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 ...]