Molweni, Dumelang, Goeie Middag, Good Afternoon

 

 

It gives me great pleasure and privilege to table this year's budget vote, Vote 7 for 2018 /19 which is the fifth and the last year of the MTSF 2015-19 for the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. This is the last before our Sixth National General Elections of 2019. We converge here against the backdrop on this important year as we celebrate 100 years of the founding father of our freedom and democracy, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and Albertina Sisulu. The two icons have indeed dedicated their lives to ensure a non-racial, non-sexist, prosperous and democratic South Africa. I would like to heed a call made by President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa during his maiden State of The Nation Address earlier this year when he said,

 

 

Born into the Madiba clan in the village of Mvezo in the Eastern Cape, on 18 July 1918, Nelson Mandela dedicated his entire life towards the liberation of this country.  His mother was Nonqaphi Nosekeni and his father was Nkosi Mphakanyiswa Gadla Mandela, principal Counselor to the Acting King of the Thembu people, Jongintaba Dalindyebo. In 1930, when he was 12 years old, his father died and the young Rolihlahla became a ward of Jongintaba at the Great Place in Mqhekezweni. He attended primary school in Qunu where his teacher, Miss Mdingane, gave him the name Nelson, in accordance with the ‘custom” of giving all schoolchildren “Christian” names.

Mandela helped to form the ANC Youth League when he joined the African National Congress in 1944. Mandela rose through the ranks of the ANCYL and the ANC. In 1952 this revolutionary was chosen as the National Volunteer-in-Chief of the Defiance Campaign with Maulvi Cachalia as his deputy.

On 11 June 1964 Utata-Mandela and seven other accused, Walter Sisulu, Ahmed Kathrada, Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Denis Goldberg, Elias Motsoaledi and Andrew Mlangeni, were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.  

 

 

Utata-Nelson Mandela was released from prison on Sunday 11 February 1990, nine days after the unbanning of the ANC and the PAC and nearly four months after the release of his remaining Rivonia comrades. Throughout his imprisonment he had rejected at least three conditional offers of release.

Mandela immersed himself in official talks to end white minority rule and in 1991 was elected ANC President to replace his ailing friend, Oliver Tambo. In 1993 he and President FW de Klerk jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize and on 27 April 1994 he voted for the first time in his life.

On 10 May 1994 Madiba was inaugurated as South Africa’s first democratically elected President. 

 

 

• The 7th of June we commemorated the passing away, in 1951, of Pixley ka Isaka Seme after whom this district was renamed.

As I stand here before you, I am reminded that: 

• On this very day the oppressive and gregorious Immigration Act of 1913 was also passed which prevented a free movement of people in our country. We have since repealed this act and replaced it with a humane Act that promotes the clause of the Freedom Charter which states that ”South Africa belongs to all who live in it”.

• Thami Mnyele a youth activist, an artist and MK Operative was killed on this day in 1985 in Gaborone, Botswana. During his years of exile  in Botswana, Mnyele made and exhibited graphics, drawings, and fine arts, and organised cultural workers through Medu Arts Ensemble. In those years he also participated fully in Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the ANC's military wing.

• The 14th June 1982 also marks the fifth banning order served on Ma Sisulu since 1963. This banning order was a two year set of restrictions that barred her from attending any meetings (and funerals) where she was able to ‘expound her ideological views’.

• Since the dawn of democracy, June 16 has always been celebrated as Youth Day on South Africa’s annual calendar of events. The celebrations are aimed at commemorating the Soweto Uprising of 1976. The uprising tragically ended with hundreds of youth being killed by the apartheid government when they protested against the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction.   

Youth Day commemorates the contribution of youth in the liberation of the history of our country. 

 

The June 16 1976 Uprising that began in Soweto and spread countrywide profoundly changed the socio-political landscape of the country. Events that led to the Uprising can be traced back to policies of the apartheid government that resulted in the instruction of Bantu Education Act in 1953. 

Black students protested the introduction of compulsory use of Afrikaans alongside English as a medium of instruction in schools. 

Black Conscious Movement (BCM) and South African Students Organisation (SASO) mobilised students against government directives. A student’s peaceful march which was to culminate to a rally at Orlando Stadium was intercepted by heavily armed police who fired teargas and live ammunitions on demonstrating students. 

 

Amongst other casualties was Hector Peterson who became the subject of the iconic image of the 1976 Soweto Uprising. In 2017 we celebrated Youth Day against the backdrop of celebrating 100 years of the life of Oliver Reginald Tambo. 

