been manipulated to line the pockets of connected individuals. The Minister has to shed light on what continues to be the very murky circumstances surrounding this event.
Regarding administration - and I am going to say it quietly - I was shocked to discover that the Director-General of the Department of Arts and Culture revealed that this department will squander R46 million on consultants in this coming financial year. I cannot comprehend how this figure can be justified.
I know there is a shortage of specialised skills, but Minister, if you need people to help you, ask me. I know a lot! [Laughter.] Please come and ask me and I will do it for free. The department has a total budget of R209,7 million, with R46,7 million to be squandered on consultants.
With regard to the National Arts Council of South Africa, I have my doubts. Established in 2005, the South African Youth Choir is one of the most exciting choral projects in the world today. It brings together exceptionally talented young singers from all over our beautiful and diverse country, giving them the opportunity to excel on an artistic and scholastic level. The choir members are committed to artistic excellence. Many members come from disadvantaged areas and many are orphans. They are the raw talent of South Africa. The choir offers them a voice and hope. They dare to dream.
I learnt with great despair that this group is just days away from financial ruin. The choir has applied on multiple occasions for financial assistance from government and from the National Lottery, without any success. The Department of Arts and Culture has a social responsibility to support and nurture an undeniably "proudly South African" export product. It has on more than one occasion won international competitions.
Similarly, South Africa's professional dance companies are facing an uncertain future after their triennial funding from the National Arts Council of South Africa stopped abruptly last month.
As has your time, hon member. Thank you.
I have 12 minutes.
Hon member, I am going by the Table staff, and your time has expired.
They provided more time for me, sir. [Interjections.]
Thank you. I now call on the hon P Ntshiqela to address the House.
Hon Chairperson, Minister and Deputy Minister, hon Members of Parliament, traditional leaders, guests and civil society leadership ...
... ndiyanibulisa. Nibahle nonke. Mna ke ndinguDlangamandla, uMchenge, uNgonyama, uNkomo, uHlalukana, uMjongi, uVumba leMpongo liyanuka. Ndihleli nje ndingowaseDutywa kwaye andinayo inkosikazi kodwa ndinabantwana abali-17 [Kwahlekwa.] [Kwaqhwatywa.]
Mhlekazi, uhlahlo lwabiwo-mali lwakho siluvile kwaye siza kuthetha ngalo ngoku nangexesha elizayo. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[... I greet you. You are all beautiful. I am Dlangamandla, Mchenge, Ngonyama, Nkomo, Hlalukana, Mjongi, Vumba leMpongo liyanuka. I am from Dutywa and I do not have a wife but I have 17 children. [Laughter.] [Applause.]
Sir, we heard your Budget Vote and we will talk about it now and in the future.]
A budget of this nature is developed every year to enable those who are supposed to get their hands dirty to implement programmes meant to uplift the standards of citizens to ...
Andikhumshi ndiyahamba namhlanje. [I am speaking English throughout today.]
... address the imbalances of the past, promote people's culture and change the lives of needy communities.
To be able to meet the challenges faced by the department and this sector at large, this budget must address the song that the Department of Arts and Culture sings every day, namely"financial constraints and a lack of capacity". In this way you are reducing public funds by huge amounts by using money to hire consultants who are unnecessarily and constantly milking the department. You are creating jobs for more people and using public funds which should be used for the benefit of many citizens.
The monitoring and evaluation system should be strengthened. I have no confidence in the current system. For this department to be kept performing adequately, this system must be kept alive and functional and always be regarded as a cornerstone of department accountability for good governance. It should not only be for internal purposes, but should apply to and be used as a tool to monitor all institutions supported by the Department of Arts and Culture. Beggars cannot be choosers. These institutions must be made to understand that they report directly to this department and therefore should toe the line.
I find it very strange sometimes when I hear some of them publicly announcing that they are not accountable to the department. Surprisingly, when they want funds, they know how to knock at the door of the department. [Interjections.] The department then decides to give them the funds they need - to do what? To enrich themselves, entertain themselves, or take each other to court and hire very expensive attorneys with taxpayers' money! We cannot be found to be financing court cases unnecessarily. This is not their mandate. [Interjections.]
Benditshilo ukuba ndiza kunixelela namhlanje. [Kwahlekwa.] [I told you that today I will put my cards on the table. [Laughter.]]
The good work being done by some other institutions, such as the Robben Island Museum, is an indication that it can be done, and we can do it correctly. [Applause.] This museum was in trouble previously, but today there is great progress.
Of course, I do have reservations about workers' rights that are violated at this museum. Cope is closely watching this attitude ... [Applause.] ... especially when it comes to those who discharge their duties as tour guides. Mr Thulani Mabasa is an example of someone who was imprisoned on Robben Island for years and received no appreciation for the good work he did, no medical aid to heal izivubeko zokutywatyushwa zii-arhente zocalucalulo nokulala esamenteni iminyaka [from the consequences of the torture received from the apartheid agents and of sleeping on the cement floor for years].
At the same time, certain other comrades who suffered with him enjoy the fruits of the freedom and democracy that he fought for. It cannot be right that such people, who have made us proud, are today thrown in the dustbin or left out in the cold. What kind of society are we?
Many of them are dumped in the townships, left stranded and poorer than ever. They have families, kids and dependants to take care of, but what can they do? They have reported their situation to many leaders in power in order to at least be given some kind of a job for a living. The answer is a "yes, yes" situation. They are told that the matter is receiving attention. I believe this department can do something better for these heroes, rather than to just talk and beautify their graves when they are no more.
Cope wants to see the young people being empowered as tour guides, but provision for experienced older people should be put in place. When publishing a notice of intent to declare as national heritage sites the graves of J L Dube, S M Makgatho, A J M Luthuli ...
I-ANC mayingakhethi amaphela emasini, mayifake amagama angawe-Cope ... [Laphela ixesha.] Ngaloo magama, siyaluxhasa olu hlahlo-lwabiwo-mali. [Kwaqhwatywa.] (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
... the ANC must not be biased, it must also include members from the Cope ... With those words, we support this Budget Vote. [Time expired.] [Applause.]]
Hon Chairperson, South African culture always conjures up the image of many independent tributaries flowing into a large river. The river is mighty and strong, but only because of the combined support it receives from its many streams. Our different cultures are these streams. Their flow must be encouraged, not stymied. The upcoming languages Bill must promote rather than restrict languages. Afrikaans, Hindu, Indonesian and Hebrew are said to be possibly the only languages that were standardised in the course of the 20th century and came to be used in all areas of life and learning, including in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, as well as science and technology.
In 1994 the sociologist Lawrence Schlemmer concluded that Afrikaans, though spoken as a first language by only 6 million people, or 15% of the population, was the strongest language in South Africa in the way it was being used, formally and informally. If this is the case, why are we so intent on using this Bill to restrict it - or any of our indigenous languages, for that matter?
