The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) convened its Departmental Strategic Planning Session from 11–13 March 2026 at Boontjieskraal, bringing together leadership and management to reflect, align and map a clear path forward for the year ahead. The session, attended by the Member of the Executive Council Mr Mangaliso Matika , the Acting Head of Department Advocate Thulani Binase, alongside Executive and Senior Management, served as a critical platform to strengthen the department’s strategic direction and service delivery priorities.
A central theme of the session was the alignment of departmental programmes with the values of South Africa’s Constitution, as the country marks 30 years since its adoption. Leadership emphasised the need to embed human rights, equality and freedom into all programmes, supported by improved coordination of commemorative events and a consolidated calendar to enhance impact and visibility.
The session also highlighted the importance of key national milestones in 2026, including the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Women’s March and the 50th anniversary of the June 16 Youth Uprising. These historic moments were positioned as more than commemorations , they are guiding pillars for programmes that promote heritage preservation, gender equality, youth empowerment and social cohesion.
A defining contribution to the session came from Acting Head of Department Advocate Thulani Binase, who challenged leadership to embrace the concept of “state mandarins” within the public service. He emphasised that public sector mandarins are officials who do not merely speak about transformation, but actively live it through their daily work. They are individuals whose actions consistently seek to improve the material conditions of communities.
Adv Binase described state mandarins as disciplined and committed public servants who uphold the Batho Pele principles, serving as executors, builders, innovators, thinkers and planners. He stressed that such officials must move beyond being “ball boys of compliance” or passive administrators, and instead become impact-driven leaders focused on meaningful change.
He further cautioned against a culture of complacency, noting that state mandarins should not be consumed by positions or perks, but rather remain concerned with the broader state of service delivery and governance. In this regard, he called on management to exercise their full agency, as empowered by legislation, and to act selflessly in the interest of the people, despite challenges such as workplace pressures and the complexities of the political-administrative interface.
Reflecting on the department’s planning responsibilities, Adv Binase highlighted that the current moment presents a renewed opportunity to align DSAC’s work with the demands of the new electoral cycle, reinforcing the need for strategic foresight and purposeful leadership.
The strategic planning session also reaffirmed DSAC’s responsibility in fostering social cohesion and nation building, particularly in a year that will include national and local government elections. The department committed to creating platforms for constructive dialogue, enabling communities to engage meaningfully on issues affecting their lives.
In reviewing progress, the department acknowledged key achievements, including consecutive clean audits, expanded access to free internet across 225 libraries, and the successful hosting of major cultural and sporting events such as the Diamond and Dorings Easter Music Festival, the Wildeklawer Tournament and the Kimberley Big Hole Marathon. These milestones demonstrate the department’s growing impact on community development, youth empowerment and economic stimulation.
At the same time, challenges such as infrastructure constraints, limited funding and the condition of facilities were openly discussed, with a shared commitment to pursue sustainable solutions and improve operational efficiency.
In his remarks, MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture Mr Mangaliso Matika reinforced that the department’s mandate is fundamentally transformational. He noted that DSAC is not only a custodian of history, but an active driver of social cohesion and opportunity, tasked with translating heritage and constitutional values into tangible outcomes for communities.
Ultimately, the Boontjieskraal Strategic Planning Session reaffirmed a unified commitment: to build a capable, ethical and responsive department led by principled public servants , true “state mandarins” ,who are dedicated to improving the lives of the people of the Northern Cape
