Vision

An active, creative, winning and socially cohesive nation.

Mission

To provide an enabling environment for the sport, arts and culture (SAC) sector to foster an active, creative, winning and socially cohesive nation.

Values

  • Batho Pele: putting people first, i.e. public and other stakeholders.
  • Equality: everyone should be treated equally and have equal access to service and opportunities.
  • Innovation: finding creative solutions.
  • Responsiveness: a department that is quick to react to requests from and provide feedback to the public and other stakeholders.
  • Integrity: in our day-to-day activities, our integrity shines through.
  • Professionalism: together, we act professionally to deliver value to the South African economy, its people and ourselves.
  • Accountability: we are accountable to the people of South Africa in our quest to provide them with high-quality services.

Our Mandate

The mandate of the National Department responsible for Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) is derived from the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 hereafter referred to as the Constitution, including the Preamble and Founding Provisions, and in particular sections:

‘16(1) Freedom of expression - Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes –

(a) freedom of the press and other media;

(b) freedom to receive or impart information or ideas;

(c) freedom of artistic creativity; and

(d) academic freedom and freedom of scientific research.

‘30. Language and culture - Everyone has the right to use the language and to participate

in the cultural life of their choice, but no one exercising these rights may do so in a manner

inconsistent with any provision of the Bill of Rights,’ and

‘32. Access to information - (1) Everyone has the right of access to –

(a) any information held by the state; and

(b) any information that is held by another person and that is required for the exercise or protection of any rights.

The functionality of the Department is also premised on the constitutional right to social security in Schedule 27. In line with the constitutional imperatives on democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom, the Department has also been assigned the powers and functions to develop and implement national policies and programmes regarding sport and recreation in the country.

The Department is mandated to:

  • Provide leadership to the sport, arts and culture sector to accelerate its transformation;
  • Oversee the development and management of sport, arts and culture in South Africa;
  • Legislate on sports participation, sports infrastructure and safety;
  • Improve South Africa’s international ranking in selected sports through a partnership  with the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee;
  • Preserve, develop, protect and promote the cultural, heritage, linguistic diversity and legacy of South Africa;
  • Lead nation building and social cohesion through social transformation;
  • Enhance archives and records management structures and systems; and
  • Promote access to information.

DSAC is bound by all legislation passed in South Africa; however, the following acts, bills and regulations constitute the most frequent dimensions of the legal framework within which DSAC functions.

LEGISLATION

ACTS

The Acts below, are as captured in the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan of the Department. The legislation that is up for amendment, is still undergoing the amendment process.

  • Heraldry Act (No. 18 of 1962)
  • Culture Promotion Act (No. 35 of 1983)
  • Pan South African Language Board Act (No. 59 of 1995)
  • National Archives and Record Service of South Africa Act (No. 43 of 1996)
  • South African Institute for Drug-free Sport Act (No. 14 of 1997 as amended)
  • Legal Deposit Act (No. 54 of 1997)
  • National Arts Council Act (No. 56 of 1997)
  • National Film and Video Foundation Act (No.73 of 1997)
  • South African Library for the Blind Act (No. 91 of 1998)
  • National Library of South Africa Act (No. 92 of 1998)
  • National Sport and Recreation Act (No. 110 of 1998 as
  • amended)
  • South African Geographical Names Council Act (No. 118 of
  • 1998)
  • Cultural Institutions Act (No. 119 of 1998)
  • National Heritage Council Act (No. 11 of 1999)
  • National Heritage Resources Act (No. 25 of 1999)
  • National Council for Library and Information Services Act
  • (No. 6 of 2001)
  • South African Boxing Act (No. 11 of 2001)
  • Cultural Laws Amendment Act (No. 36 of 2001)
  • Cultural Laws Second Amendment Act (No. 69 of 2001)
  • Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act (No. 2 of 2010)
  • Use of Official Languages Act (No.12 of 2012)
  • South African Language Practitioners Council Act (No. 8 of
  • 2014)

BILLS

  • National Sport and Recreation Amendment Bill, 2021
  • South African Institute for Drug-free Sport Amendment Bill, 2021
  • South African Geographical Names Council Bill 2021

REGULATIONS

These regulations will be reviewed after the National Sport and Recreation Act, 1998, has been amended–

  • Bidding and Hosting of International Sport and Recreational Events Regulations, 2010
  • Recognition of Sport and Recreation Bodies Regulations, 2011
  • Funding of Sport or Recreational Bodies Regulations, 2015
  • Safety at Sport and Recreational Events Regulations, 2015

OTHER PRESCRIPTS GOVERNING THE DEPARTMENT

SECTOR-SPECIFIC:

  • The White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage (1996)
  • The White Paper on Sport and Recreation for the Republic of South Africa (2011)

GENERIC:

  • National Development Plan - Vision 2030 (2012)
  • Framework for Managing Programme Performance (2007)
  • Government-Wide Monitoring and Evaluation System (GWM&E) (2007)
  • Revised Framework for Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans (2019)
  • National Evaluation Policy (2012)
  • Public Audit Act (No. 25 of 2004)
  • Public Finance Management Act (1999)
  • Government Immovable Asset Management Act (No. 19 of 2007)
  • The Promotion of Access to Information Act (2000)
  • The Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (2000)
  • The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (2002)
  • The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) (2013)
  • Minimum Information Security Standards (MISS) (1998)
  • Local Government: Municipal Structures Act (1998)
  • Municipal Systems Act (2002)
  • National Youth Policy (2015-2020 & Draft NYP 2020-2030)
  • The Copyright Act (1978)
  • Legislation pertaining to provincial library services (including previous provincial ordinances) and related legislation.

INTERNATIONAL TREATIES

By virtue of being a State Party to international sport, arts, culture and heritage treaties (conventions and covenants), South Africa is bound by the legal obligations enshrined in those treaties. These include implementation, domestication, reporting and other legally binding obligations. (Cf. Constitution, Chapter 14, sections 231-233).

The international treaties:

  • 1954 Convention on the Protection of Cultural
  • Property in the Event of Armed Conflict
  • 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of
  • Ownership of Cultural Property
  • 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
  • 2001 Convention for the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage
  • 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
  • 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
  • 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects
  • Charter for African Cultural Renaissance.