MEC Mathabo Leeto: Free State Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Prov Budget Vote 2017/2018

Allow me to express my heartfelt gratitude to the people of the Free State and the African National Congress (ANC) for affording me this opportunity to present the 2017/18 Budget Vote of the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation. As the Department we will always remember that during the 2014 General Elections our people went out in their numbers to vote because they were confident that the long term vision, the National Development Plan adopted by the ANC led government, will accelerate the agenda that seeks to continue changing their lives for the better.

The National Development Plan calls upon all of us to make sure that our future becomes brighter because South Africa belongs to all its people and we all share a common destiny as a people. We need to always remember that all South Africans seek a better future for themselves and their children. Through The National Development Plan, South Africa  will undoubtedly eliminate  poverty,  reduce inequality by 2030 and indeed, honourable Speaker, South Africa will create a united, non - racial, non- sexist and prosperous society.

The Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation remains committed to implementing programmes and projects that creates an enabling environment for our society to strive for unity at all times. Despite the budget size of this Department, we believe we can do more with what is on our table.

Honourable Speaker,

The Department has been allocated an amount of R687.295 million in 2017/18 Financial Year. This is a decrease of 1.6% compared to the budget of the previous financial year. The budget has been allocated to four (4) programme:

1. Administration and Financial Management:             R    88.441 million

2. Cultural Affairs:                                                       R 151.901 million

3. Library and Archive Services:                                   R 247.226 million

4. Sport and Recreation:                                              R 199.727 million

Administration and Financial Management: R88.441 million

Administration and Financial Management programme has been allocated an amount of R 88.441 million which is an increase of 2.8% compared to the last financial year. This 2.8% increase under programme1 is due to the internal reprioritisation to fund other programme.

The call to do more with less continues to echo through the length and breadth of our land in view of the global economic climate which affects all of us negatively. As the Department, despite these difficulties, we will continue to rise to the occasion to attempt to creatively and innovatively respond to this need of doing more with less

Skills Development

During 2016/17 financial year the Department budgeted an amount of R3 million towards skills development. To supplement the training budget in this regard an amount of R875 000 was allocated from a Discretionary Grant to implement internal  learnerships which accommodated 10 Sports Administrators, 10 Sports Fitness qualifications, five (5) Bursaries for Generic management and Public Administration qualifications and 30 Events Management Skills program. For 2017/18 an amount of R3, 3 million is allocated for skills development.

We will continue to intensify partnerships with CATHSETA and PSETA in order to source more funds from Mandatory and Discretionary grants to cater for youth development program and capacitate the existing employees for their career pathing.

Radical Economic Transformation

Honourable Speaker,

It is our view that Radical economic transformation cuts across all the Departments. This strategic programme is intended to address the economic imbalances of the past and should receive maximum attention from all Departments.

Our Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) reports clearly ensure that, while measures have been undertaken to realise the empowerment of previously marginalised groups, more still needs to be done. During the year under review, the Department has spent 70% of the total budget on goods and services as well as on infrastructure to benefit the Free State Companies. 75% of the total budget benefited BBBEE Companies; 67% benefited SMME Companies; Women Owned Companies 49% and 21% Youth Owned Companies.

This performance, though encouraging, must still be broadened and deepened to realise the set objectives of Radical Economic Transformation. We will continue to ensure that more previously disadvantaged companies benefit from our procurement spent to address the economic inequalities in our province.

Administration and Financial Management

We continue to commit ourselves to clean administration and financial management. The Department continues to pride itself of its achievement of three

(3) clean audits in successive years, 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/15 financial years. For the 2015/16 financial year there were issues of disagreements between the Department and the Office of the Auditor General.  It is our hope that the issues will soon be resolved so that we can get the final report on the outcomes  of  the 2015/16 financial year.

In his State of the Province Address the Premier continuously directed Departments to pay service providers within 30 days. This call was as a result of ensuring that the Radical Economic Transformation becomes real. The non-payment of service providers in 30 days delays the Radical Economic Transformation agenda. We managed to achieve 80% payment to service providers within 30 days. The remaining percentage is as a result of disputed processes. We commit to minimise disputes around these processes.

Arts and Culture: R 151.901 million

Honourable Speaker,

There is growing international interest in the potential of the cultural and creative industries to drive sustainable development and create inclusive job opportunities. An indication of this is a recent set of UNESCO guidelines on how to measure and compile statistics about the economic contribution of the cultural industries. This reaffirms the fact that there is a need to provide more resources to Arts and Culture programme.

Through the Arts and Culture programme we continue to pursue the mandate entrusted upon us by the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision  2030: “Transforming Society and Uniting the Country” and to ensure the realisation of Social Cohesion and Nation Building in our communities.