Investment in culture is paramount to the education and upliftment of our communities. Here, too, an ethos of cultural relativism should prevail, as we are a diverse cultural nation with many different traditions and cultures.
Traditional and indigenous as well as international and classical literature should be taught in our school system. Classical literature remains a source of a wealth of knowledge, and our learners should have the benefits thereof. Our libraries should be easily accessible and well stocked with relevant literature.
Legacy projects, which serve to commemorate and honour the rich tapestry of South African history, must continue to be supported by the department. The department must, however, guard against showing a preference for one particular subjective interpretation of history over the actual truth of past events. The legacy projects must be chosen in an equal and unbiased manner, a manner which affords all of our past struggles and heroes and heroines an equal place under the sun.
Cultural tourism must be promoted. It should not become a lost opportunity. Our rural areas contain a wealth of traditions and can showcase them through various rituals, festivals, values and lifestyles. We must encourage and assist new business initiatives that have the goal of promoting cultural tourism.
The South African theatre and music scene is thriving, but it must be made more accessible to our learners and citizens living in our rural communities.
In conclusion, culture is social, and it develops as a product of society. It is shared, learnt, transmissive, continuous and cumulative, varied, dynamic and gratifying. Culture is powerful, yet fragile. Some say it is in a continuous state of change and easily lost because it exists only in our minds. It is therefore also definitive, defining who we are as people. As such, it must be protected and cherished by all who share it, and we as government have a solemn duty to do that. Let us not falter in doing our duty. We therefore support the Budget Vote. Thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, Minister and Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, hon members, I greet you.
The UDM supports the Budget Vote. [Applause.] Arts and Culture is at the core of nation-building. Nation-building is a difficult task that helps us to collectively determine the kind of South Africa we seek to become. The dividends of the investments we make in arts and culture today and tomorrow usually come in the form of increased social cohesion.
Ka Sepedi sa ge?o re re tau t?a hloka seboka di ?itwa ke nare e hlot?a. Ke re a hlot?a! [In my home language, Sepedi, it is said that unity is strength. In this case we are divided!]
If we don't work together, we will not be able to achieve what we want to achieve. Social cohesion will remain a dream. We must work together to achieve this.
We are astutely aware of the fact that the Arts and Culture Budget Vote gets only a small share of the overall national Budget because we have so many other pressing socioeconomic challenges. We therefore do not expect the department to perform miracles. All that our people expect to get is value for money.
For many years the UDM has complained, with no success, not only about the poor state of public libraries in many peri-urban areas but also about the severe shortage of public libraries in far-flung, deep rural areas. Not only are public libraries a scarce commodity in rural areas but the few that we do have are severely underresourced and lack indigenous language material.
If you go into the library you'll not even find a newspaper - an ordinary, simple newspaper. You will not find a book in an indigenous language. I mean, there isn't even a newspaper that you can read when you are bored with other things. We don't have newspapers in our libraries! This is a serious matter. We have to consider bringing materials in indigenous languages to our people. It is worse in the rural areas. There are no books or newspapers. This situation is serious.
A large amount of qualitative evidence points to the impending mass extinction of languages ... [Time expired.]
Thank you very much for the short time that you have given me. [Applause.] [Laughter.]
Mutshamaxitulu na Yindlu ya wena leyo hlonipheka, Holobye wa Ndzawulo ya Vutshila na Ndhavuko, X andla xa Holobye, nhloko ya n dzawulo na vapfuni va wena hinkwavo, ndzi khensa nkarhi lowu ndzi nga nyikiwa wona sweswi. Ndzi lava ku burisana na n'wina hi timhaka ta nhlohlotelo wa swa vutshila na ndhavuko leswi khumbaka timhaka ta matimu ya tiko ra hina na hina vanhu va rona.
Timhaka ta ndhavuko ti khumba timhaka ta nkoka swinene eka rixaka rin'wana na rin'wana laha tikweni ra hina ra Afrika-Dzonga. Ti khumba matimu ya hina ni lomu hi tumbulukaka kona; matikhomelo na mitolovelo ya hina evuton'wini bya hina bya masiku hinkwawo; na ririmi leri hi vulavulaka rona tanihi rixaka rero.
Swi na nkoka ku hoyozela mfumo wa hina wa xidemokirasi loko wu khutaza na ku hlohlotela timhaka ta nhluvukiso eka swa ndhavuko na swa tindzimi ta hina ta xintima hinkwato laha tikweni ra hina ra Afrika-Dzonga. (Translation of Xitsonga paragraphs follows.)
[Mr D W MAVUNDA: Chairperson of this honourable House, Minister of Arts and Culture, Deputy Minister, director-general and your assistants, I am thankful for the time given to me now. I would like to discuss with you matters related to the promotion of arts and culture in the context of the history of our country and its people.
Cultural matters are significant in each and every community of South Africa. These matters involve our history and where we originate, our conduct and practices in our daily life, and the language we speak as a community.
It is important to applaud our democratic government for its support and promotion of matters relating to the development of culture and all the indigenous languages of South Africa.]
We feel very proud of our democratic government for mandating the Department of Arts and Culture to act as a catalyst and to create an enabling environment to promote and develop South African arts, culture and heritage in general. Hence we have cultural, religious and linguistic commissions such as PanSALB, and other boards.
The department has since created a cultural development programme in order to provide strategic support for the cultural industries value chain for human capital development; to conduct research and innovation; and to develop policies and strategies that will create and sustain an enabling environment and improve the regulatory framework and cultural industries.
Through this subprogramme the department increases access for and participation by arts and culture practitioners with regard to national and international cultural events. The department also increases job opportunities and stimulates the economy through running art exhibitions at a national level.
We are also informed that the focus is placed on craft, technical services, music, books and publishing, as well as research and development. This is a crosscutting function in this subprogramme.
One of the key highlights of the Cultural Development subprogramme is to establish the art bank, which will be responsible for procuring and creating six national artworks and six national events to be piloted and 26 nationally supported events.
As alluded to before, there is the Investing in Culture subprogramme. It promotes job creation, skills development and economic empowerment and supports business start-ups and poverty alleviation projects.
The bulk of the budget in this subprogramme is transferred to poverty alleviation projects that provide empowerment opportunities in the second economy for the unemployed through training and job creation in arts, culture and heritage.
Initially, such transfers were disbursed on the basis of business plans and agreements between the department and individuals or groups of contractors. However, we understand that this subprogramme has been absorbed into the Mzansi Golden Economy strategy from the 2012-13 financial year and is included in this cultural development subprogramme.
