Honourable Speaker
Honourable Premier
Colleagues in the Executive Council
Honourable Members of the Legislature
Executive Mayors, Mayors and Councilors
House of Traditional Leaders
Representatives of Sport Federations as well as Arts and Culture Councils
Soccer Legends
Management of the department
Chairperson of the Board and CEO of PACOFS
Ladies and Gentlemen
Comrades
It is our considered view that in conjunction with the national agenda of breeding a united, non-sexist, non- racial and prosperous society, a focus should be given to those who are already in an ideologue world, to whom the country and the province in particular will vest with powers of leadership in realising the country’s national agenda.
This department is well poised to realising these aims which are set out to engender a new spirit that our forebear fought for, for past generations. We believe that by targeting young people in particular through our various programmes, we will be able to plant the seed for the development of our society in general.
Against that background, it has always been our intention to create an enabling environment for students and young people in the province to dialogue and engage on pertinent issues which affect young people and society in general. Most importantly, the role that young academics should play in the construction of the country’s agenda and the direction that the province should take in achieving such agenda should be placed on a higher pedestal.
Engaging with all impediments restricting the province’s ability in attaining its common identity, shared values, common culture and unified economic emancipation, should be part of a strategy that is at the helm of the agenda of the youth of today.
Speaker, in order to operationalise the above sentiment, my department, for example, organised a successful Inaugural Youth Camp in November 2011 at Golden Gate under the theme “Our heritage, our pride”. Time and space was created for 100 best performing students who are Free State provincial government bursary holders from 12 Higher Education Institutions in the Free State, who shared profound ideas and exciting experiences, but also benefitted from the experience.
The youth camp was engaging with the topic An Empowered, Fair and Inclusive Citizenship as captured in Outcome 12B. The outcome has the following outputs which need to be realised through certain activities:
i) Nation Building and National Identity
ii) Citizen Participation and
iii) SocialCohesion.
We also successfully organised a Cultural Evening for all 160 Free State Provincial Government Bursary holders studying at Cape Town Higher Education Institutions on the 10th March 2012. The main purpose of the Cultural Evening was to teach and celebrate the rich Free State culture, its indigenous traditions, its walks, its people, its history and Heritage, and to remind the students that they should come back to the Free State when they complete their studies.
My department will continue to roll out such programmes of Cultural Evenings to all higher education institutions across the country where there are Free State Provincial Government bursary holders, once every quarter throughout this year.
Speaker, Cabinet Lekgotla of 2011 also articulated the need to create employment on a large scale, more especially for the youth. During my budget vote speech on the 6th April 2011, in Luckhoff, I indicated that my department will undertake to involve 16 unemployed graduates in an internship programme.
To date, 23 graduates have been involved in an internship programme. An intake of extra seven graduates will be made in the next financial year. Immediately after signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and partnering with Culture, Arts, Tourism and Hospitality Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA), my department will involve more students in learnerships and Internship programmes in line with the National Skills Development Strategy III and the Cabinet decision of 2002, which says the number of young people involved in internship and learnership programmes should reach 5% of the staff establishment of each government department and the appointment of interns shall therefore not be less than 2.5% of the total staff establishment.
My department will continue to strive to provide job opportunities to the interns beyond their internship programmes.
Speaker, the youth are our country and province’s future and we must invest in them, hence the department felt it necessary to establish effective partnerships with the Institutions of higher learning in order to provide workplace training to the young people in a form of giving them exposure to the world of work like experiential training as required by their qualifications.
In his State of the Province Address, the honourable Premier, Comrade Ace Magashule, stated that, and I quote: “Youth unemployment is not only a statistical matter, but it is at the core of the quality of life, as it negatively affects the welfare, livelihood, development and progress of youth. There is obviously an imperative for us to act decisively to intervene and unrest the challenges of youth unemployment” close quote.
My department is therefore implementing all the above-stated youth oriented programmes because we cannot fold our arms and look at the educated young people joining the army of the unemployed.
Programme 1: Administration
The administration programme continues to be a pillar of support to the service delivery programs. The programme was strengthened with the creation of three new directorates namely: Communication and I.T., Strategic Planning and Security services.
Suitable staff has been appointed to fill vacant posts.93% of the posts in the organisational establishment are filled. Resources were set aside for Training and skills development and this will create an enabling environment for staff to perform at their best. The department employed 23 interns who are unemployed graduates as part of the government’s programme of job creation.
Mindful of the 2014 Clean Audit drive and in order to address the audit queries raised in the 2010/11 Audit report, Supply chain has filled the following positions to improve on compliance matters: SCM Specialist: Demand and Acquisition and three Asset Clerks.