National Days of significance and other calender days

In 2016/17 we spent R 68 272 million on Arts and Culture programme.

Freedom Day

The Department successfully hosted Freedom Day in Welkom and in  Sasolburg which were attended by 15 000 and 20 000 people respectively. R3,5 million was spent on both events. In 2017/18 we will integrate both events and spend R2,7 million in Sasolburg.

Africa Day

We will continue to partner with the legislature in celebrating Africa Day in a quest to fight against the scourge of Xenophobia and racism which has recently begun to rear its ugly head. R250 000 was spent in 2016/17 and R300 000 has been set aside for 2017/18.

Heritage Day

On the 24th of September every year South Africans across the spectrum are encouraged to celebrate their culture and the diversity of their beliefs and traditions in a wider context of a nation that belongs to all its people. R1,5 million was spent on the Heritage Celebration in 2016. R1,5 million will be spent in 2017 and we will continue to celebrate this event in Ficksburg in Thabo Mofutsanyana district.

Youth Month

In collaboration with the Department of Sport and Recreation S.A we successfully staged the National Youth Camp programme in 2016 at John Paul II camping site, Bethlehem. This is a weeklong programme which is staged in a quest to advance leadership skills, community service, nation building and social cohesion amongst young people. Since the inception of the programme in 2013, 834 out-of-school youth participated. In 2016/17, the focus changed towards learners in schools involving 207 learners. In 2017/18, we are targeting 250 learners to participate in this program.

During Youth Month the Department hosted various events wherein 6000 young people participated. Amongst such programme are: Arts and Culture Youth Exhibition, Theatre and Dance Festival, Youth Recreational Programmes as well as Provincial Trials for Football and Netball.

National Women’s Month

In recognition of the Girl Child during the Women’s Month, the Department organised the Dlala Mantombazana games in Welkom in 2016. From 2017 onwards the games will be staged in Qwa Qwa, Thabo Mofutsanyana district. In 2017 we will change the name of the games in honour of the heroines of the liberation struggle of women in South Africa. Other recreational sport activities dedicated to women’s month are as follows: Women’s Day Soccer Tournament and Women’s Recreational Games.

Basotho New Year’s Celebration

The celebration of Basotho New Year on 1st of August preserves the indigenous calendar of Basotho. During the period under review the Department celebrated the Basotho New Year in Qwa Qwa. R670 000 was spent on this celebration. In 2017 the event will be celebrated in one of the villages in Qwa Qwa working together with the traditional leadership and the Maluti a Phofung municipality. R750 000 will be spent in 2017/18.

Mandela Day

In partnership with all the provincial government departments Mandela Day was celebrated in Bethlehem, Thabo Mofutsanyana in 2016. In 2017 we will organise a Mandela Big Walk in Parys as part of honouring one of our liberation struggle icons, the first President in a free and democratic South Africa. Furthermore, we will partner with the provincial Department of Education, Social Development and the National Department of Arts and Culture in celebrating the Mandela Day on the 20th of July 2017 at Tswellang Special School in Bloemfontein, Mangaung.

Human Rights Day

The Constitution is the ultimate protector of our Human Rights which were previously denied to the majority of our people under apartheid. We commemorate Human Rights Day to reaffirm our commitment to the Bill of Rights as enshrined in our Constitution. The Free State Province as part of South Africa has made an enormous progress to promote Human Rights. In 2017/18 we will celebrate Human Rights Day in Xhariep district on 21 March 2018. An amount of R1 million will be spent on this event.

Reconciliation Day

In 23 years of our freedom and democracy, the policies and programmes of government continue to yield positive results with regard to the creation of  a united, non-racial, non-sexist, and prosperous society. Despite this conscious milestone there is a desire to continuously involve all communities across the demographics of the Free State to commit themselves towards reconciliation and forget what divides them and participate in programmes and activities that unite them. We have noted with a great concern some of the activities that may be xenophobic and racial that occurred in Wesselsbron, Parys and other areas. Such activities need to be condemned by everybody. To this end the celebration of O.R Tambo as a unifier becomes paramount.

The Department formed part of a delegation of the Free State Government to Sao Paulo in Brazil to benchmark best practices that can grow the Free State economy.

Tourism is one of the main economic drivers of the Free State. As part of the best practices that we have learnt in Brazil, is the Sao Paulo carnival which is celebrated at the end of summer and beginning of Lent every February or March depending on the year. As the Department we have planned to organise a Reconciliation Carnival that will be hosted every year in December in Welkom in Lejweleputswa district. This Reconciliation Carnival will be dedicated to showcasing cultural tourism and serve as one of the important platforms to facilitate social cohesion, nation building and national identity. We have started a process of signing an MOU with the Vai-Vai Samba school which is the biggest Samba school in Brazil. To lay the foundation, in 2017/18 an amount of R3 million has been budgeted. We will engage different departments and stakeholders to ensure that more funding is available towards the successful staging of this Carnival. We will partner with the Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs as well Free State  Tourism Authority and Matjhabeng  Local  Municipality in staging  this event.