We also have the International Co-operation subprogramme, which manages South Africa's cultural participation in bilateral and multilateral activities. The subprogramme promotes the national arts, culture and heritage presence in the international arena and builds international partnerships. In the 2010-11 financial year the focus was placed on the approval of the African Union and Southern African Development Community of common policies and directives concerning arts and culture.
The development and promotion of culture and heritage between various generations can enhance social cohesion at both local and national level. Therefore, ceremonies and festivals that mark different stages of human development at individual, community and national level need to be celebrated as such.
The achievement of this community participation is of great importance with regard to local level planning in particular. Communities across borders and between countries also share events, ceremonies and festivals.
Like all nations, we are the product of politics, history, culture and social and economic processes. Therefore, we are bound to encounter challenges as we forge forward with transformation.
The institutionalisation of multilingualism in South Africa is not without its own challenges. Some people will argue that language is a very sensitive and emotive issue. Therefore, we have to demonstrate tolerance and mutual respect for all our languages, including sign language and the other indigenous languages spoken by the minority communities like the Khoi, Nama and San.
One cannot separate language from culture. Therefore, language is an instrument for promoting and developing our cultural and living heritage in South Africa. The Constitution of our democratic government has placed a lot of emphasis on this matter by creating a statutory body like PanSALB to monitor the equitable advancement of our recognised languages, among other things.
Furthermore, section 6(2) of our Constitution recognises the historically diminished use and status of the indigenous languages of our people and the state must take practical and positive measures to elevate status and advance the use of these indigenous languages. Therefore the South African Languages Bill, among other things, seeks to promote parity of esteem and equitable treatment of all official languages of the Republic as contemplated in our Constitution.
Those South Africans who think that language and culture are emotional matters to deal with need a mental panel-beating to align them with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. [Laughter.]
We therefore support the idea that each recognised South African language should be given the necessary support by this department to develop and sustain its role in our community.
In conclusion, the Budget Vote under discussion today, in our view, provides inadequate funding to do all these things that we need as a country. We are aware that the department has tried to carry out its mandate to deliver transformation in the arts, culture and heritage sector despite a legacy of fragmentation and limited resources. We are therefore very proud indeed that through the ANC-led government the doors of learning and culture have been opened to all of us. [Interjections.]
Nkulukumba Mutshamaxitulu, ku vulavula i xongela n'wini, naswona ku dya ngopfu a hi ku hlula ndlala. Ndzi gimeta mbulavulo wa mina kwala, hi ku seketela nkavelo wa ndzawulo leyi handle ka swipimelo. Inkomu. [Ku biwa mavoko.] (Translation of Xitsonga paragraph follows.)
[Hon Chairperson, self-praise is no recommendation and talking at great length does not attempt to being knowledgeable. This is where I conclude my speech, in unconditional support of the Budget Vote. Thank you. [Applause.]]
Chairperson, Minister of the Department of Arts and Culture, hon Paul Mashatile, hon Sunduza, hon Ministers, Deputy Ministers, hon members of the National Assembly, director- general, management and staff from the department, heads of various institutions of the Department of Arts and Culture, our lifeblood - the artists and the creative workers of our country who are with us this afternoon - ladies and gentlemen, comrades and friends - if we can define the DA as comrades then you are also appreciated - I would also like to add my appreciation for the way the chairperson is dressed today.
Let me also start by adding my condolences on the passing away of our comrade and colleague, former Minister and member of this House, Comrade Sicelo Shiceka. May his soul rest in peace. We will sorely miss him.
It is indeed a great honour and privilege for me to contribute to the debate on our budget for 2012-13. As my colleague, the Minister, and other colleagues from the ANC have already indicated, this year is a very important year for us, especially in arts, culture and heritage.
This is so because this is the year when we mark 100 years of the establishment of what I regard as an institution that became the cornerstone for the building of a free, nonracial and democratic South Africa, which we were able to start building in 1994. That institution is none other than the ANC.
While today we can say that the ANC is one of the parties here in this House; in our parliamentary system, it is not only one of the parties but is also the biggest of all the parties in Parliament. I must also remind members that for more than 82 years of its life this movement fought relentlessly for the freedom and democracy that we now often take for granted.
While we accept that there were many other political formations and civil society organisations that played a serious role in the struggle for freedom and democracy, there can be no argument that the founders of the ANC left us with an institution to unite, initially the African people, but later on all South Africans.
We would like to urge all hon members this year to set aside issues of political competition, especially since there is no election this year. You have nothing to fear, so please join us in celebrating the centenary of this heritage, the ANC. [Applause.]
It cannot be that while everybody on the continent of Africa, in the African diaspora and people elsewhere in the world as far flung as Washington, Beijing, and other parts of the world, are celebrating this momentous occasion, we in South Africa remain bickering about whether this is indeed a matter of national pride or just a matter of one political movement.
Having declared this centenary the year of unity in diversity, we are therefore strengthening the work of this department - that of building an inclusive society. Over the past 100 years, the world as a whole, and South Africa in particular, has come a long way in the struggle against all forms of racial prejudice, which has caused untold suffering for humanity across the globe. Who can forget that millions of people all over the world perished or were tortured and abused in the name of racial supremacy?
We in South Africa remained an outpost of this backward philosophy in the latter part of the 20th century. We must therefore never take for granted the foundations laid by our forebears deep in the belly of apartheid, when they gathered at Kliptown on 25 and 26 June 1955 and declared that South Africa belonged to all who lived in it, black and white. Let us also remember that by simply daring to declare this principle, 156 of the most senior leaders of the congress movement, including Chief Albert Luthuli, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo, Helen Joseph, Ahmed Kathrada and many others, were charged with high treason. They were charged for simply declaring that South Africa belong to all who lived in it.
For over four years many of them were either in jail, banished or dragged to court on a daily basis until the case collapsed in March 1960. It is in this regard that we must all be concerned, when the National Planning Commission notes the following in its National Development Plan:
South Africans have made progress since 1994 in uniting the country, yet society remains divided. Inequality and inequity continue. Opportunity continues to be defined by race, gender, geographic location, class and linguistic background.
The commission goes further to note:
Inequality hardens society into a class system, imprisoning people in the circumstances of their birth. Inequality corrodes trust among fellow citizens, making it seem as if the game is rigged.
A united and cohesive society is a critical precondition for peace, security and prosperity.
I agree with the NDP when it asserts that -
... nation-building and social cohesion matter - both as an end-state and as a facilitator.
In implementing our mandate of nation-building and promoting social cohesion, reconciliation and national healing, we continue to facilitate social dialogues among all sectors of our society.
These dialogues are conducted in order to strengthen efforts towards building a people-centred and caring society characterised by high levels of inclusive and sustainable economic growth and development.
As part of building social cohesion, last year alone we conducted 40 community conversations in eight of the provinces. Participants at these conversations expressed shared challenges of class distinction, language barriers and cultural intolerance. They also recommended that ordinary members of the community support and be involved in social cohesion projects.
