Dr PZ Jordan, MP, National Assembly
8 June 2007
Madam Speaker
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Honourable members
Ladies and gentlemen
The Ministry of Arts and Culture is directly relevant to understanding that
we are as a nation where we come from and where we are going. The legacy of
colonialism and apartheid have receded but are still an aspect of the daily
lives of many, the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) responsibility includes
articulating our vision and our agenda for the realisation of a democratic,
non-racial society.
The past, the present and the future are a continuum with integral
dialectical links. Our present is shaped by our past as the future we shall
bequeath to future generations is being crafted by our actions in the
present.
In his inaugural speech as President of the African National Congress (ANC)
President Thabo Mbeki proclaimed, "The revolution is as yet incomplete." The
renewal of "our pledge to build a partnership to create a better life for all",
is rooted in that realisation.
Investing in culture
Investing in culture is our flagship programme for the eradication of
poverty which must also provide the necessary skills that will enable our
people to assume greater responsibility for their future. These projects have
attracted private sector partnerships while others are being executed with
other government departments such as Department of Trade and Industry and the
Department of Social Development. The European Union (EU) has taken an active
interest in many. Over 5 000 jobs were directly created with 62% of the
beneficiaries women, 53% youth and 8,5% disabled. Forty percent of the funds
for this programme are invested in nodal municipalities in support of
Integrated Sustainable Rural Development and Urban Renewal programmes. R96,3
million will go towards investing in culture in this year's budget.
Cultural industries
South Africa's entertainment industry is valued at approximately R7,4
billion. According to the "Create South Africa" report, it employs an estimated
20 525 people. Film and television alone are worth R5,8 billion and have a
strong technical base of skills and infrastructure. More than 100 000 people
are employed within music, film and television. A further 1,2 million people
earn their living through crafts and related trade sectors.
Worldwide the turnover of cultural industries makes them the fifth largest
economic sector, comprising design, the performing arts, dance, film,
television, multi-media, cultural heritage, cultural tourism, the visual arts,
the crafts, music and publishing.
Viewed from that perspective the cultural industries, what we mistakenly
call "entertainment", have globally emerged as important economic engines. We
are consequently paying increasing attention to them in the hope that they can
assist transforming the social and economic landscape of the country. This
sector is serious business.
This year we are entering into partnership with significant stakeholders to
map the cultural industries:
* By March 2008 a comprehensive audit that will provide the nation with
quantified cultural data, analysis thereof and a report will be
completed.
* We are working towards the launch of a fully functional national
representative body (NRB) as a one stop service facility for South African
Crafters, which can also provide a networking forum.
* The renowned "Beautiful Things Craft Supermarket" with our First Lady, Mrs
Zanele Mbeki as patron, was launched as an annual event last year to showcase
South African crafts.
* Plans are underway for us to establish a crafts emporium to increase market
access.
A nationally recognised award for master crafters and a skills transfer
programme by these master crafters will help preserve indigenous knowledge and
traditional methods and techniques of production.
A reading, writing and thinking nation
Ours is not a society of readers. Worse yet there is neither enough
literature in indigenous languages nor a single bookstore that specialises in
the African languages. Afrikaans and English literature are better served. Even
German, French and Portuguese fare better than indigenous languages on the book
market. 51% of South Africans have no books in their homes. A mere 14% of the
population read books and only 5% of these read to their children. There is
obvious room for improvement.
The Department has therefore launched an Indigenous Literature Publishing
Project, aimed at producing a series of publications in different languages by
writers from different backgrounds across South Africa. This, hopefully, will
stimulate the growth and development of literature in indigenous languages and
generate new readerships. The National Library has been tasked with
republishing of out of print in African language classics so that they are
available to the public and institutions again by exploring the creation of
partnerships with private companies.