The department also ensured that a number of contracts are in place to improve service delivery and ensured the timely appointment of the Consortium to deal with Mangaung African Cultural Festival (MACUFE) for a period of four years, starting from 2011 to 2014. We also have fully functional Audit Committees to ensure all round compliance. All PROPAC resolutions were attended to as well.
To date, above 70% of the departmental budget on goods and services and infrastructure has been spent on Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) compliant service providers within the Free State Province, with a major improvement on Building and Construction industry as compared to the 2010/11 financial year. The department ensured that almost 90% of service providers are being paid within 30 days from receipt of the invoice.
We have also put tighter control measures in place to reduce irregular expenditure as reported in the 2010/11 Audit report.
Given the challenge constantly posed by infrastructure projects we have appointed Infrastructure Manager to ensure the fast-tracking of infrastructure projects. In order to ensure speedy delivery of infrastructure projects and to ensure maximum compliance as emphasised by the Minister of Finance in his Budget Speech, the department has appointed an Inter-departmental Infrastructure Evaluation Committee comprising of senior managers from Free State Provincial Treasury, Department of Public Works and Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.
Some of the infrastructure projects were transferred to Independent Development Trust (IDT) to ensure timely implementation of projects and already, out of the four projects, there are contractors on site already and designs for five libraries are being discussed to be ready in the first quarter of the financial year.
Speaker, asset management will be the priority focus during the 2012/13 financial year to ensure that the asset register is complete and meets all the requirements as per National Treasury’s requirement. Bar-coding of assets will be fully implemented and all assets holders will be held responsible for their assets in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). The Accounting Officer will also take disciplinary action for non-adherence to regulations.
Programme 2: Cultural affairs
Speaker, Programme 2 deals with arts and culture as well as museum and heritage services.
The department is now making a concerted effort to introduce long lasting solutions to the management of the arts and sector, solutions that will make a meaningful impact in the lives of the arts loving communities of the Free State. Part of those solutions includes the establishment of the provincial arts and culture structure for artists in the Free State.
From the 3rd to the 4th March 2012 we staged the arts and culture conference attended by 270 delegates who are bona fides artists in the province. One of the important outcomes of this conference was the establishment of this structure called Free State Arts and Culture Association (FSACA). The existence of FSACA will assist us as the department to properly engage with artists in the province in a coordinated way as our artists will from henceforth be speaking with one voice.
Our major challenge with regard to interacting with artists in the past, was this fragmented voice of provincial artists. The establishment of such a structure is in line with the part of our mission statement which is “establishment of structures of society to improve levels of governance and administration within Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation”.
We have also launched the arts in schools programme which was piloted in the Lejweleputswa district. This programme will certainly also enhance our efforts towards entrenching the love for arts and culture in the broader society. Through the young ones in schools, parents in communities must begin to develop and appreciate the value for arts and culture.
As we have noted above, the staging of the celebrations of the Centenary of the ANC provided and will continue to provide us with the historical opportunity to appreciate and preserve our heritage. The richness of our heritage as the province is beyond doubt. The Centenary legacy will continue to be advanced through infrastructure projects such as the following:
During the current financial year, through the two sub-programmes of arts and culture as well as museum, heritage and language services, we have made strides towards the attainment of the goals of promoting the love for arts and culture as well as the appreciation and preservation of heritage in this province.
Arts and Culture:
Through arts and culture the following milestones have been realised during this financial year, in summary:
1) Mangaung African Cultural Festival (MACUFE) 2011
MACUFE was successfully hosted in the month of October 2011. The festival was divided into two categories, being the Commercial and the Developmental and Theatre sections. Over 58 000 people attended the 2011 edition of MACUFE. The Department entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Performing Arts Council of the Free State (PACOFS) for the latter to lead the developmental section. This section started off with the District Auditions which identified 800 artists. These artists presented about 88 performances during MACUFE 2011.
The festival also featured two new activities being the Music Conference aimed at aspiring musicians and music producers, and the film Festival as presented in partnership with the National Film and Video Foundation. The festival also re-introduced the MACUFE Wordfest which saw a big number of Free State writers exhibiting and promoting their literary works.
2) Days of national significance:
As part of the programme of observing days of national significance the province successfully hosted Heritage Day celebration on the 24th September, which was attended by about 5500 people in Ficksburg. Freedom Day celebrations were also successfully staged in Frankfort with an estimated 7000 people attending.