It was also recommended that social cohesion be treated as a national priority with regular feedback and ongoing workshops on progress made in nation-building and promoting an inclusive society.
Hon members, we have taken on board the proposals made by our people. They will be included in the submissions to the National Social Cohesion Conference to be held in the second half of this year. In preparation for the conference, we have undertaken further research and produced a draft document for the development of a national strategy for building an inclusive and cohesive society. The document is being released for public comment and will be workshopped in all provinces, before being finalised and presented at the conference.
As noted by the National Development Plan, the lack of economic opportunities remains a serious threat to the achievement of a cohesive society. It is due to this understanding that over the last two state of the nation addresses, our reconstruction and development programme have focused the work of government on job creation and inclusive economic growth. Through our department's Mzansi Golden Economy strategy, we hope to contribute towards the national effort to reduce poverty, unemployment and inequality.
As we reported here in this house last year, our department remains charged with the responsibility of steering another imperative for our goal for national healing, reconciliation and nation-building, namely that of geographic name changes and standardisation.
As part of our restorative work, we recently held a national workshop on the standardisation of geographical names in Ekurhuleni. This workshop was part of efforts to build a national consensus on the process of standardisation of geographical names. The workshop attracted great public interest and enthusiastic attendance.
The workshop recommended, among other things, that there be greater co- operation between governments at all levels to enhance the processes related to the standardising of names.
Hon members, we will continue to guide our communities through their representative bodies and local authorities on how to deal with this essential yet sensitive matter of redressing one of the legacies of colonial and apartheid conquest, with its attendant ideological dominance. The matter which grabbed most of the attention, the renaming of our capital city, is receiving attention and will be resolved very soon.
In the area of languages, hon Chair and members, it is part of the process of healing the divisions of the past and the promotion of an inclusive citizenship that we need to ensure that all languages, especially indigenous languages, enjoy equal status.
The South African Languages Bill, which has been tabled in Parliament, is an attempt to elevate the status of indigenous languages and sign language. We have introduced the Bill in recognition of the reality that over many years their use was diminished and their status must now be upheld.
We trust that, once approved, this Bill will go a long way towards ensuring parity of esteem, as demanded by the Constitution, for all official languages and that it will allow our people to receive government services in the language of their choice. I can again assure hon members that Afrikaans is under no threat; no language is under any threat.
Hon members, as part of ensuring language promotion and development, the National Language Service has partnered with the North West University to develop machine translation systems for English to isiZulu, Setswana and Afrikaans respectively.
We are also developing similar systems for the other official languages. These systems assist translators in their work by expediting the translation process and ensuring quality and standardisation.
The existing systems are available for free through open-source software and are already in use by the National Language Service and freelance translators. The department is continuing to award bursaries for undergraduate studies in language practice.
This year Unisa, the University of Zululand, the Walter Sisulu University, the University of Johannesburg and the University of Limpopo are the beneficiaries of these bursaries.
A co-operation agreement signed last year between the department and the Dutch Language Union will bear fruit as projects in the field of human language technologies and the translation of children's literature in all the official languages take off this year.
Hon members, as far as strengthening our work in promotion and preservation of languages is concerned, we are in the process of appointing a new council for the Pan South African Language Board. [Applause.]
The Mzansi Golden Economy strategy focuses on advancing the economic potential of cultural and creative industries, in order that they can make a greater contribution to job creation, skills development and poverty reduction.
The book and publishing sector is the biggest contributor worldwide of all the cultural industries to the gross domestic product, GDP, of many countries. In this field, the department has created platforms that can develop a sustainable book industry.
In order to further promote a culture of reading and writing, our department, together with the National Library of South Africa, is implementing the third phase of its African Classics Publication programme with 22 new titles having been launched. The classics launched in terms of this initiative include Chaka by T Mofolo, UDingezweni by P T Metuse, and many others.
We congratulate South Africa's National Librarian, Mr John Tsebe, seated in the gallery, who has been chosen as chairperson of the Council for Directors of National Libraries, a council comprising all the heads of national libraries of the world that focuses on information exchange and the sustainability of library and information services, LIS, worldwide.
The Department of Arts and Culture has also funded the Indigenous Languages Publishing Programme, which is aimed at supporting small, independent publishers in publishing books by emerging writers in the nine indigenous languages. The first batch of publications was unveiled in September 2011, during the second National Book Week. Significantly, this project will continue to have a strong enterprise development thrust, while developing publishing in indigenous languages. The next National Book Week for 2012 will be held at the Red Location Museum precinct in Port Elizabeth, from 3 to 8 September. I hope hon Ngonyama will be there.
Hon members, as part of our work in preserving the stories of our nation, the National Archives, together with the Oral History Association of South Africa, hosted the National Oral History Conference in October 2011 in Mahikeng. More than 50 learners participated in training as part of the Schools Family History Project.
This year this conference will take place in the Free State through the initiatives and partnerships that the department is committed to expanding in 2013. We are encouraging ordinary people to document their local histories and to promote sustainable development of writing and reading, and in so doing ensuring that writing is recognised as a profession.
Hon members, as part of promoting the African agenda, together with the Windybrow Theatre, we will continue to hold the African Women Writers' Symposium. This symposium brings together women writers from the continent and diaspora to share best practice and promote excellence in women's writing. In conclusion, hon Chair, let me also congratulate those artists who participated in the South African Music Awards, the Samas, a few days ago. They really did our country proud. In particular, let's congratulate the young girl from the Eastern Cape, Bulelwa Mkutukana, popularly known as Zahara. We wish her all the best in developing her talent. Thank you. [Applause.]
Thank you, hon Chairperson. Hon Minister and chairperson of our committee, I followed both of your speeches in my office, so I know exactly what you said. I was in a good mood - I even followed hon Van den Berg's speech.
The fact of the matter, hon Deputy Minister, is that twice in your speech you referred to the quote from the Freedom Charter that "South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white."
Now, if something belonged to all of us, then all of us should have a say in it. We should all have a say in what should happen in this country, and that is exactly what is not happening. We are paying lip service to nation- building.
You asked and you expected us to get involved in the celebration of the ANC's centenary. I can understand that you feel very strongly about that, but you must also understand that we are a multiparty democracy.
There are 12 political parties in this Parliament whose members do not belong to the ANC. If we all were to agree to your interpretation of the past, we would all be members of the ANC, which we are not.
If we are serious with regard to social cohesion, with regard to nation- building, then we must take seriously the words that have just been spoken by our colleague, Oom Koos Kganyago of the UDM, when he said that Arts and Culture was at the heart of nation-building; we were united in our diversity. That is exactly the problem: We use those words, but we are paying lip service to the idea.