In 2006 we supported the "Time of the Writer" and the "Poetry Africa"
literary festivals. The Johannesburg leg of "Poetry Africa" proved very popular
among the youth, attracting a huge turnout of over 800 people. The Print
Industry Cluster Council has been re-launched as the South African Book
Development Council. It is now a more representative body pursuing the
principles of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE). This council
has been entrusted with leading the process of developing a National Book
Policy. A first draft was circulated to over 800 stakeholders.
Gross turnover in the publishing sector is approximately R3 billion per
annum. In 2005, R195 million were paid out to authors in royalties. Literature
is a significant contributor to the economy and can grow even bigger if we read
more and read more widely.
Presence in the music sector
We have taken giant steps to profile local talent and indigenous music in
the international arena. As a country, we are now a recognisable name brand at
international music trade fairs like Midem, Popkom and Womex.
But the bulk of our work is being done here at home through our own Moshito
Music Conference and Exhibition which provides networking opportunities,
showcases talent and is a platform for the dissemination of information about
the music industry skills development programme.
We take this opportunity to salute The Soweto Gospel Choir, Ladysmith Black
Mambazo and others who have done South African creative talent proud.
Visual arts "hot property" in the United Kingdom (UK)
The very first ever auction devoted exclusively to South African Visual Art
held recently at Bonhams, in London, raised approximately R20 million.
It comprised paintings by Irma Stern, Gerard Sekoto, Alexis Preller and
Jacob Hendrik Pierneef and all were sold well above their reserve prices.
At an earlier auction at Bonhams, paintings by Sekoto fetched a record
price, among them were nine water colours depicting scenes inspired by the
Sharpeville Massacre of 1960, watershed moment in the South African liberation
struggle which is now annually commemorated as Human Rights Day.
Madam Speaker, the DAC acquired "Recollections of Sharpeville" a set of nine
watercolours and "The Round Up" another watercolour by Gerard Sekoto on behalf
of the nation. They are on permanent loan to the South African National
Gallery. To mark this Budget Vote they are on display in Room V114, opposite
the Old Assembly Chamber. Perhaps in future know it all commentators will
exercise greater caution when writing about what government is trying to do
about our cultural patrimony.
The cultural industries receive R39 million.
African Film Summit
We hosted the African Film Summit that brought the continent's film making
pioneers and the cream of Africa's filmmakers to our land. This is an important
contribution to the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Cultural
Industries programme, particularly the audio-visual section. A shared vision
among the filmmakers of the continent can boost this significant sector and
help promote the unity we so urgently need at the grass roots level.
Our National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is spreading its influence on
the continent resulting in South Africa hosting of Federation of Pan African
Film Producers (FEPACI) for the next four years.
We have prioritised a partnership with the Newtown Film and Television (TV)
School, to work on a very crucial project in indigenous language screen writing
titled "Script to Screen in your Mother Tongue" to fast track skills
development in this area of work.
Of equal importance is our collaboration with the Department of
Communications to develop and strengthen South African animation. This new
South African animation project will create jobs and develop skills in this
highly competitive area of work in the audiovisual industries. The NFVF
receives R36,6 million.
R1 billion Library Project
In 2006, I announced the provision of R1 billion to recapitalise our
community library system. This will be our largest and most ambitious project
till 2009. It demands a partnership to plan, to manage, to monitor and to
evaluate at all tiers of government especially provincial and local.
World Library and Information Congress in Durban
Significantly this investment is paying off as 2007 will see us host the
annual World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) in Durban in August.
This is only the second time that this, the main annual gathering of the
world's librarians, has been held in Africa and the first time it is being held
in South Africa.
It will give us a major opportunity to showcase the new developments
especially the construction of the northern campus of the National Library,
which will be completed in early 2008.
Libraries make a qualitative difference by enabling individuals to develop
"wings of the mind" and thus transcend their circumstances. The story of Neal
Petersen, printed in the OCLC Newsletter, illustrates this point. Petersen
became the first black South African yachtsman by learning navigation and boat
design from books in the library. He went on to take part in the Around Alone
(formerly BOC Challenge) race, becoming the first black man to race solo around
the world. Neal Petersen was born disabled. He is now a motivational speaker in
California, United States of America (USA).