Museum Services

Honourable Speaker,

The Free State Province has 13 museums. One (1) in each of the following towns, Qwa Qwa, Smithfield, Phillipolis, Heilbron, Winburg, Bethulie, Glen and Boshoff as well as five (5) museums in Bloemfontein. The Wesleyan Church, which is the birthplace of the African National Congress has been designated as a national heritage site. In 2016/17, 46,975 people visited the above mentioned museums. In order to further maximise community interest in our Heritage, the Department, in the current financial year, conducted 70 outreach programme in a quest to entrench the understanding of the importance of our museums. An amount of R750 000 was spent on outreach programmes. R800 000 will be spent in 2017/18.

We are planning to establish a sport museum in Mangaung as well as a Mining museum in Lejweleputswa district. We will engage different stakeholders, including the Mining Houses, in the process of establishing the above mentioned museums.

In 2016/17 the Department started the process of digitalizing our museums as part of efforts to enhance the ability of communities to access these museums. Phase 1 of the transformation and digitalization of Transgariep Museum exhibition has been completed by incorporating the new Poding tse Rolo and the Griqua exhibitions into the existing museum exhibition.

The research on the exhibition on the Wesleyan Church, the ANC’s founding venue in 1912, has been completed. Working together with the Department of Arts and Culture we will expedite the total completion of the installation of the exhibitions. We will work with the Mangaung Metro Municipality for them to consider revamping the areas surrounding the Wesleyan Church so that the birthplace of the African National Congress gets the dignity and recognition it deserves. We will stage activities around this historical venue that will attract communities and tourists to visit the Wesleyan Church National Heritage Site.

Working together with the Office of the Premier and National Department of Arts and Culture we will ensure that Winnie Mandela Museum is finalised.

Social Cohesion and Nation Building

The Department continues to be committed to creating an enabling environment for social cohesion and nation building through establishing and working with structures of civil society.

In order to realise the set goals of social cohesion and nation building the Department hosted Social Cohesion dialogues from 20th to 22nd September at Welkom, Heilbron and Sasolburg respectively. R65 000 was spent on these dialogues.

In order to promote our National Symbols, patriotism and Nation building, during the outreach programmes 7 328 National Symbols and Orders brochures, 500 CDs of National Anthem and African Union Anthem, 1 482 desk national flags, 652 African Union posters, 936 Pre-Amble of the Constitution and 1 602 National Identity Passports were distributed to 78 schools across the province.

Heritage

Honourable Speaker,

As part of the commitments we made in the last Budget Vote, in July 2016 the Department took 168 learners and teachers on a youth liberation heritage tour to Robben Island, Parliament of the Republic and Cape Fort for three (3) days as part of our ongoing quest to create awareness amongst our youth about our heritage. Youth from Mangaung Metro and !Xhariep district were taken on tour to liberation struggle heritage sites in Bloemfontein such as Waaihoek, Wesleyan Church, Mapikela House and Bram Fisher House. R500 000 was spent in 2016/17 on this program.

It is worth noting that Wesleyan Church has been nominated for declaration by UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention Committee as the World Heritage Site. We are waiting for the results of the Committee by October 2017. The declaration of Wesleyan Church as the World Heritage Site will be yet another big milestone for the Province after the same site was declared as the National Heritage Site by the South African Heritage Resources Agency in 2012.

The two names which is the Wesleyan Church and Winnie Mandela House have been approved to form part of the Resistance and National Liberation Heritage Route.

We are happy to report that the two (2) metre statues of O.R Tambo and Fidel Castro have been completed and are ready for the unveiling in 2017 as part of the celebration of the O.R Tambo Centenary.

Geographical Naming and Name Changing: Honourable Speaker,

Transformation of our heritage landscape also relates to the Geographical Names Changes process. The Department embarks on Geographical Naming and Renaming process to ensure that our heritage landscape is transformed. Through Provincial Geographical Names Committee, we have assisted municipalities to change the 16 residential areas in Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu during the 2016/17 financial year. Sections that used to be known according to their alphabets in Botshabelo have been changed. From the 20th to 22nd of October 2015, public participation was undertaken in Thaba Nchu at Mmabana Stadium, in Botshabelo at Kaizer Sebothelo Stadium as well as in Bloemfontein at City Hall and Lesley Monnanyane Building.