We are failing South Africans in terms of nation-building by stumbling from one sporting event to the next. We do not recognise our true diversity.
I want to come to what the chairperson of the committee said with regard to name changes. Yes, of course, that is very important, but we should address the real issues. Nobody in South Africa - no one - is in favour of offensive names.
It is therefore a failed argument to argue that we must get rid of offensive names. Everybody agrees on that. But it is something else when you start to take away names that may be important to certain sections of our society. They may not be important to you, but I can assure you that they are important to other sections of the community.
Met alle respek aan die agb Van den Berg, hy moet hom nie heilig daaroor hou nie. Hy het presies dieselfde ges, maar sy party, die DA, is besig met dieselfde proses in Kaapstad, waar name van mense wat 'n bydrae gemaak het - vat vir Coen Steytler en ander - ook deur die DA geteiken en weggeneem word. Die VF Plus se benadering is baie eenvoudig. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[With all due respect to the hon Van den Berg, he must not be self- righteous about this. He said exactly the same thing, but his party, the DA, is busy with the same process in Cape Town, where names of people who made a contribution - take Coen Steytler and others for example - are also being targeted by the DA and replaced. The approach of the FF Plus is very simple.]]
Let us add the names of those who have not been recognised. We do not have to take names away; it is not necessary in South Africa.
Muchaviseki Mutshamaxitulu, Yindlu ya wena yo hlonipheka, Muchaviseki Holobye, Mupfuni wa Holobye, mufambisikulu na hofisi ya wena na vayeni hinkwenu, ndzi ri riperile.
Muchaviseki Mutshamaxitulu, u ta pfumelelana na mina leswaku ku tumbuluxiwa ka mitirho i xin'wana xa leswikulu leswi rhangisiweke emahlweni eka mfumo lowu rhangeleke hi ANC. Eka mbulavulo wa yena na rixaka hi 2011, Presidente Zuma u endlile xikombelo xo hlawuleka eka tindzawulo hinkwato, mihlangano na mabindzu ya mfumo ku kongomisa maendlelo hinkwawo eka ku tumbuluxa mitirho. Ndzawulo ya Vutshila na Mfuwo i xiphemu xa ntirho lowu. (Translation of Xitsonga paragraphs follows.)
[Ms T L P NWAMITWA-SHILUBANA: Hon Chairperson, august House, hon Minister, Deputy Minister, director-general and your office, and distinguished guests, I say, good evening.
Hon Chairperson, you will agree with me that the creation of jobs is one of the priorities for the ANC-led government. In his 2011 state of the nation address, President Zuma made a special request to all departments, financial institutions and state-owned enterprises to direct all approaches towards the creation of jobs. The Department of Arts and Culture is part of this process.]
Hon Chairperson, as we speak today, the contributions towards job creation made by the Department of Arts and Culture and its entities are beginning to bear fruit. The creation of about 150000 jobs by the Department of Arts and Culture, with a considerable contribution to the GDP of the country, is worth mentioning before this House.
However, for the purposes of this debate, my focus will only be on Programme 6 of Vote 14, which is National Archives and Library Services. This programme is in line with the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa Act, Act 43 of 1996, the objectives of which are to provide for a National Archives and Record Service; the proper management and care of records of governmental bodies; the preservation and use of our national archival heritage; and for matters connected therewith.
The main purpose of this programme is to provide efficient management of archival resources and to ensure more equitable access to library resources over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. This is a very important programme without which vital heritage resources and information in the arts and culture sector will simply go undocumented and be lost.
The programme consists of four subprogrammes, namely the National Archive Services, the National Library Services, Community Library Services and Capital Works of Libraries. Some of the key objectives of this programme, which deserve mentioning, include increasing understanding, use and appreciation of archival library and information services; providing an infrastructural budget in support of quality library and archival services; and developing and implementing policy and legislative frameworks for archives and libraries.
The National Archives and Library Services programme is not only the biggest of the arts and culture programmes, it really is also crucial. This is demonstrated by the fact that it receives the biggest chunk of the Arts and Culture budget allocation.
Due to increased spending specifically on Public Works libraries and capital works of libraries, the expenditure for the programme increased from R456 million in 2008-09, to R720 million in 2011-12 at an average annual rate of 16,4%. Over the medium term, expenditure in this programme is anticipated to grow to R834,9 million at an average annual rate of 5,1%.
Some of the key projects that account for the massive increase in expenditure in this programme include the R302 million spent on the construction of 10 libraries and the upgrading of 56 libraries in the 2010- 11 financial year.
In his 2012-13 Budget Speech the Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, identified the public sector infrastructure programme as one of the key levers of economic change. It is within this spirit that the capital works of libraries is expected to increase from R8 million in 2011-12, to R50 million in 2014-15, at an average annual rate of 84,2%. This is largely due to the upgrading of the National Archives fire system and old libraries.
While this programme has recorded some remarkable achievements in the past, it is still faced with major delivery challenges and backlogs such as the construction, upgrading and resourcing of community libraries, especially in the deep rural areas of our country like the area where I come from; expanding the South African Library for the Blind and Braille production projects; and enhancing the recording and archiving of oral history, which is very important.
You heard the Deputy Minister telling us about the conferences that are being held. This is very important because our old people in the rural areas, who cannot read or write, die with their information unrecorded.
The approved budget cut of R6,2 million for the community library services grant is of great concern to us. The transfer of conditional grants to provinces, based on business plans, for the construction of libraries, is another challenge because drawing up business plans for construction would in all probability be a difficult task for our deep rural communities that so desperately need libraries.
Tindhawu leti pfumalaka tilayiburari ti tele xikombiso, Mthatha, Bushbuckridge, Ritavi, ku hlaya i ku xurha. A hi veni na ntirhisano na Ndzawulo ya Dyondzo na tin'wana tindzawulo. Ematikoxikaya hi na vanhu lava nghenaka Dyondzo ni Ndzetelo wa Masungulo eka Lavakulu, Abet. Xana loko vanhu lava va lava ku yisa tidyondzo ta vona emahlweni va ta ti kuma kwihi tibuku to hlaya? (Translation of Xitsonga paragraph follows.)
[There are many places that lack libraries, for example Mthatha, Bushbuckridge, Ritavi the list is endless. Let us co-operate with the departments of education and other departments. In rural areas we have people who have enrolled for Adult Basic Education and Training, Abet. Where will these people get the textbooks if they want to further their studies?]
That is why we need community libraries.
Hi kombela swifundza swi lava ni ku lavisisa xivangelo xa ku pfumaleka ka tilayiburari hi ku hetiseka. Ku nga ri hi ku hetiseka ntsena kambe ni ku hiseka. Hi ririmi ra mina hi ri: "Endzhaku ku vuyela singe". Hina tanihi ANC hi ya emahlweni; a hi tlheleli endzhaku. (Translation of Xitsonga paragraph follows.)