I want to take this opportunity to salute one brave librarian, Ms Letta
Naude, formerly of the Wynberg Public Library now the Head of the Sea Point
Library, Cape Town, who risked everything to provide Mr Petersen with access to
the knowledge he craved. Because the books on sailing were in the "Whites only"
section of the library, she would sneak books out the back door for him,
bravely defying the laws of that time. Such little acts of defiance of tyranny
can make a world of difference. Neal Petersen's achievements testify to that.
They also underscore the importance of libraries in changing people's
lives.
* We are making an additional R200 million available for libraries this
year.
This amount will go to the DAC and to the nine provinces as conditional
grants for upgrading of libraries. The provinces have submitted their business
plans and we are already rolling out the project.
* Library Charter
A Library Transformation Charter will be unveiled this year setting the new
directions for our country's community libraries. This Charter is being
developed through a process of wide consultation among stakeholders.
* R39 million has been set aside for the upgrading of public entities and
the South African Library for the Blind.
The Pretoria Campus of the new National Library is on schedule and is
expected to be completed in November 2007. The estimated cost is R374 million
and the National Library will move into the new building in early 2008.
The development of a reading culture depends critically on the availability
of literature in indigenous languages. Reading will help promote critical
thinking, particularly among the youth.
The records in the national archives are held safely and will continue to be
into the future. I wish to acknowledge the assistance we received from "Die
Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns" in our efforts to amicably
resolve issues around access restrictions on the papers of Former Prime
Minister General JBM Hertzog, held in the national archives.
Memory of the World Conference
DAC will from next Monday be hosting the prestigious United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) memory of the world
meeting from 11 to 15 June 2007, in Pretoria.
The Memory of the World Programme assists in looking after and in
publicising historic documentary heritage through the world. The programme's
international register lists documentary heritage that are correctly preserved
by different heritage institutions in the world.
Two South African collections have already been registered in this
programme:
* the Bleek Collection of rare material relating to the history of the Khoi-San
people
* the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC)
collection of early Dutch material which is a joint registration with the
Netherlands, Indonesia and other countries.
Oral History Project
At present plans are underway to establish the Oral History Association of
South Africa to make sure that the voices of the unheard are heard or listened
to. This body will assist in training oral history practitioners who will then
collect oral histories to be made available to the archives.
The National Archives Advisory Council has also resumed its activities under
its new chairperson, Judge Jeremiah Shongwe. They are in the process of
finalising a report on "Archives: National Systems and Public Interest"
following a three-day conference held in conjunction with the national archives
and the Mandela Foundation at Wits during April.
Poor records management practices plague all three spheres of government and
remain a cause of concern. I would like to appeal to the provincial MECs to
allocate sufficient resources to their archives, which are an exclusive
provincial competence, so that they can assist with public accountability and
good governance in their provinces by promoting efficient records management
practices and ultimately to preserving the archival heritage of their
provinces.
National language services
The national language services promote and develop all official languages,
especially the previously marginalised official languages. It continues to work
on translation/editing/checking of official documents in the official languages
and foreign languages as requested by clients who include:
* Parliament
* national government departments, including The Presidency
* public entities
* statutory/constitutional bodies
* provincial government departments where they lack the capacity
* embassies.
Successful prototypes of spell checkers for Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu,
Sepedi and Setswana have been developed.
Satisfactory progress on corpus acquisition and annotation has been made for
the machine aided translation system. The development of a multilingual
telephone based information system was signed. Achievements in this project
include the establishment of protocols and framework for speech data collection
as well as basic linguistic resources. The National Strategy for Human Language
Technologies has been completed.