Lenin said, “When one makes a revolution one cannot mark time, one must always go forward-or go back “The gains of the youth struggles are a remarkable contribution to our struggle for freedom. 

 

 

Another struggle heroine Nontsikelelo Thethiwe, known to us as Ma Albertina Sisulu would have turned 100 years this year. Born on 21 October 1918, Albertina Sisulu became known as an unwavering activist and a nurse, who has fought the struggle for human rights and dignity for her entire life.

She was indeed one of the most important leaders of anti-Apartheid resistance in South Africa. She acted on her ideal of human rights throughout her life, assisted by her husband and fellow activist, the late Walter Sisulu.

It was with Walter that Mma Sisulu attended the first conference of the ANC Youth League where she was the only woman present. In 1948 she joined the ANC Women’s League and in the 1950s she began to assume a leadership role – both in the ANC and in the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW).  She was one of the organizers of the historic anti-pass Women’s March in 1956 and opposed inferior `Bantu’ education. Her home in Orlando West in Soweto was used as a classroom for alternative education until a law was passed against it.

For activism Sisulu was put in and out of jail. She was detained and put in solitary confinements in 1981 and 1985. She also suffered bannings and house arrest, but still managed to keep links between jailed members of the ANC and those in exile. 

In 1983 Albertina was elected co-president of the United Democratic Front (UDF). She led a delegation of UDF leaders to Europe and the United States whe she managed to meet with the former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher and the former American President, George Bush Snr.

In 1994, Albertina Sisulu served in the first democratically elected Parliament. She and her husband Walter Sisulu and son Zwelakhe have won numerous humanitarian awards. The two icons(Mandela and MaSisulu) were remarkable disciplined cadres and as Che Guevara explains, ”In the absence of a cadre in any revolution the anarchist will emerge and the revolution turns into anarchy. Therefore there will be no revolution without a cadre but there will be anarchy”.

 

 

The year 2018 also marks 40 year anniversary since the death of Pan Africanist leader, Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe. Allow me to take this opportunity to reiterate government's intentions to rename the Kimberley Hospital Complex to the Robert Sobukwe Hospital Complex. With this gesture we will be honouring Sobukwe for his selflessness and the dedication shown by him in fighting the evil apartheid regime. When he was banished to Kimberley by the apartheid government in 1969, Sobukwe was never deterred from fighting the system because he started a law operation to assist those whose rights were being violated by the system. 

 

 

We also mark 40 years since the death of anti-apartheid activist, Ahmed Timol. Timol's death was officially confirmed on 28 October 1971. It was revealed that the thirty year old teacher at the Roodepoort School and one of nineteen “Indians” in detention, died after he had plunged from a window on the tenth floor of John Vorster Square Police Station (now Johannesburg Central Police). His death was confirmed by police officers Brigadier P. Kruger and Sergeant Rodrigues, who alleged that he had committed suicide.

Timol who was a member of the South African Communist Party (SACP) became the seventeenth person to die in detention under security laws. We will be hosting an exhibition on Ahmed Timol at McGregor Museum this year.

 

 

Let me take this opportunity to  pay homage and pass our condolences to all South Africans for the loss of Mother of the Nation Umama-Winnie Mangutyana Nomzamo  Madikizela -Mandela. We lower our revolutionary banners in respect and honour of a fallen icon of our revolutionary struggle in Mzantsi. She has without a shadow of doubt run her race and delivered South Africa to the Promised Land. We will forever be grateful for the role she played towards our liberation. Well known international Human Rights Activists Maya Angelou used to say ‘A women in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing.She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and only herself” .

 

We also pay homage to the former Cabinet Minister Zola Skweyiya and Ambassador George Nene as well as renowned photographer Ubaba-Sam Nzima who have also left us this year.  

 

We pass our condolences to the family of Bra Hugh Oupa Masikela, the legendary saxophonist whose music played a tremendous role in the fight against Apartheid. We also lost Sandy Mokwena (Bra Eddie in Scandal), David Phetoe (Generations Paul Moroka), Chris Matshaba, a Motsweding FM Presenter and DJ as well as Luyanda Ntshangase, a professional player for Golden Arrows who was struck by lightning.

 

We also bid our final goodbyes to the leader and King of the Xhu community at Platfontein, Reverend Mario Mahongo, who recently lost his life in a car accident. We are saying to comrades, families and friends of all departed souls, “May the good Lord be with you.” 