[We request the provinces to find and effectively investigate the cause of the lack of libraries, not only effectively but also efficiently. In my language we say: "Backwards never". We, as the ANC, are going forwards; we don't go backwards.]
It is against this background and given these challenges, in particular, that the ANC supports the Budget Vote. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister Dr Joe Phaahla, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture, hon B Sunduza, hon Members of Parliament, valued guests in the gallery, ladies and gentlemen, I salute you.
Ndi khou humbela pfarelo kha vhathu vho?he vha re nga ngomu N?uni na vho sedzaho vhe hayani. Tshiven?a tshanga a tsho ngo kuna ngauri ndo malwa nga dzitshaka. N?e ndi tou vha Muven?a mubikwa na ive, ive ?a vhibva n?e nda sala. ?a?waha ri khou pembelela mi?waha ya ?ana ya u lwela mbofholowo. A ri koni u fhirela phan?a arali mushumo wa u hangwelana na u pfumedzana u tshi vha vhu?ifhinduleli ha vharema na vho?he vho tsikeledzwaho nga muvhuso wa tshi?alula fhedzi. Ro?he vharema na vhatshena ri tea u ?iimisela u lulamisa vhukhakhi ha muvhuso wo fhelaho. (Translation of Tshivenda paragraph follows.)
[I apologise to all people in the House and those watching from home. My Tshivenda is not the best because I am married to a non-Tshiven?a-speaking husband. I am a pure Venda. This year we are celebrating 100 years of fighting for freedom. We cannot move forwards if reconciliation is the responsibility of blacks and all those who were oppressed by the apartheid government only. All of us, black and white, should be ready to correct the wrongs of the past.]
It is important to remember that the Khoisan people were the most brutalised by the colonialists, who tried to drive them into extinction and undermined their language and identity.
As a free and democratic South Africa today, we cannot ignore our responsibility to correct the past. We cannot disregard South African heroes and heroines, such as Comrade Barney Molokoane of Tladi, who died on 28 November 1985. He was the second-born of his mother's three sons.
What Comrade Barney Molokoane would tell his mother during his visits was, "I am not your son, I belong to the nation, and I will not be shot in the back but on the battlefield. Where I die, the grass will not grow." With that said, his life did not end in vain; his spear has been picked up by hundreds of young lions.
Inkululeko eNingizimu Afrika isilethele amathuba amangalisayo ngendlela exakile. Zonke izakhiwo zikahulumeni - ikakhulukazi uMnyango wezoBuciko namaSiko - sezinamalungelo lapho kushaywa khona umthetho ophathelene nezimpilo zabo kanye nomphakathi wonke. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[Political freedom in South Africa has opened up unprecedented opportunities for us. All the government structures - especially the Department of Arts and Culture - have laws that safeguard the rights of the people who constitute them and those of the general public.]
South African society has been undergoing a fundamental transformation over the past 18 years. In accordance with the principles of justice, democracy, nonracialism and nonsexism, every sector of our society is facing change. While this may be unsettling for some, for many it brings hope that their needs, views and aspirations will now also become part of the mainstream.
Arts and Culture continues to make significant strides in positioning the cultural and creative industry as one of the main drivers of economic growth and job creation in our country. It is important that the ANC-led government proceeds on its path by drawing from lessons of how other countries have used the arts, culture and heritage sector to promote general social cohesion as a prerequisite for building a more prosperous society.
In terms of arts and culture, the ANC-led government is informed by the realisation that societies with greater social cohesion tend to be the ones that are economically prosperous. Therefore, it is against this background that in April 2011 a national consultative summit, Mzansi Golden Economy, on the role of the arts, culture and heritage sector of the economy, was convened in Johannesburg. Our culture and heritage are key to nation- building and social cohesion. These are the ingredients for creating a climate of social stability and economic growth.
Following a consultative conference in April 2011, 13 project teams were established to develop detailed concept documents and business plans for implementation of the Mzansi Golden Economy.
This strategy works through existing institutions and is built on existing initiatives categorised in five areas: stimulation of demand, audience development and consumption, heritage, a cultural observatory and human capital development. It is estimated that the implementation of these projects will create 16 000 work opportunities and 2 300 full-time equivalent jobs between 2013-14 and 2014-15. The public art programmes are projected to create 5 000 work opportunities between 2013-14 and 2014-15.
The establishment of a recreational underwater museum in Kosi Bay in KwaZulu-Natal will interpret aspects of the history of slavery, indentured labour and the SA Native Labour Corps. It has the potential to create 1 517 work opportunities, with an annual growth of between 200 and 968 work opportunities between 2013-14 and 2014-15.
The department is reviewing its organisational structure following an organisational development exercise. The anticipated adjustments to the structure include eliminating duplication of responsibilities; introducing the sharing of resources; using the capacity of its entities and that of the department in joint projects; considering organising employees into teams to work on specific projects; and finding the optimal balance of core and support functions. About 439 of the 474 funded and established posts were filled as at 30 September 2011.
Capacity in the Department of Arts and Culture is indeed insufficient. There are capacity constraints, hence the issue of consultants that we heard about. I think this matter has been raised so emphatically that from where we are sitting, we see the need to reduce this number. There is an urgent need for strategies to deal with the issue of skills shortages.
With regard to PanSALB, it is important to register that the committee and the hon chairperson of the committee have spoken extensively about the matter. We are saying that we are not very satisfied with its fulfillment of its mandate. Therefore, we say much needs to be done; it cannot be business as usual. Something needs to be done as soon as possible. PanSALB's new board is welcomed. However, it is long overdue. We will be observing and assisting in the process as an oversight committee.
Over the seven-year period, total expenditure grew from R2,1 billion to R3,1 billion at an average annual rate of 6,8% due to the inflation rate increases. Spending on agency support and outsourced services is expected to grow from R129,9 million in 2011-12, to R323,9 million in 2014-15, at an average annual rate of 35,6%. This is driven largely by the Mzansi Golden Economy and job creation projects.
The 2012 budget provides additional allocations of R77 million in 2012-13 out of R143,9 million in 2013-14 and R198,9 million in 2014-15.
Kuyiqiniso elingephikiswe ngumuntu ukuthi ... [It is the undisputed truth that ...]
Hon member, you have two minutes to wrap up.
... uMnyango wezoBuciko namaSiko ubamba iqhaza elibaluleke kakhulu emphakathini, iqhaza lokuxolelana nokubuyisana. Sengiyaqedela ngoba kuthiwa isikhathi siyaphela. Ngithanda ukusho ukuthi siyikomidi ... (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[Ms J TSHABALALA: ... the Department of Arts and Culture plays a very important role in our society, that of reconciliation. I must conclude my speech now since I don't have much time left. I would like to say that as a committee ...]
