Chairperson and hon members, I will quickly present the report on our oversight visit to KwaZulu-Natal. We went to a few different museums, starting with the Msunduzi Museum, which include Ncome Museum, the KwaZulu-Natal Museum, the Albert Luthuli Museum and the declared gravesites of the liberation stalwarts President J T Gumede, J L Dube, Albert Luthuli and Bertha Mkhize in KwaZulu-Natal.
I must say that it was one of our most memorable visits. Firstly, the Albert Luthuli Museum is one of the most well-managed museums in this country. Secondly, the graves have been declared historical gravesites and there are just a few issues that need to change.
Going to the gravesite of J L Dube and the school, there were a few concerns that the portfolio committee raised. Firstly, the museum is in the school and what would the visiting hours be then? Furthermore, we requested that roads must be improved as well as the issue of marketing as these museums tell of the history of South Africa. We must thank the KwaZulu- Natal province for supporting these museums.
We also visited the Msunduzi Museum and the Ncome Museum. One of the issues that were raised was that the roads to the Ncome Museum are a bit long. Another issue that we further raised was that of reconciliation between South Africans. We are also saying that a bridge should be constructed at the Ncome Museum, as has been done at the Voortrekker Monument and Freedom Park in Pretoria. One of the issues that made us raise this was that one has to take gravel roads to get to the museum, therefore, during the rainy season it becomes very difficult to utilise them.
One of the reports that we wrote says that the Department of Public Works must meet with the Department of Arts and Culture in order to speed up the processes of the Department of Public Works. This is one of the issues that was raised when we went to the gravesite of President J L Dube. The Department of Public Works has been delaying the issue of purchasing. An amount has been allocated and today we are requesting that it must be administered as quickly as possible.
We commend the way the Albert Luthuli Museum is working with young people in and around KwaZulu-Natal and the community of Groutville. They engage with a lot of parties and they strengthen their working relationships with the local municipalities. However, a few challenges were raised. The portfolio committee observed some of them, namely, the operational space, constraints relating to facilities and fund sustainability as they rely only on the department. There is a lack of proper signage from the N2 and R102 highways leading to the different museums. There are insufficient museum acquisitions. There are a lot of high community expectations and aspirations that are supposed to be met.
One of the issues that we commend is the greening of the Albert Luthuli Museum's site. I would like to encourage hon members to visit these sites. It must start with them. The committees have no issue with which political party you come from. It is the history of South Africa that one has to understand. Hon Van den Berg...
... waar is hy? Is hy nie vandag hier nie? [Tussenwerpsels.] [... where is he? Is he not here today?] [Interjections.]
Oh, he is here! He was very happy and he said that visiting such sites promoted reconciliation among South Africans. I want to invite hon members from my left to visit there.
One of the issues that I want to quickly raise is that of uMama Bertha's grave. There is a lot of theft and breaking of the tombstones that we have erected for those we are honouring. The province and the municipality are taking the matter up. I would like to thank all hon members of the portfolio committee and all the staff members. We hope to see you in these museums in KwaZulu-Natal. Thank you, hon members.
There was no debate.
Hon Chairperson, I move:
That the Report be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.