 

 

We are preparing ourselves for the incorporation and extension of our services to the people of Ga Mothibi in Frances Baard in the Phokwane Municipality who were previously part of the Taung District North West Province. 

 

Honourable Speaker:  we obtained consecutive unqualified audit outcomes and we are positive that for 2017/18 we are on track to maintain that momentum. Our  overall performance in 2017/18 is at 88% and we acknowledge the need to align performance and expenditure of 92 %.We are proud that we achieved 100% performance in Programme 2, Arts and Culture as well as in Programme 4, Sport and Recreation. We however achieved 86% in Programme 1 (Administration).  We are taking care of the two indicators dealing with percentage of Grievances lodged and the percentage of Grievances resolved within 30 days by training our supervisors in grievance resolution. Our concern is mostly on improving on the 70% performance Programme 3, Library and Archive Services, which is not achieving indicators in the following areas: 

• Construction of libraries (Multi-year projects)

• Maintenance of dual purpose libraries in schools

• Procurement of library materials  

• Appointment of staff in new libraries and 

• Capacity building due to non -availability of accredited service providers.

 

The non achievement is rectifiable and with better planning and resolving issues with our delivery partners and external agents. 

Our lease agreement at the current Abattoir Road Head Office Building is coming to an end in 2021. We have already commenced a phased-in relocation to the Mervin J. Erlank Complex and thus far we have revamped the Offices of the HOD and CFO as well as Cooperate Services offices These offices have now relocated and are formally housed at our new premises.

 

 

Che Guevara asserts that ”a cadre is a person capable of self analysis, which enables him/her to make the necessary decisions and to exercise creative initiative in such a manner that it won’t conflict with discipline”

The truth shall set us free,  We   came to you to request your approval to promulgate different pieces of legislation, bringing into effect the establishment of public entities aimed at extending the work of our Department. We did so asking for your support with the view that our work would be made easier and more efficient by bringing services nearer to our people .The national landscape and economic climate has changed since then and we are not ashamed to say “experience is a teacher”. These entities did not deliver to their optimal strength and were faced with a barrage of challenges ranging from capacity constraints, collapsing governance, insufficient funding, high audit cost and rising inflation. Added to this, we are experiencing an unfavourable change in funding models which is also leading to a shrinking resource base to fund them.

 

National Treasury has since advised that the economic climate requires that we consider a process of rationalising these entities. We responded by merging the Sport Council and Sports Academy into a single mega sport entity, the newly launched Northern Cape Sport and Recreation Authority. We are therefore aiming to create a similar mega entity for the Arts, Culture, Museums and Heritage sector to create efficiencies. This will result in savings in corporate fees for multiple entities, a single CEO and CFO saving on personnel, synergies of planning, a single Board improving on governance and oversight as well streamlining activities under one structure. 

 

This process is not unique to Northern Cape. The National Department of Arts and Culture is currently reviewing the White Paper on Arts and Culture to restructure and rationalise the 52 entities under their jurisdiction. This may mean that the William Humphreys Art Gallery and Sol Plaatjie Museum might be repositioned for provincial oversight and funding. We will create platforms for extensive consultations in pursuit of this goal of rationalisation and de listing and we expect resistance and robust engagements but we are doing such to emerge with a winning formula for the sector. 

 

 

 

 

Nelson Mandela once said that “Sport has the power to change the world; it has the power to inspire. It is the single power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers”. Our province has adopted the slogan “A Child in Sport, is a Child out of Court “. Our focus on decentralising services to the districts resulted in more sport officials working closer with the communities. The performance outcome of 2017 /18 is evidence of that.

 

It is Peter Kaufman, a Sport in Society research advisor who said: 

“The pursuit of sports does not make one immune to the scourge of inequality, injustice, environmental degradation, violence, and oppression.” This quotation resonates with us since the Northern Cape Province, covering the largest geographical space within our borders, continues to suffer the injustices and environmental degradation left by the cruel legacy of the Apartheid system. The lack of sport facilities in many of our rural communities continue to deprive our people of a most basic right to participate.

 

I have recently appointed the Northern Cape Sport and Recreation Authority Board on the 31st May 2018 at the Desert Place in Upington. The appointment of the Northern Cape Sport & Recreation Authority Board members will further ensure that sport through the implementation of this Act will advance social cohesion, transformation and sport development. It will, amongst others, include the promotion of marginalize sectors focusing on women, people with disabilities as well as rural areas. 