We support the Budget Vote.
N?e ndi pfi Ri?ovhona, khomba ya ha Madzinga ho no ya phuna na tshi?oni. Ndi muthu ha dini, ndi dina zwiito. [Praise.]
From where we are sitting, you are saying to us the ANC cannot be regarded as a heritage, and if that were the case, everybody would be part of the organisation. Everybody has the right and will to be part of any organisation and to formulate their own heritage according to where they belong and what they believe in. Nation-building and reconciliation begin with me as an individual, as well as with my attitude towards the transformative agenda to correct the imbalances and social ills of the past. So, it must start with us. Thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, all the previous speakers referred to nation-building and social cohesion, but the Department of Arts and Culture, DAC, is compelled to respond to Outcome 12, which speaks to an empowered, fair and inclusive citizenship.
This means that social cohesion and nation-building should be prioritised in all six programmes of the department. The DA insists that there are four crucial elements that will ensure that these concepts do not remain concepts but become a reality in all communities. They are delivery, reconciliation, redress and diversity. To build one nation and to enhance social cohesion, we would have to implement and internalise these four elements. I will elaborate on them as I proceed.
As far as cultural development is concerned, the Mzansi Golden Economy is one of the key focus areas of the DAC of the 2012-13 financial year. This is a response to Outcome 4, which addresses job creation and economic growth. It is a step in the right direction that this important project has been allocated R50 million in the current financial year, and R150 million in the 2014-15 financial year. However, the question is: How exactly does the department intend to roll out this project?
We need an answer because we must ensure that ordinary South Africans do benefit from this project. It has been reported that funds earmarked for the Investing in Culture projects are being redirected to the Mzansi Golden Economy and that Investing in Culture is being phased out as from this year.
The question is: What happens to the Investing in Culture projects that are still going on, if there are any? Despite the importance of the Mzansi Golden Economy, the strategic plan of the Department of Arts and Culture does not mention the project. This is totally unacceptable.
What are the project's short- and long-term targets? What are the timelines within which these targets are expected to be achieved? Without set targets and timelines, monitoring and evaluating the department's progress is impossible. Minister, corruption must not be allowed to destroy this project.
The Cultural Development programme could ensure that South African artists like Esther Mahlangu are acknowledged and respected in their own country. Esther is regarded as the queen of Ndebele painting.
A museum in Germany has a three-storey wall exhibition of her work. She designed the tailfin for a British Airways Boeing. Virgin Atlantic commissioned her to do five mural paintings for its music store on Times Square in New York.
The only piece of artwork that the South African National Gallery in South Africa owns of Mahlangu is a pair of beaded takkies, which was made as a response to a trip to Mexico. Her work is categorised by the Department of Trade and Industry as craft.
In his 2012 state of the nation address, the President announced the unveiling of museums, homes and graves of former ANC presidents and other national heroes, memorial sites, etc. The DA supports this initiative because it addresses the elements of redress and reconciliation, which are so important for nation-building and social cohesion.
We also applaud the government's decision in March this year to declare the Voortrekker Monument a national heritage site. Minister, I was going to urge you to go a step even further and connect the Voortrekker Monument and Freedom Park with a road or a gate that would reflect nation-building, not only symbolically but in a concrete fashion. You announced tonight, Minister, that that has been done; thank you very much.
Museums en erfenisgebiede kan werkskepping stimuleer as projekte noukeurig beplan en uitgevoer word. Dit is egter belangrik dat werkskepping in die informele sektor hierby kan baat. Oorsee en in dele van Afrika is die handel in kuns- en handwerkprodukte deur plaaslike inwoners buite hierdie sentrums 'n algemene gesig.
In Suid-Afrika is dit egter nog afwesig. So 'n inisiatief behoort ontwikkel en aangemoedig te word. In die platteland is kwaliteitmuseums 'n groot toeriste-aantreklikheid wat indirek ook werkskepping bevorder. 'n Voorvereiste is dat museums deur bekwame, opgeleide persone bestuur moet word.
Onlangse besoeke aan museums in die Noord-Kaapse platteland het egter getoon dat baie van die museums vir jare lank reeds oor geen opgeleide personeel beskik nie, en dat assistente wat as skoonmakers aangestel was, die bestuur moet behartig. Dit is onnodig om te s dat hierdie persone nie opgelei is om as gidse op te tree of om inligting aan besoekers te verskaf nie, en gevolglik neem besoeke af en dienslewering bly in die slag.
As deel van herstel en rekonsiliasie, ondersteun die DA die verandering van straat- en plekname. Ek weet my agb kollega, Nicolaas Van den Berg ... [Gelag.] ... het reeds daaroor gepraat, maar ek wil dit tog beklemtoon. Die voorvereiste is egter dat behoorlike prosesse en prosedures gevolg moet word, en dat die finansile implikasies deeglik in berekening gebring word. Openbare deelname is ook noodsaaklik en besluite wat geneem word, moet die diversiteit van alle Suid-Afikaners weerspiel.
Die element van dienslewering is relevant tot die regering se beplande uitbreiding van dienste by gemeenskapsbiblioteke, en my kollega, ek dink twee sprekers tevore ... (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Museums and heritage sites can stimulate job creation if projects are planned and executed accurately. However, it is important that job creation in the informal sector benefits from this. Overseas and in parts of Africa, trading in artworks or handcraft products by local inhabitants is a common sight outside these centres.
In South Africa this is still lacking. Such an initiative needs to developed and encouraged. In the rural areas high-quality museums are an important tourist attraction and indirectly also promote job creation. A prerequisite is that museums should be managed by efficient, trained people.
Recent visits to museums in the rural areas of the Northern Cape, however, revealed that many of the museums have for many years been without trained personnel, and that assistants who were appointed as cleaners have to take responsibility for management. Needless to say, these persons are not trained to act as guides or to provide information to visitors, and therefore visits decline and service delivery ceases.
As part of redress and reconciliation, the DA supports the changing of street as well as place names. I know my hon colleague, Nicolaas van den Berg ... [Laughter.] ... already spoke about this, but all the same I wish to emphasise it. The prerequisite is, however, that proper processes and procedures must be followed, and that the financial implications must be taken into consideration thoroughly. Public participation is also essential and the decisions taken should reflect the diversity of all South Africans.
The issue of service delivery is relevant to the government's planned expansion of services at community libraries, and my colleague, I think before the speaker before last ...]
Hon member, you have two minutes left.
Ja, my kollega twee sprekers tevore, het ook verwys na gemeenskapsbiblioteke. Hierdie prioriteit oor die mediumtermyn moet verwelkom word, veral as biblioteke diep in die platteland daarby gaan baat.