• Section D changed to Zakes Maseko East

• Section E changed to Sechaba Mahobe Ville

• Section H changed to Molifi Tau Kloof

• Section J changed to Motse Papiki Moilwa

• Section K changed to Chester Pudumo

• Section L changed to Boiki Motlohi Location

• Section M changed to Teboho Melthafa View

• Section S changed to Motse Raymond Sekati

• Section T changed to Bonaventure Nkholi Hills

• Section V changed to Motse Khotso Taole

• Section W changed to Daniel Kheswa West

• Namibia Square (Bloemfontein) changed to Zonisile Xeza Hills

• Sakanyoka (ThabaNchu) changed to Tokologo

• Makurung Extension 4 changed to Edwin Bokala Location

• Themba changed to Sebe Sebothelo Location

• Thole changed to Makgabea

The Department will accelerate the naming and renaming of streets, towns and public buildings. To this end we will collaborate with the Department of Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs and Human Settlement as well as municipalities. We want to encourage communities to consider the names of our heroes and heroines as and when they name or rename geographical places.

Advocacy programs will be conducted to raise awareness on the importance of name changes. Communities must be encouraged to name places after  icons, heroes and heroines or community leaders who have made an impact in their lifetime within communities. An amount of R1 million was transferred to the Provincial Geographical Names Committee to deliver on this mandate and the same amount is allocated in 2017/18.

Languages Services

Honourable Speaker,

Our languages are part of our heritage. We will recall the instructive statement by our late former President, President Nelson Mandela, when he stated, I quote, “Speak to a man in a language that he understands then you speak to his head. Speak to him in his own language and you speak to his heart”, close quote. Informed by this injunction and as mandated by our Constitutional imperatives, the Department continues to pursue the goal of promotion of multilingualism and language equity in our Province. To this effect the following measures have been undertaken:

1. Working through the Free State Writers Forum we have established writers organisations in all local municipalities and the Mangaung Metro. This has created a home for about 500 writers. We will cascade this process to local municipalities.

2. During the 2016/17 financial year, twenty (20) officials were empowered to communicate in Sign Language, bringing to 39 officials who obtained Basic South African Sign Language training, NQF level 5. These officials will be further skilled by the University of the Free State in the next financial year.

3. To date we have assisted all local municipalities in the province, and the Mangaung Metro, to develop their own Language Policies. We will further assist these municipalities in the implementation and monitoring of implementation of their language policies during the 2017/18 financial year. We are glad to report the “Use of Free State Official Languages Bill” has been approved by the Free State  Legislature on  22 March 2017. We want to express our gratitude to all stakeholders who have participated in this process. The Language Bill directs us to establish a fully-fledged Language Unit. While the Bill directs us to designate three (3) languages this does not imply that other languages cannot be utilised.

In celebrating the legacy of O.R Tambo through language, in partnership with the Free State Department of Education, learners from various schools will be given an opportunity to write essays on the life and times of O.R Tambo. All the essays will be compiled into a book that will be launched in June 2017 and winners will be taken to the Wordfest Grahamstown National Arts Festival. A budget of R200 000 is earmarked for this programme.

The Department has capacitated Grade 12 Sesotho educators in the teaching of Sesotho prescribed books thereby contributing positively towards the improvement of matric results. A total number of 250 educators benefitted from this programme.

Performing, Visuals Arist and Craft programme

Honourable Speaker,

Following the declaration by honourable Premier Ace Magashule of the year 2016 as the Year of the Artist an amount of R5 million was earmarked to implement this SOPA injunction.

Through Performing, Visual Arts and Craft programme which includes: music, clap and tap, dance, theatre, poetry, puppetry, gospel, choral music, paintings, drawing, crafts and film, a total number of 31 098 Artists participated and benefited from various events and platforms created in the Province. The benefits included paying for performance fees, awarding cash prizes, financial support to production of new music CDs and music DVDs. Visual Artists and Crafters were exposed to provincial and national platforms. The programme further assisted two free state film companies to produce a film for Msanzi Magic and a documentary on one of the Free State flagship programme which is “Mangaung Strings”. The Department has set  aside  a  budget  of   R9 million to sustain the momentum around artist development program.

As part of  our continued contribution towards economic development and transformation, the Department spent R3 million  to support the local photographers to be more professional in running their enterprises. In 2016/17 financial year, the Department facilitated a photography training program during which 38 local Free State Photographers received an introductory photography training. They have all acquired a set of skills from the Market Photo Workshop that will enable them to be far more successful than in the past and have now created a stepping stone for higher level of training. Each participant received camera equipment, tripod  and mobile printer  to  ensure  that they will  be able to have sustainable work for at least the next five years. Working together with the Office of the Premier five (5) photographers were taken to Madeira to receive an advanced training on photography. R4 million is set aside for further support to the photography program including the five (5) photographers that went to Madeira.