To give effect to the implementation of the Act, we have established District Sport Councils in all districts. These structures are functional and have to ensure functional local league programmes are implemented in the districts.

We would also like to extend congratulations to Ms Emma Hendricks, the first Chairperson of the Board and Mr Laurence Van Heerden as the first Deputy Chairperson. The Board will derive its mandate from the Northern Cape Sport and Recreation Authority Act, Act No 4 of 2015.

In pursuit of sport transformation through development, this Department will aim to assist municipalities in accessing MIG Sport Infrastructure funds. 

 

During the 2018 /19 financial year, the Department will, together with CoGHSTA, be coordinating Municipal Infrastructure Grant Projects to the value of R28 million. 

 

These projects will see the construction and or upgrading of facilities in 

• Kamiesberg to the value of R4,370 million

• Phokwane to the value of R11,290 million

• Gamagara to the value of R2,009 million and 

• Gasegonyane to the tune of R10,545 million 

 

The Department, in collaboration with Sol Plaatje Municipality, will complete renovation of the Floors Colville Swimming Pool. This swimming pool will be named after Brian Hermanus, an activist, sportsperson of note and a Member of the Excutive Committee from 1999 until his untimely death on 26 July 2000.  We also intend to formally reopen the swimming pool in September this year. This sport facility will go a long way in curbing the number of drownings we experience annually during the hot summer months. 

 

Having been setback by recent rains, the department is on track also in completing the upgrading of a synthetic soccer field in Laxey which, when completed, will be valued at R7 million. The opening of this facility is scheduled to take place in September 2018. This synthetic soccer field will serve as a point of convergence for football players and supporters alike. It is at facilities like this that we will continue to identify our local talent, nurture them and take those to higher heights.  With facilities like these, the Department aims to bring sport to rural areas and impact on sport development per ward. This will also contribute to the further growth and development of sport in our Province

 

 

The matter of sport in schools has and will also be a very sensitive matter to almost all of us. In the past we have received numerous complaints around the decline of sport in our schools, especially schools in previously disadvantaged areas and township schools. 

I am elated to report that the reviewed Memorandum of Understanding on School Sport has been approved on the 30th May 2018. This will strengthen the relationship between the department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the department of Education. And will further ensure proper implementation of School Sport programmes in the Province.

During this year, we will witness the appointment of school sport co- coordinators throughout the Province. We will also train 100 School Sport implementers. I am proud to announce that 323 athletes will be participating in the Winter National Championships which will be held in Durban during July this year. We will also see 800 participants converging in Kimberley on the 23rd June to participate in the Provincial eliminations. The Provincial Elimination will start with a 5km walk in the morning as part of the Mandela Centenary and I would like to extend a personal invitation to each member of this House to join us in the morning walk.

 

 

In the area of Club Development, I am proud to announce that we have made significant progress in this regard. Under our National Rural Sport Development Programme, we have added the Kgosi Toto and Kgosi Bareki traditional areas for this financial year. This is in addition to the three other traditional of areas Kgosi Motshwarakgole; Kgosi Jantjie and Kgosi Thetlho which have already been activated.  We will continue to provide assistance towards this programme through the provision of attire, equipment, capacity building and transport. 

On the Cricket front, our province has managed to successfully host the first T20 Premier League comprising all regions in Kimberley during October 2017 

 Our Province also successfully hosted the One Day International between the Proteas and Bangladesh held in Kimberley, as well as the South African Women’s Cricket team against India in February and Bangladesh in May respectively. 

 

In our efforts to give recognition and honour to the achievements of our provincial sportspeople, we will host District Sport Awards in all districts during July and August this year. This will culminate in the Provincial Sport Awards which will be held in October and will serve as a precursor for the National Sport Awards to be held later in this year. 

In terms of our Recreation Programme, our main focus will be on the Youth Camp, already seven years in existence. Through this programme, the Youth Camp focuses on young people in fostering constitutional values and fostering a social compact among young people. Through this programme we also promote active citizenry as well as allegiance and patronage to the SA Constitution, loyalty to South Africa and responsible citizenship. 

500 people will be trained to roll out recreation programmes in ECD's, Old Age Homes, Correctional centres. Places of Safety as well as communities.