3) International trips
On the international front, we visited two European countries, namely Serbia and Austria, attending the South Africa in Colours Festival which is organised by Makhaya Africa Village. We were accompanied by 10 Free State Crafters who exhibited their craft products and visual arts as well as craftworks from 10 other craft organisations during both visits. These trips are used to provide Free State artists and crafters access to big international markets. The visits will be an annual activity with the 2012 visit earmarked for Belgium.
4) Arts in schools programme
As noted earlier, we launched the arts in school programme which was piloted in the Lejweleputswa District where 20 schools (10 Primary and 10 High schools) took part.
The focus was on drama and visual art. The department employed 17 young artists to work with teachers and learners in the selected schools. The programme will continue in 2012, adding more schools to reach at least 120 schools around the province.
5) Community Arts and Culture Centres
Mmabana Community Arts Centre and the Field Band Foundation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to present a brass programme at the centre in Thaba Nchu. The Field Band Foundation will provide brass, dance and life skills training for young people coming from schools mainly in Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo.
These young people will then form a band that will play and compete with other Field Band Foundation chapters from across the country. These young people will also be placed in universities internationally when they complete Grade 12 based on how well they do during training.
Dancers from Mmabana and Thabong Community Arts Centres took part in the National Ballroom and Latin American Dance Competition in Cape Town. Five couples from Mmabana Centre qualified for the World Championships to be held in December 2012.
The Thabong Community Arts Centre will continue hosting the annual Disability Dance Competitions as one of the flagship programmes in the department. The 2012 edition will include training of disabled dancers from around the province, making participation a truly provincial affair.
The department is aiming to develop the competition into a mini-festival for the disabled people by including other art forms like drama as well as visual arts and craft.
In an effort to advance the impact of Community Arts and Culture Centres the department has procured technical equipment (sound, stages and lighting) for the Community Arts Centres. This is aimed at assisting community based artists to practice their art through district based festivals to be organised by the centres. The theatre lighting and sound at Mmabana Centre has been upgraded to make the theatre accessible and usable for the artists and beneficiaries of the centre.
6) Musicon
Under our music institution known as Musicon, the Mangaung Strings Programme successfully continued its expansion into the Xhariep District. Two young musicians, Bonolo Kgaile and Sisa Mgau, who are beneficiaries in the programme, attended the International Chamber Music Festival in Brussels.
Eighty Choir Conductors from around the Free State were trained by North West University at MUSICON as part of the Department’s drive to formalise the choral sector and improve Free State’s showing and competitiveness during national competitions.
7) Partnerships
As the department we strive to engage in partnerships to advance arts and culture programmes. One of such programmes is the Cherry Festival which the Department supported with both technical skills and financial resources. Free State crafters developed by the department were provided an opportunity to exhibit at the festival.
8) Mines Cultural Dance competitions
On the 18th March the department hosted its inaugural Mines Cultural Dance competitions in Welkom. A total of 2000 dancers from around Matjhabeng as well as the Harmony and Goldfields mines took part. Through this programme we aim to preserve the rich cultural milieu that is existent in the mines in the form of various indigenous dance genres.
Amongst other milestones that we can highlight are the following:
- The Provincial Language Act has been finalised and will be sent to Exco for approval so that it could be launched by the end of May 2012.
- The Draft Act for the Free State Film Commission was finalised and circulated for public inputs. The closing date for all the contributions was the 29th February 2012, lastly.
- The department signed an MoU with PACOFS to continue the partnership in the development of the Arts in the province. This MoU will see the department and PACOFS presenting drama productions based on Grade 12 Set-works. The programme will focus on three books being “Kringe in ‘n bos”, “Romeo and Juliet” and “Nothing but the truth”.
Speaker, in the next financial year the following arts and culture programmes will be implemented:
1) Thaba Patchoa Gemeenskapsopheffingsprogram
As deel van pogings om geidentifiseerde dorpe in die Vrystaat te ontwikkel wil ons, deur kuns en kultuur, die volgende opleidingsprogramme aan die gemeenskap van Thaba Patchoa voorsien:blokfluit en elektroniese sleutelbord opleidingsprogramme koormusiek asook Visuele Kunste en Handwerk opleidingsprogramme.
2) Mangaung strings programme
The Mangaung Strings Programme that is already established in the Mangaung Metro Municipality and Xhariep District will now be extended to Fezile Dabi district. A Programme will be started in Kroonstad as part of the Musicon outreach programme.
3) Arts in schools programme
The Arts in Schools programme that was launched on the 2nd March 2012 will commence in Lejweleputswa, Mangaung and Fezile Dabi in April 2012. This programme will be extended to the Thabo Mofutsanyane and Xhariep districts in the 2013/2014 financial year.
