House Chairperson.
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Hon Goodenough Kodwa.
Ministers and other Deputy Ministers here present.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Sport, Arts and Culture Hon Beauty Dlulane.
Honourable Members.
Chairpersons and Chief Executives of Public Entities.
Distinguished Guests.
Members of the Media.
Ladies and Gentlemen.
I have the pleasure to commend to this Honorable House, part of the Department’s budget for the financial year 2023/2024, noting the other portions which the Minister has already presented.
The budget here today is being presented in the context of two important historical anniversaries. First the 30th anniversary since the passing of our struggle icon Oliver Reginald Tambo. Secondly the untimely departure of the beloved son of the soil Chris Thembisile Hani, who also left us 30 years ago; just as we were set for the all-important general elections in 1994. Today, as we commend this budget to the House, it is appropriate that we pause and remember them!
In this budget vote, we report on progress against commitments made in the preceding financial year and spell out our plans for 2023/2024 .
In the area of heritage preservation and promotion, the Department made great strides in 2022/2023. Firstly, I am delighted to report to this House that we completed restoration of the Winnie Madikizela Mandela House in the Free State and installed an exhibition in a town now known as Winnie Mandela. Upon completion, the Department handed over the House Memorial to the Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation in December 2022. This newly completed museum is being equipped with modern state-of-the-art Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment. The Province is now in the process of operationalising the Memorial as a Museum.
As part of the second phase, the DSAC has appointed a service provider who is in the process of preserving and protecting the clinic that was bombed in the 80s by the Apartheid government. The bombed clinic will be part of the interpretation space that will narrate the life and experience of Mama Winnie in the then Brandfort. The Clinic will be completed in this current financial year. For that purpose, an amount of R5 million has been set aside.
The construction of the OR Tambo Garden of Remembrance was completed in 2020. The Department is finalising the installation of the ICT equipped library that will serve as a resource service-centre to the local communities. The beneficiaries in the main will be learners and out of school youth in the community as well as those in the neighbouring communities
The challenge however has been around ensuring that the site is fully operational. In that regard, the current plan is that it would be incorporated into the management and operations of Nelson Mandela Museum for a period of three years, while its actual launch is scheduled for October this year.
In 2022 the Council for the Iziko Museums of South Africa approved for the integration of the Nelson Mandela House complex located at the former Victor Verster prison (now called Drakenstein Correctional Centre) in Paarl, Western Cape.
In 2020, Liliesleaf had to close due to Covid 19 pandemic. The closure was also necessitated by perennial operational challenges at the time. Given the situation, the Department engaged the National Treasury who granted the Department permission to provide relief assistance of R12 million. Liliesfield Museum is currently fully operational and for the current financial year, an allocation of R8 million has been made towards operations through Freedom Park.
In consultation with the relevant Provinces and the National Heritage Council, the Department is in the process of implementing recommendation of the feasibility studies for design and installation of exhibitions in Bisho Massacre site, Waaihoek Wesleyan Church and Victor Verster Nelson Mandela Prison House. The Department has set aside an amount of R6 million for the design and installation process of the three sites.
Regarding transformation and preservation of our heritage landscape, the department will ensure finalisation of the construction of the Sarah Baartman Centre of Remembrance (SBCR) in Hankey in the Eastern Cape and allocated R82 million for the current financial year.
The second capital project is the Upgrading of the Heating, Ventilation and Air-conditioning (HVAC) and Fire Protection System at the National Archive Building in Pretoria, and this project is allocated R55 million, and the last project is Enyokeni Cultural Precinct in Nongoma and is allocated R57 million. All three projects are multi-year projects and will be completed over the 2023 MTEF period.
Cabinet has approved the country-to-country approach for repatriation of human remains of the fallen liberation fighters and the construction of monuments to recognize and appreciate the contribution of other countries in its liberation struggle. In this current financial year, the Department will embark on a process for identification, survey and mapping of heritage sites including graves in the SADC Region and R3 million has been set aside for this purpose.
Honorable Members! In terms of digitization of archival records, phenomenal work was done in 2022/2023, with some noteworthy achievements. The Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) audio tapes target was 90, the Department was able to digitize no less than 1721.
There was also a set target of 150 Treason Trial Dictabelts to be digitized. Against this set target of 150, the Department was able to digitize 463.