 

 

We were disappointed ,shocked and very much concerned that 24 years into our democracy we are still facing incidents of killings of one race by another like the Piet Els and partner attack, racism in schools like in Windsorton and the Ashwin Willemse ,Nick Mallet and Naas Botha public spat on national TV .This incidents derails our achievements on social dialogue and efforts for true reconciliation, We cannot ignore that true dialogue and conversation is needed to face the threats to a coherent and social cohesive society. Non-racialism recognises diversity but unity of purpose is central to everybody who lives in South Africa to reverse the perpetual ills of Apartheid and Colonialism. Our Movement was built on fighting for the principles of equality, dignity and equal rights for  all. We are committed to foster a social compact contract recognising all of us as equal in value under our uniting and inclusive Constitution. These are the core values that inform everything we do and how we act towards our people and each other.  It means that “we have to walk the talk” and fight for and defend the rights of those that are oppressed and discriminated against. We have to treat all human beings as being of equal value and treat them with respect and  dignity. The impasse and unfortunate incident by Griqualand Rugby where a person is taken to task for supporting the ”All Blacks Rugby Team” versus his national obligation to support the Springboks as our national team brings to the fore the unresolved and unavoidable issues we must dialogue amongst ourselves. In this case the support to All Blacks is based on solidarity built during the struggle years. Is it correct for a person to be sacked from his job because of his choice of supporting the All Blacks rugby team?

Even in this esteemed house, sport can influence power relations and yield new energy amongst all politicians and political parties present here. I am sending out a clarion call to all political parties to mobilize society through sport with the view of promoting healthy life styles in our communities and to most importantly promote social cohesion.  We must be reminded that the national agenda of reconciliation, nation building and social cohesion forms an imperative key to the mandate of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. 

 

 

• Ricardo Fritzpatrick – who represented South Africa at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 

• Melrick Maddocks – who was selected to play for the South African Men’s National Hockey Team who played at the All Africa Games in Egypt.

• Yorkshire Cricket Club – who represented the Northern Cape Cricket Union at the National Cricket Club Championship in April 2018

• Chendrick Michael Van Wyk who have qualified to represent the South African University Team in Athletics in the 100 m and 200m at the 19th CUCSA Games in Botswana

• Ms Emma Hendricks who was recently elected as the first female President of a SAFA region from SAFA ZF Mcagwu and also directly elected SAFA NEC Member. This is a first for our Province in that Ms. Hendricks is the first woman to occupy such a prestigious position in a male-dominated sport. 

• Aubrey Swanepoel was the captain of the South African six a side cricket team that won the Hong Kong sixes tournament. 

• Mark Arthur was appointed head coach of the South African Intellectually Impaired Cricket team. 

• Jason Brooker was appointed coach of the South African Franchise Academy team that participated in the Future Cup against the South African University team and South African Rural team. 

• Anele Setlgodi of Flamingo Primary School Handball Club was part of the U/16 Beach Handball Team to Mauritius from 11 - 16 July 2017. The department contributed R 15000. The coach of the team was also from the Northern Cape. He also coaches the U/18 Team to Zambia from 23 - 29 April 2018.

• NC Diamonds Netball Team  that  is participating in the National Brutal Fruit Tournament for the third consecutive year

 

 

Allow me to quote from the words of our former statesman Dr. Nelson Mandela when he said "No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated". 

Dr Mandela continued further to say “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another."

 

• The Ester Molete Community Library in Joe Morolong Municipality (Churchill)

• The Piet Melamu Community Library in Joe Morolong Municipality (Logaganeng)

• The  Anna Kamfer Community Library in Dawid Kruiper Municipality (Askham)

• The Sarah Swartbooi Community Library in Khai-ma Municipality (Witbank)

• The Kamasies Community Library in Kamiesberg Municipality

• The Izak September Community Library in Renosterberg Municipality (Petrusville)

 

We also opened the new Ritchie Community Library in the Sol Plaatje Municipality on Monday the 11 June 2018.

We also commenced the planning of two new libraries of 539 square metres  each, in Niekerkshoop in the Siyathemba Municipality and Greenpoint in the  Sol Plaatje, Municipality. We are furthermore pleased that steady progress has been registered in our two multi-year projects in Kuruman and Upington. We are confident that these projects will be completed during this financial year as scheduled. We are further planning two 820 square metre libraries in 2019 /20 in Colesburg and a district library at Mervin Erlank Precinct in preparation for total relocation in 2021.In 2020 /21 we are planning two similar new libraries in Kutlwanong/Soul City and one in the Ga Mothibi area.