4) School Set-works
As part of the department’s MoU with PACOFS, PACOFS will continue presenting School Setworks like “Nothing but the Truth”, “Romeo & Juliet” and “Kringe in `n Bos” up until September 2012. These productions will be presented in the PACOFS Theatres as well as theatres in Sasolburg, Welkon, Kroonstad, Phuthaditjhaba and Bethlehem. Part of the MoU will cover the presentation of a developmental programme aimed at promoting Puppetry Shows throughout the Free State.
5) Spelling Bee
The department will present Spelling Bee in collaboration with the Free State Department of Education in assisting learners to improve spelling and grammar. This programme will be in the format of a competition starting at every school in the Free State and culminating in a provincial competition with a knock-out stage format ending with one provincial winner.
6) Arts in prisons programme
We will commence with an Arts in Prisons programme in Fezile Dabi and Lejweleputswa districts. The main areas of focus will be performing arts, sewing and quilting as well as visual arts and craft.
7) MACUFE After-care Programme
The MACUFE After-care programme is aimed at developing and improving the skills of the artists that were identified through MACUFE 2011 Auditions. The training programme will be done as part of the MoU with PACOFS and will use the skills of top arts practitioners from around the country. The best performing artists from this development programme will be provided with opportunities to take part in the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown as well as being scheduled to perform in the PACOFS artistic Programme.
8) Mines Cultural Dance Competitions
The department will continue hosting the Mines Cultural Dance Competitions in Welkom. The best performing artists in these competitions will be scheduled to perform at MACUFE 2012 to increase the Cultural content of the festival.
9) Free State Film Commission
The Free State Film Commission will be established after a successful public participation and consultation process that was conducted. The Commission will assist in regulating the development of the film sector in the province as well as promoting the Free State internationally as a film location of choice.
10) MACUFE 2012
Lastly, MACUFE 2012 will this year celebrate its 15th year of existence. Following the success of MACUFE 2011, the department has taken a conscious decision to build on this success and improve the festival management. The main improvement is that preparations for MACUFE 2012 have already started.
The department and the officially appointed Event Management Company have already met key stakeholders like Computicket to work on improving service in the 2012 edition. The team has already made presentations to four potential sponsors. The marketing of the festival will also start earlier than normal with promotional activities at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. This will be followed by a media launch in May 2012 and other promotional activities at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in June 2012.
The team is finalising a programme that will see the introduction of exciting new elements and the crowd favourites like Divas Concerts and the Main festival. Our main aim is to provide exciting surprises and keep the festival fresh and appealing to the public, the media and the sponsors.
Heritage, museums and language services
Speaker, through the Heritage, Museums and Language Services sub-programme of programme 2, we have realised few milestones during this financial year and we will continue to work on the following:
1) Consolidation of museums:
In our quest to strengthen museums in the province the department will embark on a process of scaling down museums, namely: Niek van Niekerk museum in Boshof; Reverend Pellisier museum in Bethulie and Riemland museum in Heilbron. These museums showcase and promote the contribution of one person who was prominent in that particular town and not at a provincial level.
Furthermore, the department will also commence with a process of digitalising museum artifacts to ensure that provincial museums are interactive and reflect the demographics of the province.
2) Basotho Cultural Village
Basotho Cultural Village (BCV) has been operating as a living or open air museum focusing mainly on preservation and promotion of our cultural heritage. However in the absence of the art and culture centre in Thabo Mofutsanyana District, we are going to make use of BCV for development of our artists in the district.
We are also going to ensure that it is supported with all the resources it may require to meet this mandate. It is going to be the play-ground of the Eastern Free State with entertainment every month.
The marketing of this institute that is visited by more than 50 000 domestic, national and international visitors every year will be maximised. We have developed a website for this institution. In the past, it only had a page within the departmental website which made it difficult for its clients to find it.
During the next financial year our partnerships with institutions such as the Free State Provincial House of Traditional Leaders as well as the Free State Tourism Authority will be strengthened. Together with the above institutions, we will present the annual African New Year’s Celebration that will be celebrated in a form of carnival that will also ensure that our artists and cultural practitioners benefit from this initiative.
3) Heritage resources services
The department has two statutory bodies which it supports to perform their mandates, namely: Provincial Heritage Resources Authority (PHRA) and Provincial Geographical Names Committee (PGNC). The department will continue to support these bodies to deliver on their legislative mandate in the province.
Through PHRA Thomas Mapikela house in Bloemfontein and Winnie Madikizela
Mandela house in Brandfort will be declared as provincial heritage sites.