Ek wil vanaand die platteland beklemtoon, want dit is ook 'n voorheen benadeelde groep. Inwoners uit verafgele plattelandse gebiede baat geensins by wat in biblioteke in groter sentra beskikbaar is nie.
Dienslewering aan kiesers in die platteland is net so nodig as vir di in stede en groter dorpe. In gebiede waar daar geen inligtingstegnologie beskikbaar is nie, is die biblioteek dikwels die enigste inligtingsbron en plek waar leesstof beskikbaar is. Skole in di gebiede steun baie swaar op gemeenskapsbiblioteke vir inligting vir projekte wat die leerders moet doen, want skoolbiblioteke bestaan nie meer nie.
Ons steun die voorstel van die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan dat die kwaliteit van onderwys vir die meeste leerders drasties verhoog moet word, en gemeenskapsbiblioteke kan in hierdie verband 'n uiters belangrike rol speel.
Daarom is dit bemoedigend dat Program 6: Nasionale Argiewe en Biblioteekdienste, die grootste geallokeerde bedrag, naamlik R799,5 miljoen, van al die programme vir die 2012-13 boekjaar ontvang. Hierdie bedrag behoort egter nog groter te wees as 'n mens die belangrikheid van gemeenskapsbiblioteke na waarde skat.
Ter afsluiting, aangesien gemeenskapsbiblioteke eers die voorwaardelike toelae kan bekom nadat 'n besigheidsplan ingedien en aanvaar is, sal die departement moet verseker dat diegene wat vir die opstel van die plan verantwoordelik is, voldoende opleiding ontvang. Daar moet ook verseker word ... [Tyd verstreke.] [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Dr H C VAN SCHALKWYK: Yes, my colleague who was the speaker before last also made mention of community libraries. This priority should be welcomed over the medium term, especially if libraries in the deep rural areas are going to benefit.
I want to emphasise the rural areas this evening because these also constitute a previously disadvantaged group. Inhabitants in faraway rural areas do not in any way benefit from what is available in libraries in larger centres.
Service delivery to voters in the rural areas is just as necessary as to those in cities and larger towns. In areas where no information technology is available the library is often the only source of information and place where reading matter is available. Schools in these areas rely very heavily on community libraries for information for projects that the learners have to complete, because school libraries no longer exist.
We support the proposal of the National Development Plan that the quality of education has to be drastically increased for the majority of learners, and community libraries can play a very important role in this regard.
It is therefore encouraging that Programme 6: National Archives and Library Services, receives the biggest allocated amount, namely R799,5 million, of all the programmes for the 2012-13 financial year. This amount, however, should be even larger if one estimates the importance of community libraries in its true value.
In conclusion, since community libraries can only get the provisional grants after a business plan has been submitted and accepted, the department needs to ensure that those people who are responsible for drawing up the plan receive sufficient training. It should also be ensured ... [Time expired.] [Applause.]]
Voorsitter, baie dankie vir die voorreg om deel te kan neem aan hierdie debat. Ek wil reageer op wat die laaste spreker, agb Van Schalkwyk, ges het, naamlik dat die plattelandse gemeenskappe deel van die ontwikkeling van biblioteke moet vorm.
Ek wil daarop antwoord deur te s dat die burgers van Suid-Afrika hul vertroue geplaas het in elke lid wat in hierdie Huis bymekaarkom. Dit is daardie vertroue wat daartoe gelei het dat ons almal deur die hoogste regter van die land ingesweer is om die regte van ons mense te verdedig.
Een daarvan is, agb Van Schalkwyk, dat ons samesprekings moet voer met die lid wat die Minister van Kuns en Kultuur is. Ons moet s hoeveel biblioteke in ons kiesafdeling is, wat die tekortkominge is en wat verander moet word. Dit help nie ons kom kla elke keer hier, maar ons doen niks aan die saak nie.
Vandag, nadat ek nou min of meer sewe jaar in die Parlement is, hoor ek dat die opposisie min of meer in dieselfde rigting as die ANC praat.
Ek sien ook van die minderheidsparty se kant verskil die VF Plus van julle. Dit het ek ook nie geweet nie. Vandag sien ek, agb lid Van den Berg, dat hulle met julle verskil, as die DA. Ek wil ook vir die agb Mulder s dat hy meer na die komitee toe moet kom om sy standpunt te stel. Daardie standpunt is om die vinger eers na uself te wys en te vra of u 'n verandering in Suid- Afrika wil maak om die nasie te bou.
Ons het Vrydag in Pretoria by die Uniegebou bymekaar gekom. Ander partye het aan die debat oor vryheid deelgeneem. Ek moet s, en julle gaan miskien vandag dink ek is rassisties, ons broers en susters van die anderkant - die sogenaamde witmense - moet meer na hierdie tipe funksies toe kom om 'n voorbeeld te stel. Dan sal die mense van Suid-Afrika sien dat hierdie land regtig probeer om 'n nasie te bou. [Tussenwerpsels.]
Ek kan nie ander mense se kinders leer wat respek is as ek nie in my eie huis begin nie. Ek moet eers in my huis begin. Voordat ek vinger wys, moet ek dit doen. U wat 'n partyleier is of aan daardie party behoort, moet vir die mense buitekant Suid-Afrika wys dat ons bereid is om al die nasies bymekaar te bring.
Ek wil nie verder uitbrei nie, want dit gaan baie van my tyd opneem. Ek wil vir die meeste partye wat aan die debat deelgeneem het, s dat u opbouende kritiek en nie afbrekende kritiek nie, gegee het. U het dit gedoen om die ANC-beheerde regering op sy tone te hou. Al manier hoe ons vorentoe gaan beweeg, is om te s wat verkeerd is, maar ons moet ook voorstelle maak.
Agb Van den Berg, jy moet nie hier kwaad kom stook nie. Ek wil direk na my toespraak gaan. Ek het vandag simbole en dokumente gebring wat ons na ons kiesafdelings toe moet neem. Dit is die Grondwet, die nasionale volkslied en ook die nasionale simbole, maar die belangrikste is die vlag van ons land. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Ms L N MOSS: Chairperson, thank you very much for the opportunity to participate in this debate. I want to respond to what was said by the previous speaker, hon Van Schalkwyk, namely that the rural communities must be included in the development of libraries.
I want to respond to that by saying that the citizens of South Africa have put their trust in each and every member in this House. It is this trust that resulted in all of us being sworn in by the highest judge in the country in order to defend the rights of our people.
One of these, hon Van Schalkwyk, is for us to have discussions with the member who is the Minister of Arts and Culture. We have to indicate how many libraries are in our constituencies, what the shortcomings are and what needs to be changed. There is no point in us always complaining here, but not doing something about the matter.
Today, after having been in Parliament for more or less seven years, I hear that the opposition is talking in more or less the same direction as the