We also increased the number of libraries providing free public internet services to 160, thus ensuring that more communities have access to this free service.

We are further pleased to announce that our procurement of library materials has now been boosted by the conclusion of our bid process. By the end of the previous financial year, we were able to order more than 50 000 books.

 

 

As we focus our attention to some of our key programmes for the 2018/ 2019 financial year, we must register our concern regarding the reduction of the Libraries Conditional Grant by just over R12 million. Needless to say, this cut will have a huge effect on our ability to deliver efficient library services as it will affect our maintenance programme, transfers to municipalities as well as our programme to optimise the functioning of all of our libraries.

The Department is in the process of developing a Business Case to be submitted to the Provincial Treasury to motivate for additional funding for our Schedule 5 responsibilities with regards to the Libraries function. As we reported to this House during our last budget speech, Local Municipalities are struggling with the implementation of the function as we experience these severe cuts in the grant.

 

• We will intensify our outreach and promotion campaigns to ensure that Libraries and information services reach every community, thus increasing the number of users at our Libraries

• We will, during this year, continue our partnership with key role players like the Sol Plaatje University, National Library of South Africa through its Mzansi Libraries On Line project, and the South African Book Development Council in hosting the 10th Annual Northern Cape Writers Festival as well as the National Book week campaign.

• As part of our publishing support programme we will be assisting 3 local writers to publish their works as well as a group of young women poets   publishing a poetry anthology.

• Our partnership with the SPU will also see the commencement of a literary translation project that will result in the translation of several works by Setswana writers from English into Setswana.

• During this year we will also work towards signing an Agreement with the Department of Education for the roll out of our Dual Purpose Libraries that serve both schools as well as the communities around them. This programme will ensure that we reach more and more rural communities that do not have access to library services

• We will intensify our efforts to build more capacity within our District Library Services to ensure that the implementation of the grant at a Local Government level is adequately monitored

• The programme to get all of our libraries fully operational will continue with the procurement of library materials, ICT Equipment and furniture.

During this year, Honourable members, we will also commence with the upgrading of the Inase Moshoeu Library in Barkly West. You will remember that this library is one of five others that have been experiencing serious challenges with roof leakages. The Department of Roads and Public completed conditional assessments of all of the affected libraries and we will be dealing with challenges as raised in the assessment reports.

 

 

Turning our attention to Archives we are pleased to announce that we recently hosted a very successful National Archives Week programme that saw us reach over 400 learners in both the Frances Baard and JT Gaetsewe Districts. We were able to establish good partnerships with the following stakeholders:

• UNISA

• Africana Library

• Robert Moffat Mission

• Department of Labour

• SALGA

• Department of Education

The Department will be hosting another outreach programme in the Pixley ka Seme District in collaboration with the National Archives and the Department of Education during July 2018.

During this financial year, we will also continue in our efforts to engage both the Northwest and Western Cape Archives to work towards repatriating Archival records in these Provinces. As per agreement with the Western Cape Archives, we are hoping to receive the first batch of digitised archives during the current financial year.

It must be mentioned at this point that increasing our capacity at the Khotso Flatela Provincial Archives Repository, both physically and in terms of appointing more Archivists, must be prioritised if we are to conclude the repatriation project.

We further wish to thank the Department of COGHSTA for commencing with the transfer of their A20 Records. We are also looking forward to the Department of Education and the Gasegonyana Municipality for expressing their interest to transfer their records during this financial year.

We take the opportunity to encourage all Departments and Municipalities to transfer their A20 records to the Khotso Flatela Provincial Archives Repository so as to ensure that we secure and preserve our records for future use.

Lastly, Honourable members, we must express our concern regarding the state of our records in the Province, particularly within municipalities where there is pressure with regard to the space available to safely store Government records. As government departments and municipalities run out of space the tendency is to move and store old and valuable records in storerooms and other inappropriate spaces that tend to compromise the quality and integrity of records.

Together with the SALGA, we have now started to look at this challenge and will be approaching the Department of Roads and Public Works to investigate the possibility of establishing District Record Centres that will relief the pressure on space encountered by Departments and Municipalities. The aim is to identify old and under- utilised government buildings. We will report back to this house as soon as we have developed a comprehensive plan.