The department will continue to work with the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) to facilitate final declaration of Mapikela house and grave in Bloemfontein, Dr Moroka’s grave in Thaba Nchu, the Wesleyan Church in Bloemfontein and the grave of Reverend Mahabane in Kroonstad, as first national heritage sites ever in the province. This will be done in pursuit of strategic objective of transforming our heritage landscape in the province.
Through the PGNC, the department will embark on a number of public hearings for name change of town names like Odendaalsrus, Petrus Steyn and Hobhouse. These three towns will be turning 100 years this year (2012). PGNC will be embarking on the establishment and training of Section 79 Committee for local and district municipalities on the processes of name changes according to the legislation.
4) Language services
In pursuit of the goal of multilingualism and promotion of previously marginalised languages in the province, the department will through Language Services embark on literature development programme to identify, nurture and showcase literary talent during Macufe 2012.
Macufe Wordfest was resuscitated during Macufe 2011 as a platform to promote and showcase literary work of the Free State writers. This event will continue to be held annually during Macufe. Departmental terminology booklet has been harvested, completed and translated from English to Sesotho.
The document has been submitted to the Sesotho National Language Board for verification, authentication and approval. With the implementation of this official departmental terminology booklet, we will be able to communicate with the public about departmental programmes in the language mostly spoken in the province.
Programme 3: Library and archives services
Speaker, one of government’s key priorities is the development of an empowered, fair and inclusive citizenship. A pre-requisite for meaningful and responsible participation in a democratic dispensation is a literate and informed society.
Reading is the empowering skill which makes all learning possible and which gives access to information needed in our daily lives. Libraries with their collections of reading and information materials in printed and electronic formats are the gateways to an empowered citizenship who can participate in civic life and contribute to the 21st century knowledge economy.
My department is, therefore, committed to the continuous development and upgrading of community library services in the province to ensure that our libraries are serving the community as centres of reading, literacy and learning.
During the current financial year, our libraries and archive services has performed as follows:
- The upgrade of the Philippolis Library was completed and the library re-opened for the public in December 2011.
- Major renovations at Parys and Bethlehem libraries were completed.
- Six toy libraries were established at Koffiefontein, Lourierpark, Odendaalsrus, Parys, Mamafubedu and Philippolis.
- Approximately 50 000 new items of library material were added to library collections.
- The Heidedal Library can be congratulated for presenting a very successful reading programme involving all primary schools in the area.
- The Free State Online project was expanded and the number of libraries with public access computers and Internet connectivity was increased to 163.
- The National Symbols Programme aimed at fostering social cohesion and nation building was presented at libraries through-out the Province, and
- A special service for visually disabled persons was established at 15 libraries, with 3 in each District.
In the next financial year the following projects will be undertaken under library and archive services:
Library Services
1) Infrastructure
To ensure equitable access to library services in even the remotest areas, the department’s library building programme will be accelerated during 2012/13.Here, in the Mantsopa Municipality, access to services will be expanded with improved facilities in Thaba Patchoa and Hobhouse. Planning to this end will start during 2012. The following specific library infrastructural projects will unfold:
- The Jacobsdal Library in the Letsemeng Municipality (Xhariep District) will be completed.
- New projects include the following: Smithfield, Luckhoff and Wepener in the Xhariep District; Soutpan and Verkeerdevlei in Lejweleputswa District; Arlington, Clarens and Memel in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District and Oranjeville in the Fezile Dabi District.
- During the 2012/13 financial year the department will start with planning of a new library in Hobhouse.
- The project to upgrade Bloemfontein Public library as the main reference and study centre of the Free State will continue whilst the Oppermansgronde Library in Xhariep District will be upgraded with the addition of an activity and study hall.
It is estimated that 20 jobs are created with every library building project. The department will spend R42 million on library infrastructure during 2012/13.
2) Library Information and Communication Technologies
Access to up-dated electronic information is a requirement for survival in the global village with its information and knowledge driven dynamics.
Since 2007 the department has provided more than 160 libraries with an Information Communication and Technology (ICT) infrastructure. Although we experience challenges such as high connectivity cost, unstable connections in rural areas and cable theft, the department will continue to maintain and expand the service in 2012/13. Thaba Patchoa is one of the towns which will receive additional computers in 2012/13.
From 2012, a virtual library service will be available, enabling users to download and read books in electronic format. E-book readers will be available at libraries.
An amount of R11 million was set aside for the maintenance and expansion of the library ICT infrastructure.
