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.]