Work planned for 2007/10 can be read in our strategic plan document and
includes the following projects among many others:
* full implementation of the Human Language Technology (HLT) National
Strategy
* open source HLT software for tasks such as speech recognition and speech
synthesis in the South African official languages
* trained HLT developers including fluent speakers of all of the South African
official languages
* machine aided translation system optimized for the 11 official
languages
* promulgation of the South African Language Practitioners Council Act
* establishment of the South African Language Practitioners Council
* establishment of language units within government departments
* the National Language Service (NLS) receives R50 million this year.
Heritage institutions
The primary mission of the Department of Arts and Culture is to "protect,
preserve and promote our cultural and natural heritage".
* Thus R600 million, which is a large part of our budget, goes as subsidies
to 15 heritage institutions which are our delivery and implementation
agencies.
Their primary responsibility is to continue to protect and promote our
cultural and natural heritage as well as our tangible and intangible cultural
heritage in all its manifestations.
Heritage audit
The ground breaking National Audit of heritage resources project in public
custodianship is well underway. Collections of heritage resources that have
already been audited include those held in Tuynhuys, Parliament, Groote Schuur
Estate, Bryntirion Estate and the Union Buildings:
* Six thousand heritage resources have been identified, described and
digitally photographed as part of this first phase.
* Many of the items are of exceptional value, including early artworks giving
us glimpses into life in South Africa before the advent of photography.
* Public access to items on the national inventory will soon be provided
through the South African Heritage Resources Agencies (SAHRA) website.
* The SAHRA has also carried out a national survey of almost 2 000 public
offices and bodies that are potential custodians of heritage resources,
identifying which are custodians, the nature of their collections, the status
of the management of these collections as well as heritage sector skills
currently available. This has provided critical information on how best to
implement the ongoing rollout of the national audit into its future phases.
The survey has identified a need across all three tiers of government and
parastatals to ensure that there is proper accountability for the management of
heritage resources to curb loss of and damage to these heritage resources.
We appeal to all government departments approached by SAHRA to give their
fullest cooperation and assistance for this important work.
Theft of cultural heritage
Like many other countries, we are faced with the international scourge of
art theft and illicit trafficking of cultural property. It is against this
background that in 2003, we became one of the signatories to the 1970
Convention on the means of prohibiting and preventing the illicit import,
export and transfer of ownership of cultural property. We are also in the
process of becoming signatory to the International Institute for the
Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) Convention on stolen or illegally
exported cultural objects.
These conventions ensure that the cultural property of signatory countries
is protected internationally from theft and illicit trafficking. Signatory
countries are also bound to assist when cultural property from another country
enters their borders.
Here at home, we have taken the first step towards protection of heritage
resources. The SAHRA audit project is to provide agencies and funding bodies
with a clearer picture of the size and significance of the country's
heritage.
Launch of the African World Heritage Fund
In 2006 we established the path breaking initiative, the African World
Heritage Fund, to deal with the challenges that face the conservation and
protection of World Heritage Sites on the African continent.
The African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) was officially established in April
2006 and launched in May of the same year. It is registered under the South
African Trust Law and administered by the Development Bank of Southern Africa
(DBSA) and audited by the Auditor-General (AG).
It is a representative body consisting of all African Union (AU) countries
that are signatories to the World Heritage Convention. The fund has received
political endorsement of AU Heads of State Summit held in Khartoum in 2006. The
African World Fund (AWHF) works under UNESCO mandate and it is responsible for
the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.
To date the AWHF has received contributions in the order of US$4 731,524
(about R32 million) from the following countries Netherlands, India, China,
Gabon, South Africa, Algeria, Israel and Norway.
Since its inception, the fund has already invested in the following
projects:
* preparation of nomination dossiers for the extension of
Drakensberg/Ukhahlamba as a world heritage site on the Lesotho side of the
border
* conservation activities at the royal palaces of Abomey, an endangered world
heritage site in Benin
* reinforcement of training institutions in Benin and Kenya
* fellowship programmes
* support for the World Heritage Earthern Architecture programme
* preparation of Tentative listing in Mozambique.