Macufe Homebrew and other Festivals

Artists were also contracted to perform in festivals like MACUFE Homebrew which featured; “Free State Legends Festival”, “Reggae Festival” “Poetic Blues” and Homebrew Theatre and Dance Festival”. 350 artists benefited as poets, actors, dancers, musicians, directors, choreographers and venue managers. During the Grahamstown National Arts Festival 2016, the programme assisted writers, crafters, visual artists and a Theatre production titled “PALEHO” which won Standing Ovation Award. R300 000 was transferred to support Cherry Jazz Festival and Bloemshow received R250 000. In 2016 a  budget of R3,5 million  was spent on support to festivals.

Mangaung African Cultural Festival (MACUFE)

The budget for MACUFE  2016/17 was R42, 5  million which was spent on  the following cost drivers:

• Artists Performance Fees: We are proud to announce that the number of Free State artists participating in MACUFE has increased dramatically as we ensured that every MACUFE event has Free State artists’ presence. The total number of 498 local artists participated in the festival. We will continue to develop more programmes for the development of Free State artists for them to continue to occupy the centre stage at MACUFE and other events. A total amount of R4,5 million was spent on local artists.

• R28, 5 million was spent on SMMEs and Free State Based Companies on various services such as catering, security, transport and cleaning.

This year we will be celebrating the 20th Anniversary of MACUFE. The Department has already started with consultations with different stakeholders as to how best we can celebrate the 20th Anniversary of MACUFE. We invite the public to make suggestions by means  of the Departmental  social media  platforms and through suggestion boxes made available in all the libraries across the province. The Department’s Facebook page is Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.

The socio-economic impact assessment conducted by the Centre for Development Support of the University of the Free State in 2015 leaves no doubt that the Mangaung African Cultural Festival (MACUFE) is an important tool in boosting the local economy in Mangaung. According to the study, MACUFE generates approximately R91 million in visitor expenditure in Bloemfontein. “If one includes expenditure by locals, a total of R150 million is spent by those attending MACUFE. The festival attracts approximately 18 000 visitors from outside Mangaung to the city.” This assessment highlights the great achievement of this provincial flagship program.

Mines Cultural Dance Festival

The Mines Cultural Dance Festival was staged in Thabong, Welkom on the 18th and 19th Mach 2016. 900 Mine Workers participated and a budget of R1 million was spent.

The Department is proud to announce that the next Mines Cultural Dance Festival will be presented in partnership with the National Department of Arts and Culture and SAMSA on the 6th and 7th of May 2017 at Zuka Baloyi with a budget of R1 million. This event usually features 1000 mine workers from various cultural backgrounds and mines across South Africa.

Mangaung Strings

The Mangaung Strings Program was funded with an amount of R750 000. Currently the programmehas 705 learners in 62 schools in the following towns: Parys, Welkom, Vredefort, Kroonstad, Koppies, Lindley, Bloemfontein, Petrusburg and Thaba Nchu. The programme teaches learners how to play string instruments and how to read and write music (staff notation). A total number of 31 job opportunities were created.

Community Media Support

The Department received dedicated funding of R3 million to facilitate a Community Radio Stations programme which included a two-day management workshop for ten

(10) Free State Community Radio Stations, a workshop on financial management and taxation was conducted in partnership with the South African Revenue Services. The Department has contributed an amount of R100,000 to each station. Currently the Department is in a process of procuring relevant and operational equipment for these Community Radio Stations. R3, 2 million is earmarked for Community Radio Stations support in 2017/18.

Library and Archives Services:

Honourable Speaker,

The total budget allocation for Library and Archives Services in the 2017/18 financial year is R 247.226 million and this is an increase of 7.5% higher compared to the previous financial year.

The Free State Province has 180 libraries nine (9) of which are school libraries, seven

(7) are hospital/prison libraries and 164 are public libraries. The total number of 539 580 individuals are registered in our libraries. As part of our drive to promote the culture of reading we continue to ensure that our libraries are equipped with the latest technological resources. Through the Mzanzi Libraries Online project, 40 libraries in the Free State were nominated to receive Information Technology and gaming facilities for children. Librarians are also receiving training on various topics such as Train a Trainer, Advocacy and Impact Assessment. Mzanzi Libraries Online is also in the process of appointing Information Technology interns to be placed in four

(4) libraries which were part of the pilot project at Zamdela, Edenville, Mangaung and at I.T offices. In 2017/18 more interns will be appointed for the 30 libraries using a phased-in approach. R2 million was spent on the Mzanzi Libraries Online project. R2,5 million will be spent in 2017/18.

In the new financial year, 2017/18 eight (8) new libraries will be opened and equipped with ICT connectivity: computers, tablets, Wi-Fi as well as Toy Library services to enhance Early Childhood Development (ECD).