Against the set target of 30 000 general archival records, the Department was able to digitize 106 773 which included paper records and photographs.
The overachievement in the digitisation space was made possible by the employment of Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP) interns, Departmental interns, as well as partnerships with other institutions. These strategic interventions helped to shoulder the human resource burden, which the Department would have been unable on its own.
For the current financial year, the target for Treason Trial Dictabelts is 200; TRC Audio Tapes 100 and General Archival records 30 000.
In addition, the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa (NARSSA) has been allocated R20 million through the PESP 4, for the digitisation of records. As mentioned by the Minister, it is a further 120 interns will be employed for that purpose in the current financial year.
The library project has been key in ensuring that our people have access to information. Also most importantly, is that the project on building of new libraries, as well as refurbishment of existing ones, has intentionally focused on the township and rural communities, which were neglected during apartheid. Through the community library services grant, an amount of R1.5 billion was allocated in the last financial year.
Of the 29 targeted, the Department was able to support 31 newly built and / or modular libraries. In the current financial year, the Department will support 32 newly built and / or modular libraries to the tune of R1.5 billion. The funds will be utilised for infrastructure projects among other library services implemented by the Provinces, including, for example, library material, Information and Communication Technologies infrastructure and equipment, compensation of employees, establishment of visually impaired services and reading programmes.
Honourable members, the Department continues with the project to transform South Africa’s naming landscape. During the 2022/2023 financial year three (3) gazettes were published with geographical names that were standardized and changed.
The notable names changed are from the Eastern Cape namely KwaMaqoma from Fort Beaufort, Enxuba from Cradock in the Eastern Cape, and Solomon Linda from Pomeroy in KwaZulu Natal. We need to create more awareness within our constituencies so that more colonial and apartheid names are changed in order to reflect the languages and cultural heritage of the majority of the people of South Africa.
It is worth noting that five (5) books on living human treasures were published. These five books recognize the lives and work of our elders in all elements of intangible cultural heritage. These living human treasures have excelled in various fields of our indigenous knowledge.
The candidates that were documented in 2022/2023 are Dr. Thomas Chauke, Oom Petrus Vaalbooi, Mr. Themba Magaisa, Ms. Grace Masuku and Vho Esther Sinyengwe.
House Chair and honourable members, please join me in congratulating one of our past candidates of Human Treasures award, Mam Noria Mabasa, on being conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Arts and Design by the University of Johannesburg on the 19th April. Our Department is encouraged by this recognition of Mme Mabasa as it is further affirmation that we are on the right track.
The Department will also be in consultation with Gauteng Province in ensuring that the planned memorialization projects of the three women struggle icons are completed. These are Mama Margaret Gazo, Mama Francis Baard and Mama Charlotte Maxeke.
The Department’s mandate is to develop and promote all official languages of the Republic. In responding to the mandate, the Department awarded language bursaries to 312 students from institutions of higher learning. In 2023/2024, the Department will award 250 students across these six institutions at an amount of R6.6 million. This initiative is done to ensure that there is a growing cadre of new language practitioners, scholars and researchers.
UNESCO has declared the years 2022 to 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. In support of this initiative, we launched the Roadmap of milestones which will assist us in tracking our progress, measuring our success and recognizing and addressing potential bottlenecks. Among these, is the strengthening of partnerships with Language Research Networks, particularly, with institutions of higher learning in strengthening multilingualism and promoting indigenous languages.
We embrace the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government decision to adopt Swahili as an AU working language and a communication language extended to the whole continent.
This is one of our contributions towards the decolonization and regeneration of the African continent- A better Africa, A Better World!
In 2023/2024, additional work in this area includes collaborating with the Department of Basic Education on development of multilingual terminologies for Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology for Grade 4-6. These terminologies will help in facilitating teaching and learning in the indigenous languages. In this area of terminology development, an amount of R1.9 million has been set aside for the current financial year.
We welcome the unopposed adoption by the National Assembly of the Constitution’s 18th Amendment Bill, which officialises South African Sign Language. We are prioritizing the development of South African Sign Language, through initiating and supporting projects that include developing language technologies, that will facilitate communication between hearing and non-hearing individuals; and developing Sign Language interpreting systems, to assist Sign Language interpreters when providing the service.