3) Literacy and a Culture of Reading
Although we live in a fast-changing environment requiring different survival skills almost every day, reading endures as the skill that makes learning possible. Reading forms the basis for quality education and it remains our responsibility to nurture not only the skill of reading but also the love of reading.
The Library Services Component will continue with existing programmes such as the A re Ithuteng and Reading is Cool programmes but will also launch exciting new programmes of which one is Spelling Bee, which is a spelling competition, will form the focal point.
The programme will be aimed at Grade 3 and 6 learners and will be conducted on municipal and district level with the final provincial round in September during Literacy Month and National Book Week.
Educational toy library services which play an important role in early childhood and reading development will be established at 6 libraries, namely Jacobsdal, Kutlwanong, Ezenzeleni, Tweeling, Thembalihle and Thaba Patchoa.
Book collections in libraries will be maintained and upgraded with the acquisition of approximately 40 000 new books.
An exhibition depicting 100 years of the road to freedom will be travelling to all libraries during the course of the year to celebrate our rich history and create awareness of the many books available in libraries about this history.
An amount of R5 million is earmarked for reading promotion, toy libraries and library materials.
4) Staff capacity
As our contribution towards the goal of job creation, since 2007 the department has appointed 192 officials to improve service delivery at libraries. Because of these appointments libraries in even the remotest rural areas are now open for at least 40 hours per week, thus improving access to services.
The department will continue to maintain these posts and approval has been granted to translate these contract posts to permanent appointments. The department contributed significantly to job creation and decent employment with the library capacity building programme as most appointments were unemployed youth from rural areas.
In the coming year capacity will be strengthened with the continuation of the skills development programme for library staff. An information literacy training programme will be launched whilst refresher courses in library administration and computer literacy will be presented during 2012.
Thirty bursaries for study in library and information science were allocated and will be maintained in the coming year.
The department allocated approximately R23.5million for maintaining and improving staff capacity at libraries.
5) Library week
We are celebrating Library Week at the moment with the theme Develop@ your library. The range of services, programmes and projects available at libraries such as study facilities, Internet access, toy library services, story hours, social cohesion programs, etc. is indeed confirmation that libraries are centres of community life and development.
Archive services
Speaker, working towards Operation Clean Audit, the Archives Services component will continue to work closely with government departments and municipalities to improve the status and quality of records management at public offices. Proper records management does not only ensure transparent and accountable governance but also ensure that the record of history in the making is preserved for future generations.
To ensure community participation in and oversight over the archives function a Provincial Archives Council will be appointed in April. The Provincial Archives will co-host the National Oral History Conference during October 2012 thereby making a contribution to ensure that the unrecorded history of previous times is captured and preserved in our Archives.
Programme 3 has a total allocation of R124 427 million with the Equitable Share being R39 373 million; Infrastructure Enhancement Allocation being R34 750 million and Conditional Grant of R50 304 million.
Programme 4: Sport and Recreation
Speaker, in his budget vote speech, MEC Seiso Mohai underscored the strategic role of sport and recreation in the advancement of social cohesion and nation building. We are in total agreement with him in the sentiments he expressed in this regard. In line with those sentiments, as the department, we have moved mountains to ensure that sport and recreation is strategically poised to play that role in society.
The current financial year has seen other intense developments in the sport and recreation arena in the following aspects: firstly, staging of District Sport Indabas in all our districts and the metro and the Provincial Sport Indaba on 5th to 6th August 2011 in Bloemfontein. Following these District and Provincial Sport Indabas the province actively participated with one voice in the National Sport Indaba hosted by Minister Fikile Mbalula.The Provincial Sport Policy conference will be hosted in the next financial year to take the consultative process forward.
Secondly, major sport infrastructure projects were undertaken in a quest to create a conducive environment for communities to take part in sport. These infrastructure projects are in the form of the Multi-Purpose Sport Courts that have been built in ten towns of our province (Petrus Steyn, Heilbron, Vredefort, Luckhoff, Van Stadensrus, Diyatalawa, Makgolokweng, Tweeling, Kgalala, and Steynsrus). Ons is besig om nog ‘n Meerdoelige Sportkompleks vir Thaba Patchoa te bou. An additional eight more courts will be built in identified towns.
Other sport infrastructure projects are in the form of Community Gyms that we have built in partnership with Sport and Recreation South Africa in Virginia, Heilbron, Warden, Wepener and another one in Odendaalsrus. We have earmarked to build these Community Gyms in other towns such as Senekal and Rouxville in the near future. As previously communicated, District High Performance and Local Talent Development Centres have also been built in the three Districts of our province (Fezile Dabi, Thabo Mofutsanyana and Lejweleputswa) with the other two to be completed in Xhariep and Mangaung Metro in the next financial year.