Indeed, Radical Economic Transformation is non-negotiable. Through the procurement spent on books and other library materials we will continue to ensure that black publishers have a stake in the economy of our country and Province. The total amount of R4, 4 million was spent on black suppliers in 2016/17.

Through the World Book Day, the Department has managed to encourage 20 local authors to submit their books for procurement and placement in libraries. During 2017/18 an estimated total number of 42 000 books over a wide spectrum will be procured including books on the history of O.R Tambo, African history and culture. R4,5 million will be spent on procurement of books in 2017/18, this expenditure will be biased towards black publishers and authors to advance Radical Economic Transformation as well as an effort to promote consciousness about African history amongst young people.

Reading Festival

Since the transition to democracy in 1994 the Department of Basic Education has been addressing the quality of education provided to children in South African schools. Improving literacy levels is a key target in this quest. Yet reading statistics report that only 14% of the South African population are active book readers, and a mere five (5) percent of parents read to their children. The According to the Synthesis Report for the Programme to Support Pro-Poor Policy Development (PSPPD), 60% of South African children do not learn to read for meaning in any language by the end of Grade 3. To address the above challenges, we have implemented the following programmes:

The Reading Festival held annually in September is one of the programmes that are aimed at promoting reading. This includes Spelling Bee, Reading Aloud, Public Speaking and Reading Quiz. Beneficiaries are learners and community members. In 2015/16 we made a  clarion call  to councillors  to participate in Public Speaking Programmes. A total number of 10 councillors participated. 3 000 participants were involved in the programme in 2016 and we intend to increase this number to 3 200 in 2017. In 2016, the Department introduced two new programmes, namely Sesotho Spelling Bee for Grade 3 learners and Finger Spelling for Grade 7 learners with hearing impairment. The top three (3) winners at the provincial event receives two

(2) IPads loaded with electronic books and one (1) smart phone respectively.

In 2017 the Festival will be staged in celebration of O.R Tambo’s life and times.

Library Week Programme

All libraries have participated in the Library Week programme from 18 to 26 March 2017 under the theme, “My Library, Your Library”, again celebrating the life and times of O.R Tambo. Children between the ages of three (3) and five (5) years participate in Story-Times while young people and adults were engaged in Read- Aloud programmes.

Library Opening hours

Extension of library operating hours was piloted in Libraries in Phumelela, Setsoto, Nketoana, Masilonyana, Tswelopele, Tokologo and Nala. Working together with the South African Police Services (SAPS) we will strengthen security at libraries. Moving forward we will devise ways and means of providing alternative options for library users in the event our library closes for renovations or for any other reasons.

Free State Archives

The province hosts only one Archive facility, Free State Archives, which attracts on average 2000 learners during the Archives Week. In 2017/18 we will embark on five

(5) Outreach programmes to increase the number of learners visiting the Archives to 2500 for the Archives Week. Annually a total number of 1300 researchers visit the Archives Repository for research purposes. We are working towards increasing this number to 1500 in the next financial year by targeting more learners and students.

There is a need for the development of systems between Legislature and the Department regarding the processes of archiving of records. Such matters as timelines for record capturing at archives, empowering departments, municipalities and legislature on processing records to the archives will be addressed.

Following the transfer of archival records from municipalities and provincial government departments to the Archives Repository, there is a need to extend the facility. R6,9 million has been budgeted for this purpose.

Sport and Recreation:

Honourable Speaker,

During his school days, comrade O.R Tambo was a good cricketer and football player, and also acquired a reputation as an athlete. He also established his ability as a stick fighter, a game that has come to be one of our indigenous games referred to as iintonga. As we celebrate the centenary of this stalwart our young people should be rallied around the commitment he had to sport and his discipline nurtured by his involvement in sport and recreation. Sport and recreation is indeed at the centre of human development and the shaping of individual character, social cohesion and nation building.

Honourable Speaker,

When building an active nation, it is clear that no country can expect to achieve and sustain success at the elite level without a strong participation base in the community because that is where every champion has their beginning. Through the sport continuum approach we continue to provide opportunities to communities and learners starting from a mass participation level, developmental level and ultimately an elite level.

The Department continues to be committed to implement programmes that create an enabling environment to develop an active and a winning nation. During the 2016/2017 Budget Vote Speech we committed ourselves to the Free State people that we will continue to render sport and recreation services to realise our goals through Community Sport, School Sport and High Performance Sport.

For the 2017/18 financial year the Sport and Recreation programme receives an allocation of R199.727 million.