An amount of R10.9 million has been set aside in 2023/2024 in advancing this work further.
The process of establishing the Council is at an advanced stage, with shortlisting and interviewing of potential Board members having been concluded, and recommendations for appointment made. The Council will therefore be appointed, inaugurated and assume duty within a month.
National symbols are a marker of a country’s national sovereignty and are collectively used as a rallying point for national unity, cohesion and national pride. South Africa has a collection of statutory national symbols, which came with the dawn of the new dispensation in 1994. The new collection of symbols marked a deliberate break from a pariah and divisive past into a new dispensation premised on fundamental human rights.
For the current financial year, it is envisaged that R2 million would be spent towards the popularization of the national symbols.
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is the custodian of the Government’s commemorative program, inclusive of the National Days, as determined by the Public Holidays Act of 1994. Given that divisions are still self-evident, owing to the country’s colonial and apartheid past, Government looks to the national commemorative programme, and in particular, the National Days, as a platform to promote one of its key priorities in the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) i.e. social cohesion and nation building (including moral regeneration).
All the key national days were successfully commemorated in 2022/2023 and were all in-person events – signaling a marked departure from the COVID-19 era. For this current financial year, the Department has set aside R31.5 million toward the national days.
2023 is a big year in terms of women’s sport.
The Women in Sport policy has been developed to redress existing inequalities for girls and women in the South African sport ecosystem – particularly in participation, competition, coaching, officiating and leadership. The formulation of the draft has followed a consultative process and was approved by Cabinet for gazetting for public comments. In alignment with global policy frameworks, trends and national development priorities, this policy addresses multiple challenges women and girls face in sport associated with race, disability, age, religion, culture, geographical location, and sexual orientation, inclusive of those belonging to the LGBTQI+ population and women with differences of sex development (DSD).
I want to echo Minister’s earlier words of commendations by acknowledging the superb performance of the Proteas Women’s cricket Team who amassed the highest number of spectators in Women World Cup history. They raised the bar at the T20 Women’s Cricket World Cup held on South African soil in February 2023.
Please allow me to also pay tribute to one of their stars who has just retired from international cricket. I wish to invite you to join me in wishing Shabnim Ismail, one of the world’s most prolific fast bowlers who mesmerized world’s audiences at the International.
In the spirit of celebrating women achievers in sport, it is my pleasure and delight to acknowledge Banyana-Banyana in their continental conquest. We wish Banyana Banyana well, as they also carry the hopes and dreams of all South Africans when they compete at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia / New Zealand in July this year. Their first match 25 July in New Zealand.
May I also acknowledge Andile Dlamini, on whom we bestowed the Sport Star of the Year at the National Sport Awards.
House Chair, allow me to take this opportunity to congratulate another woman of firsts, Ms Lydia Monyepoa on her appointment as the first-ever female Chief Executive Officer of the South African Football Association! Igama lamakhosikazi! Malibongwe
As indicated earlier, 2023 has been a great year for Women Sport; Let us pause and congratulate Ms Kirsten Neuscafer who made history by becoming the first woman to win the Prestigious Golden Globe round the world race, becoming the only female sailor to contest the race without the use of modern technology.
Cabinet approved South Africa’s hosting of the Netball World Cup from 28 July to 06 August 2023, demonstrating the commitment to the advancement of sport, particularly for women in the country. This is another historical moment, as it is the first time that this event is hosted on the African Continent.
The Department has committed to and has provided R30 million per year over three years, from 2020/2021, 2021/2022 – 2022/2023, leading up to the NWC2023 for planning and implementation of the event.
In that regard, it is my singular honor and privilege to acknowledge the President of Netball SA Ms Cecilia Molokwane and her leadership team, the Chairperson of the Netball World Cup Board, Ms Patience Shikwambana as well as other members of the Board, the Local Organising Committee, the Captain, Ms Bongi Msomi and the members of the Spar Proteas and the broader Netball family. I would also like to appreciate the co-operation between the Department, the Province and the City of Cape Town in ensuring this event becomes the success that we all want it to be.
Collectively, they shall carry the aspirations of our nation, carry our flag high and make us proud!
I now commend this budget to this honorable House for approval.
I thank you!
