Chairperson, Minister of Arts and Culture, other Ministers present, Deputy Ministers, chairperson of the portfolio committee, and members of the public present in this room, nation-building is not an easy task. It is the collective effect of the small steps that we take as a nation on a daily basis that will determine the kind of South Africa we shall become.
No nation can define itself in terms of its geographic borders alone. Arts and culture are the essence of nation-building and social cohesion. A nation is not defined merely by its geographic borders, but by the manner in which it defines itself in terms of arts and culture.
Countries all over the world use arts and culture as a vital tool in promoting a stronger social fabric. Therefore it is important for government to play an enabling role to ensure that the arts and culture in South Africa flourish.
Understandably, because we have so many other pressing socioeconomic issues and challenges, the Arts and Culture Budget Vote gets only a tiny slice of the overall national budget. However, the UDM still feels that in each budget cycle our indigenous languages do not get the attention they deserve. Not enough is being done by government to invest in the development of indigenous languages as business languages. We hope that a portion of the R38,1 million in the department's savings will be invested in the preservation of indigenous languages.
Making matters worse is the poor state of public libraries in many peri- urban and rural parts of our country. Our public libraries are not just underresourced, but severely lacking in indigenous language material.
The UDM supports the department in its initiatives to make arts and culture a sustainable aspect of South African society. The UDM supports the Budget Vote. Thank you.