The following infrastructure projects have been undertaken and continue to be rolled-out:
1) A total of 10 Multipurpose Facilities Sport Courts were completed and handed-over.
2) The concept stage of Seisa Ramabodu has been finalised and the demolitions have started. The upgrading of the stadium will run until after June 2014, which will see an increased seating capacity. This stadium is a legacy project and is in partnership with the Mangaung Metro.
3) The consultants have been appointed and construction to commence during the 2012/13 financial year, for the Upgrading of Sipho Mutsi Stadium (Odendaalsrus).
4) The appointment of consultants for the following projects is being finalised with due date of 31st March 2012, and construction to commence during the 2012/13 financial year:
- Renovations at Ficksburg Stadium
- Upgrading of Laubscher Park Stadium (Kroonstad)
- Botshabelo Local Talent Development Centre and District High Performance Satellite; and
5) Community halls with multipurpose sports facilities, in partnership; with Department of Human Settlement.
We are delighted to also mention that we have sound working relationship with The Sports Trust who has donated multi-purpose sport courts at Mamello Primary School in Meloding/Virginia and another one at Batho Primary School in Mangaung.
Another multi-purpose sport court will be erected in Marquard before the end of this financial year.
The following projects at Free State Sport Science Institute are currently under construction: Netball; Table Tennis and Badminton High Performance Training Centres and a Restaurant.
Sport and Talent Development (School Sport)
Speaker, School Sport has been declared by Minister Mbalula as a priority programme. In line with the mandate of the Minister, as the province we have rolled out the following programmes to ensure the successful implementation of School Sport in the province:
1) The Dr. Irvin Khoza Free State Schools Super League which was launched in May 2011 in Botshabelo.Dr. Khoza, donated R50 000 towards the winning school and another R50 000 to the best Grade 12 performing learner who participated in the tournament. The donation is a five year commitment by Dr Khoza.
2) Handover of sport equipment and attire was made to 323 quintile 1 and 2 schools in the five districts of the province.
3) The Motlalepula Ntsala soccer tournament was launched and finals were played on the 16th June 2011 in Ficksburg.
4) Bolton Wanderers Football Club trials were hosted in Virginia. Five players selected from these trials were taken for trials with Bolton Wanderers in England.
5) Support was given to Free State Schools’ Chess tournament which took place in QwaQwa in September 2011; lastly.
6) We also hosted the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup, the finals of which were successfully hosted in Bloemfontein with 18 schools representing nine provinces. We are proud to announce that Harmony High school from Virginia won the grand prize of R1 million worth of equipment for their school. The Free State will host the finals again during this calendar year.
We will continue to build on the above achievements in the field of School Sport by rolling out the following programmes in the next financial year:
1) Provide sport equipment and attire to selected Quintile 1 and 2.
2) Roll out of school leagues in conjunction with Department of Education.
3) Staging of the following School Sport tournaments: District Farm Schools Games, Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN) Schools Sport Festival, Motlalepula Ntsala Soccer Tournament, Sipho Mutsi Games, Girls Sport Development Games, Dr. Irvin Khoza Finals; lastly,
4) Team Preparation Training Camp for the Top Schools Tournament to happen in December 2012.
Community Sport:
Speaker, Community Sport programme continues to be at the centre of our efforts to take both young and senior members of our society from social ills such as alcohol and drug abuse, crime, teenage pregnancies and so on. As in previous financial years we have through this programme kept our communities fully engaged in sport and recreational activities. We have implemented our new strategy that we had introduced for participation of all 82 towns in the province.
Following are some of such activities undertaken during that period:
1) Playing equipment and attire for Volleyball, Netball, Football, Table Tennis, Rugby and Basketball distributed to all 82 towns of the province.
2) Provincial O.R Tambo Games were staged in Welkom in October in celebration of the legacy of O.R Tambo.
3) Mass Mobilisation Magnificent Friday Project was launched in February 2011 and rolled out as part of efforts to create hype for the Sport Federations (Cricket, Netball and Rugby) that participated in World Championships.
4) We have sent Indigenous Games Team Free State to the National IndigenousGames tournament held in March 2012.
5) Provincial Golden Games were held in Thaba Nchu and Welkom where we sadly lost Mr Daniel Molefi Ramatsoele who was very active and a coordinator for Wesselsbron at the age 64.
6) We were also proud to host the 3rd National Golden Games in Mangaung during which we partnered with the Departments of Social Development and Health.