Community Sport

On Community Sport we have implemented the following Mass Participation programmes: Indigenous games, Senior Citizens games, O.R Tambo games, National Youth Camp, Big Walk, Recreation Day and People with Disabilities games in the 82 towns of the Free State. The total number of 36 765 people participated in Community Sport programmes and a total budget of R14,4 million was spent. The total amount of R13 million is allocated for Community Sport programmes in 2017/18 which is a decrease of 9.7% due to the reprioritization of the Conditional Grant to fund the planned National Training Centre and Academies.

As part of Community Sport in 2017/18 we will introduce recreational games during December annually with an objective of involving young people in recreational sport activities during the long holiday period.

Furthermore, during the next financial year we will roll out the Rural Sport Development project in QwaQwa as an identified area by Sport and Recreation South Africa in conjunction with the Traditional Leadership. This programme will be extended from farms to villages. To date a total number of 1560 participants took part in the programme.

Our Sport Hubs at Master Nakedi, Sipho Mutsi and Mmabana will be resourced with the necessary Human Resource that we have to optimise their utilisation. A new integrated model around Sport Hubs will be developed. We will robustly engage municipalities to avail sport facilities for communities. It is a fact that stadiums in communities were established for the benefit of communities. We will engage with municipalities for the sport facilities in municipalities to be transformed into sport hubs.

School Sport

Honourable Speaker,

Together with the Department of Education we have implemented the School Sport programme in 1336 schools across the Province in pursuit of the vision of “healthy minds in healthy bodies”. Undoubtedly this school sport programme that we have implemented contributes towards the continued holistic development of learners. Consequently, we will continue to partner with the Department of Education in the roll out of school sport leagues as per the Memorandum of Agreement.

In 2016/17 financial year a total number of 10 000 learners participated in the school sport programme in the province. The total of 1200 learners represented the Province at the National Schools Championships. The total of 16 Provincial School Sport Structures and 50 District School Sport Structures were supported with administrative and logistical costs, equipment and attire to enable them to carry out their mandate of school sport at a local level. In the next financial year support will be provided to 56 School  Sport Structures comprising of 16 priority codes and indigenous games at a district and Provincial level.

Since the inception of the school sport mass participation programme in 2006, we have on a rotational basis  to date provided sport equipment and attire to  984

Quintile 1 to 3 schools, including farm schools. In the current financial year 300 educators were trained as coaches in various sporting codes and this has improved the participation of schools.

Two swimming programmes in collaboration with the Swimming Federation were added in 2016/17: The Learn to Swim Programmes well as the Water Safety Programme. These programmes were piloted at Thabong Indoor Sport Centre and Mangaung Swimming Pool. 4 898 learners were taught water safety and 100 learners learnt how to swim. The programme will be expanded to all five (5) districts in partnership with Free State Aquatics in the new financial year.

To ensure the wider involvement of learners in physical education, we are in consultation with the Department of Education, South African Police Service and the South African Council for Educators regarding the introduction of physical education in schools.

The total  amount of R14,  4 million was  spent to  deliver  the above mentioned programmes in the current financial year. The budget of R14,1 million will be spent on these programmes in the next financial year. A decrease of 2% was experienced due to incorporation of the sport focus schools into academies.

High Perfomance Sport

The Free State Sport Science Institute (FSSSI) is at the pinnacle of the sport development continuum. This Institute provides high performance services to elite athletes on a national, provincial and local level. We pride ourselves to have developed this world class public facility which has been earmarked to become the National Training Centre of South Africa.

In the previous financial year, the Department has spent R5, 9 million assisting 15 sport federations and 309 full time high performance athletes as part of its Elite Athlete and Coaching Support Program. The Department furthermore rendered 6,707 high performance sport science services to the value of R12,6 million as part of government continued support to enhance the performance of our top athletes. 490 coaches from the 15 Sport Federations were trained on “Sport Science for Coaches Programme”. The Department also hosted an  International Karate workshop in 2016 to improve our Karate coaches’ knowledge and skills.

Through the Elite Athlete and Coaching Support Programme we contributed to the excellent performance of the following athletes and teams:

• In 2016, 24-year-old Wayde van Niekerk had a breakthrough year when he became the IAAF World champion. In the same year he became the Olympic Champion and broke the 17-year old world 400 metres record.

• The Cheetahs, VKB Knights and Crinums became the national champions in their respective sport codes in 2016/17

• 49 athletes trained at the institution represented various South African National Sport Teams at International Championships such as Athletics, Basketball, Cycling etc.

• 13 athletes trained at the institute represented South African National Sport Teams at African and Region 5 championships in Judo and Karate.

Several medals were won at various sporting tournaments by athletes trained at the institute including 40 gold medals in sporting codes such as Badminton, Cycling, Karate, Judo and so on; 15 silver medals in Aquatics, Boxing, Judo, Wrestling; 23 Bronze Medals in Boxing, Netball, Badminton and so on.