 

 

All our commemorative events scheduled for 2018 will focus on the celebrations on the life and times of Tata Nelson Mandela and Mama Albertina Sisulu. We have dedicated a theme for each Commemorative event around the two icons, the month of August will be dedicated to the life and times of Albertina Sisulu. We are consolidating our project plans for the Liberation Heritage Route, our province submitted the Mandela /Mayibuye Precinct project for Frances Baardt ,Langeberg  War of Resistance (Ntwa yamaje a Makgothu) –Kgosi Jantjie ,KgosiToto Mokgolokwe and Kgosi Galeshewe Mothibi  for John Taolo Gaetsewe District as well as the Upington 26 route  ZF Mgcawu District. We will hosts an exhibition in honour of 40 years of life and times of Ahmed Timol at the McGregor Museum.We will also host a memorial lecture and exhibition in honour of Rolihlahla Mandela .

We, as a province, remain resolute and firm on the renaming of Kimberley Airport to Ulysses Gogi Modise, an MK operative stationed in Zambia and Russia.

The Khomani San World Heritage Site has been launched and our role to promote cultural aspects will be prominent in partnership with SanParks and Department of Environment and Nature Conservation. The roll out of book clubs and support to book clubs will support the campaign to promote reading and recreation. Our partnership with Social Cohesion Champions Judge Yvonne Mokgoro and former News anchor, Freek Robinson, will pilot community projects aimed at fostering social cohesion. These projects will focus on racial integration and collaborative events to lure all our people to major commemorative events. Other Projects will focus on food gardens, cleaning campaigns, women empowerment and vulnerable children.

We will be hosting the last Heritage Awards, the Golden Shield Awards (GOSHA awards) in September. Included will be a memorial lecture on Steve Biko and a cultural street parade. The events are held  in partnership with National Heritage Council, Sol Plaatjie University  and Sol Plaatjie Municipality. The learnership presented by Indigo Theatre benefits 20 youth who will emerge with a CATHSETA accredited qualification in Theatre Management. Four Productions from Northern Cape will stage their work at the Grahamstown Festival, They are the Northern Cape Conservatoire (Sethlabelo NPO), Galeshewe Theatre Organisation(GATO), Amandla Teatro and Masakhane Theatre.

 

 

• Dance practitioners will be trained and equipped with skills that would enable them to apply for external funding.

• Drama practitioners through district workshops will receive training in performance techniques.

• Training choir conductors in different styles of music and conducting.

• Visual arts and crafts practitioners , in collaboration with Northern Cape Economic Development Agency (NCEDA) received training in product development (wireworks, ceramics) and enterprise development

• Local and national market access opportunities were afforded to crafters allowing them to showcase their handmade artworks. Exhibitions were held at commemorative events, departmental events such as the Writers Festival, MEC’s  budget speech and various trade shows such as DECOREX JHB

• We continue to support all Community Art Centres in the province. 

• We  will host the second annual artist summit in November 2018

 

A total of 33 Young Patriots from 5 districts were appointed in March 2017. An induction training workshop took place at the Warrenton Resort. This programme is implemented in collaboration with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), as part of their job creation efforts benefiting the unemployed youth of our province. These Patriots have a critical role in terms of Outcome 14, fostering Nation building and social cohesion. In the past financial year they undertook a flag verification project in all schools. In 2018/19 the verification project is expected to include government institutions. Flags and flag poles for a 100 schools will be delivered in partnership with the National Department of Arts and Culture (DAC).

 Furthermore a learnership in Film and Television is under way at Mayibuye in conjunction with East Coast Media. The NCACC in partnership with Indigo Theatre are offering a leanership in drama. The SASCE programme in partnership with the Department of Education, intends to instill values in education through music. Plans are also underway to intensify training of the African Union (AU) anthem across government institutions. 

The Department also intends to host a public art intervention with mural paintings and sculptures to enhance Carnarvon as part of the SKA projects. The intention is also to host visual arts and crafts competitions throughout the province. We are continuing with the expansion of Nama language as part of curriculum rollout at Foundation phase, building on the success of the Kharas –Namaqua twinning agreement between us and Namibia.We will initiate the rollout of the Provisions of Official Languages Act by conducting workshops in all districts to equip officials on the provisions of the act and an implementation strategy.