7) The department also continued to provide support to provincial teams taking part in national sport events and these include: Netball (Females and Males teams); Ladies Football team.
In the next financial year we will continue to build on the above milestones by implementing the following programmes:
1) Develop Indigenous Games and Senior Citizens programme up to National level with Departments of Health and Social Development.
2) Stage National Youth Camp.
3) Appoint 19 Sport Assistants in local municipalities from EPWP incentive grant.
4) Establish Sport and Recreation leagues spear-headed by Sport Councils.
5) Host Club Development Leagues (Rural & ladies Football, Rugby & Netball).
6) Community initiatives.
7) Supporting Sport and Recreation Councils.
8) Supplying playing equipment and attire in all 82 towns.
9) Outreach Programmes (Trusts) and farm areas.
10) Stage People with Disabilities Games.
11) Mass Mobilisation Magnificent Friday Project is continuing the hype for the Federations that will participate in World Championships and Summer Olympics in London.
12) Team delivery to Provincial and National tournaments.
13) Capacity Building- Administration and code specific.
Free State Sport Science Institute (FSSSI)
Speaker, the Free State Sport Science Institute (FSSSI) is at the pinnacle of our Sport Development Continuum. Starting from the mass participation sport programmes that we offer through Community Sport and School Sport, where we identify and select talent, we then move up the development continuum to the Local Talent and District High Performance Centres for the nurturing of this talent.
For our athletes that have to perform at an elite level the FSSSI continues to serve as an institute for the perfection of athletic prowess of these athletes.
Amongst many targets reached we can just mention the following few targets:
1) Scientific testing of more than 2 247 athletes.
2) Overall sport science testing was provided to the following teams: South African National Defence Force (SANDF) National Boxing Squad; Engen Soccer Tournament; SANDF National Rugby Squad in preparation for the 2011 Rugby World Cup,Trialists of Bolton Wanderers of England, FS Amateur Senior Cricket Side, Cheetahs Super 15 Squad, Roses United and so on.
3) 546 Provincial Coaches were assisted with training on Sport Scientific topics
Because of its excellent services, the Free State Sport Science Institute (FSSSI) has found its athletes winning multiple national colours and the institution being invited by Athletic South Africa (ASA) to present sport science symposium lectures throughout South Africa in October and November 2011.
As a result of its calibre, the FSSSI has also been able to attract international sport scientists for sharing of sport science knowledge as in the case of the FSSSI International Symposium for High Performance Coaches where two Belgian presenters were hosted.
In the next financial year we will continue on this positive track record by implementing the following, amongst many others:
1) Start Outreach Programmes focused on Athlete development and Coaching support.
2) Start operating with Ultimate Sport Science Laboratory Mobile bus providing sport science services in districts.
3) Start with Outreach Programme through the mobile units in all districts thus taking sport science to the rural communities.
4) Start implementing FSSSI residential programmes for Boxing, Netball, Table Tennis and Badminton.
5) Completion of High Performance training centres for Netball, Table Tennis and badminton
6) Conduct new research projects on talent identification and development in the province.
Free State Sport Confederation
My department provides financial support to the civil society structure, the Free State Sport Confederation, which is the controlling body of all sport in the province. Confederation has a membership of 41 provincial federations, 5 Disability Sport Associations and 5 District Sport Councils. These federations have been supported with an amount of R2 million this financial year and R3 million in the 2012/13 financial year.
Conclusion
Speaker, the road travelled so far has not been easy. Although so much has been realised through various programmes of the department, several challenges have been and continue to be confronted. These relate to insufficient budget, human and capital resources.
Let me therefore in conclusion take this opportunity to express our gratitude as the department to all our stakeholders who continue to stand by our side in carrying out our mandate. These include the arts, culture and heritage statutory bodies, sport federations and councils, the Department of Education in the implementation of the School Sport programme, Departments of Social Development and Health in the implementation of the Golden Games and other programmes as well as the municipalities.
Without the support of these, and many other bodies and individuals that I have not mentioned here, the delivery of sport, arts, culture and recreation services will not be possible.
We hope this support will continue well into the future as collectively we owe it to the Free State communities to ensure continuous service delivery.
Terwyl ons besig is om hierdie Begrotingspos in Thaba Patchoa aan te bied, skenk die departement graag ook sporttoerusting en uitrusting aan die skole en gemeenskapsklubs en sal ons hulle ondersteun met afgrigtingskliniekeen programme vir kapasiteitsbou. Die meerdoelige sportbaan op Thaba Patchoa het tydelike werk geskep vir 8 mans en 4 vroue uit ‘n total van 12 werkers.
I thank you.