Furthermore, the Department rolled-out its unique Sport Science Fitness Programme to 58 schools and capacitated 321 educators on how to utilise the programme that is specifically designed to  conditioning  teams  and athletes  not having formal gym facilities. The programme had a utilization rate of 95%.

Honourable Speaker,

To be in-line with the National Sport and Recreation Act 110 of 1998 and amended Act 18 of 2007, the National Sport and Recreation Plan and South African Academies Strategic Framework and Policy Guidelines of 2013, we decided to reinstate the Free State Academy of Sport that previously formed part of the Free State Sport Confederation.

For the new financial year, the Department in collaboration with the newly re- instated Free State Academy of Sport will:

1. Roll-out the Sport Science Fitness Programme to 50 schools;

2. Support 18 Sport Federations that includes 340 fulltime athletes as part of the Elite Athlete and Coaching Support Programme. Weightlifting will be included as part of the 18 sport codes as being a SASCOC priority and Olympic code. Weightlifting programme is being introduced to formalise the informal weightlifting recreational activities within our communities.

3. Training 250 coaches on “Sport Science for Coaches Programme”;

4. Rendering Sport Science Services to 10 Sport Focus School and 3 District Sport Academies

Honourable Speaker,

To improve the delivery of sport science services the Department will roll out an onsite “Sport Science Workstation” that will enable stakeholders registered on the “Sport Science Support Network” with direct access to request high performance service from the Institute.

As part of the 2016/17 Budget Adjustment, an amount of R5 million was provided to the Cheetahs. The Department will also support Free State Stars and Bloemfontein Celtic with an amount of R2 million each to promote professional football teams in the province.

To realise the above programme a total budget of R15, 2 million has been allocated to the FSSSI for the 2017/2018 financial year.

With the reinstatement of the Free State Academy of Sport, the Department is also in the process of restructuring the Free State Sport Confederation and will strengthen its capacity as the only controlling body for sport in the Free State. The Confederation will assist the Department the following priority programmes:

Implement the inaugural Annual Free State O.R Tambo Marathon. The Marathon was successfully hosted in April 2016. 3 000 runners, including international runners participated. Anti-doping exercises were conducted to prevent cheating by runners. The marathon will be again staged this year following its successful staging during its inaugural year. This year we will build on this success and ensure the escalation in the stature of this marathon, particularly as we are celebrating the centenary of the stalwart of the liberation struggle after-whom it is named.

We welcome the re-introduction of boxing through the boxing is back programme. This programme will assist us in sustaining the momentum on boxing in our province.

Infrastructure Projects

Honourable Speaker,

The total budget for infrastructure projects for 2016/17 is R222 million. The following infrastructure projects were completed during the 2016/17 financial year:

Verkeerdevlei; Hobhouse; Memel and Arlington libraries; as well as Tumahole Multipurpose Indoor Centre; Dr. Cingo MUNMAN Court and Nyakallong MUNMAN Court. The total budget for infrastructure projects in 2017/18 is R189 million. The decrease of 15% in the budget is due to the completion of Dr Rantlai Molemela stadium.

The Department is envisaging to complete and open the following libraries during the 2017/18: Welkom, Botshabelo, Smithfield, Soutpan, Luckhoff, Bloemfontein, Wepener, including installation of O.R Tambo and Fidel Castro Statues.

The following infrastructure projects will be under construction during the 2017/18 financial year: Master Nakedi Swimming pool; Tumahole Library; Bluegumbush Library; Cornelia Library; Van Stadensrus library; Leister Skhosana Interpretative Center; Sipho Mutsi Stadium and Bethlehem Stadium. Designs for the latter two (2) projects have been completed.

Construction of Allanridge Indoor Sport Centre will start during 2017/18.

The nature of sport facilities that we construct will change moving forward. In the past we have built sport facilities such as the Multipurpose Sport Courts but these facilities were vulnerable to vandalism and their durability not sustainable.

Conclusion

Honourable Speaker,

As I conclude may I take this moment to pay homage to some of our talented artists who we lost during the course of this financial year, Mr Peter Nthwane, DJ Bond and many others who have passed on, with Mr Joe Mafela who has just passed on recently. They will truly be missed by the arts communities as well as the broader Free State communities that knew and worked closely with them. May their departed souls rest in peace.

May I also join the honourable Premier in his accolades to Mr Wayde van Niekerk who did a sterling work of braking the records in the last Olympics games. Further tribute must be paid to some of our Free State artists and sport persons who did well in their various sporting and artistic fields. These include Mr Kabelo Motsamai (popularly known as Prince Kaybee) who won his second Metro FM Music Award earlier this year; Mr Shine Banyane who was appointed as the coach for National Karate Team to the Olympics Games to take place in Tokyo, Japan in 2020; Mr Lebo