 

 

In conclusion Honourable Speaker, please allow me to present to you the budget for Vote 7 Sport, Arts and Culture 2018/19:

 

Equitable Share: R 188 322 000 (49.2 %)

Conditional Grants: R 194 499 000 (50.8 %)

TOTAL BUDGET :  R 382 821 000

 

Programme	Equitable Share	Conditional Grant	Total
P1. Administration	R  83 171 000	----------	R  83 171 000
P2. Cultural Affairs	R 65 157 000	-----------	R 65 171 000
P3. Library and Archives Services	R 14 461 000 (8.2%)	R 161 725 000 (91.8 %)	R176 186 000
P4. Sport and Recreation	R 25 533 000 (43.8%)	R 32 774 000 (56.2%)	R  58 307 000
TOTAL 2018/19 BUDGET	R 188 322 000	R  194 499 000	R 382 821 000

In conclusion Honourable Speaker, may I take this opportunity to thank the Premier, Members of Executive Council, the Portfolio Committee for Education, Sport, Arts and Culture; the Head of Department, the Head of Ministry, the staff of DSAC, the Internal Audit team, Auditor General, Audit Committee and especially my husband and family for their support and dedication. Without you my task over the past three years would have been much more difficult, indeed the time I had, came and went by so fast. It is said:

 

The centenary celebration on the life and times of Nelson Mandela should be contextualized within the historical and political epochs that crafted his immense contribution and crafted a South Africa, a SADC, a Continent and world premised on democracy, peace, unity and reconciliation.

During the formative years of the ANCYL as a preparatory school for the ANC, Mandela was instrumental in the development and subsequent adoption of a militant Programme of Action in 1949, which later led to his strategic appointment as the Volunteer in Chief to coordinate its activities. This was the emergence of a clear tactical and gerrymandering strategy by the ANCYL that changed the approach and significantly the course of history and the people’s revolution.

 

The Defiance campaign as part of the Programme of Action coordinated by Mandela saw its first rolled out mass action against the apartheid state machinery in Kimberley in 1952 where 13 protesters and campaigners were killed and more than 20 injured in what was known as the Mayibuye uprinsing at the hands of brutal apartheid state apparatus.

It is within this context that Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe a fellow comrade of Mandela and a member of the ANCYL during this era and co- campaigner of the ANCYL’s Programme of Action and its Defiance Campaign aptly immerse himself in the ethos, philosophy and perspective of radicalism, and Africanism which formed part of a collective and robust Youth League meetings and conferences dialogues’.

Today I stand here with mixed emotions as the Provincial Leader of the the ANCYL, when looking back at the journey toiled by our fore-bears and erstwhile leaders particularly those who were brave enough in 1943 to speak to authority within the organization that  it was necessary to establish and form a youth wing, knowingly that the course of history and the emergence of a new peoples revolution was to be born.

The importance of Madiba’s centenary celebrations would be misrepresented if his political schooling and revolutionary baptismal is not understood within this epoch, an epoch not illustrated in isolation of the contribution he made to the formation of the Youth League, his appointment as the Volunteer in Chief coordination the implementation of the Programme of Action and the Defiance Campaign. The Programme of Action that changed the approach and outlook of the revolution namely:

• The Mayibuye uprising of 1952,

•  The conceptualization of the Freedom Charter in 1954 at the People’s Congress in Kliptown,

• Its subsequent adoption in 1955,

•  Women’s March of 1956, 

• The break away of the Pan Africanist/ non Charterists from the ANCYL to form the Pan African Congress under the leadership of Robert Sobukwe in 1957,

• The Sharpville massacre of 1960,

• The formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe highly influenced by Mandela and the ANCYL,

• Capture and arrest of the Volunteer in Chief of the Defiance campaign in 1963,

• The banning of political parties largely caused by the Defiance campaign of the ANCYL (making South Africa ungovernable)

• Soweto uprising of 1976, led by students and youth of the country, influenced by the Defiance campaign,

• Unbanning of political parties due to international pressure on the apartheid state by internal forces influenced by the  Defiance campaign,

• release of political prisoners,

• negotiated settlement led by the then Volunteer in Chief of the Defiance campaign Nelson Mandela

• Democratic elections in South Africa and the election of the Volunteer in Chief and founder member of uMkhonto we Sizwe Nelson Mandela as the first democratically elected President of South Africa.This is an honor, privilege and a right that looking back as a Youth League activist and leader following in the footsteps of giants, icons and martyrs of the peoples revolution, I must echo these sentiments that the ‘the ANC is the Youth League, the Youth League is ANC” 

Makuyiwe lets go out to create a better life for all, let’s join the Thuma Mina Campaign and build a social cohesive nation for all.

 

Phambili nge Thuma Mina! A re yeng roma Nna! , Stuur vir my !Send Me!