We therefore encourage you to support this significant project that we
believe will help take our continent to prosperity.
Liliesleaf Farm in Rivonia was bought by the South African Communist Party
(SACP) in 1961 and became the nerve centre and hub from which the leadership of
uMkhonto weSizwe operated. The Liliesleaf Trust, launched by President Mbeki
currently owns eight acres of the farm. The Liliesleaf Project will consist
of:
* a learning centre (heritage precinct), with a Struggle Library, Research and
Archive Center
* a visitors center, with an interactive exhibition
* the Liliesleaf Lekgotla Retreat (commercial precinct), will be developed on
this site.
The main focus of this project is to restore and preserve the historic
buildings and structures, preserve the records and documentation and recount
the activities that took place at this site.
A research audit has uncovered extensive and significant material pertinent
to Liliesleaf. This material has informed the construction, design and
development of the exhibit storyline and guided the restoration of the historic
structures.
The Department of Arts and Culture funded the Liliesleaf Project to the
amount of R12 million.
* This year the Department of Arts and Culture will transfer an additional
R15 million over the next three financial years towards this important
project.
Madam Speaker, amongst the commemorations that are will feature prominently
in the 2007/08 financial year are:
* The 40th anniversary of the tragic death of Inkosi Albert Luthuli to pay
tribute to this great South African, the first African to be awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize.
* 90th anniversary of the Tragedy of the SS Mendi, to commemorate the members
of the so-called "South African Native Labour Corps" who tragically died when
the SS Mendi sank in 1917.
*The 30th anniversary of the Murder of Steven Bantu Biko. Government has
committed R5 million to the Steven Biko Foundation in order for them to
undertake a number of projects to commemorate the memory of Steven Bantu Biko
and shall also co-operate with other bodies to mark this tragic occasion. The
anniversary also marks the banning of a host of organisations, plus the
newspaper "The World". We hope to win the support of our media corporations in
observance of this anniversary.
* The theme for this year's Heritage Month is, "Celebrating Our Poetry". This
year we aim among other things to use the theme to promote the use of
indigenous languages while stimulating a new interest in poetry amongst all age
groups in South Africa.
Geographical name changes
The process of affirming this country's African identity by the resurrection
and revival of African language place names is very topical. But it has become
unnecessarily charged with great emotion. It is proper to remind ourselves that
the South African Geographical Names Council Act of 1998 won the support of
virtually all the parties represented in this august assembly. The law laid
down specific procedures that have to be followed when a name change is sought.
As Minister every such change that I have endorsed has met these requirements.
I reiterate, there has not been one name change that has been initiated by the
national government or a national minister. Each and every instance has been at
the initiative of local authorities, groups of concerned citizens or civic
bodies.
Because some have sought to politicise and raise emotions around this
issue:
* I am encouraging local governments to use the Provincial Geographical Names
Committees (PGNCs) established in terms of the South African Geographical Names
Act. These experts can help them with consultation processes where a name
change is being considered.
* I have also decided to re-open the nominations process for a new South
African Geographical Names Council so as to allow the language communities who
claim to be aggrieved an opportunity to come forward with nominations.
Freedom Park
* The construction of the first phase of Freedom Park (the Garden of
Remembrance) was completed in March 2004.
* The intermediate phase was completed in 2006. Phase two which will make
Freedom Park fully operational is projected to be finalised in 2010.
* Freedom Park receives R47,7 million as operational funds and R40,4 million as
capital funds.
A critical examination of our laws, unfortunately, reveals that we are
"still dressed in apartheid garb". This has necessitated a policy and
legislative review as some of the policies and legislation have become outdated
and out of step with the tenets of the Constitution.
The process for the review began in 2005. It has been a painstakingly slow,
legal, consultative and representative including top level delegations from
national departments, whose work impacts on the Department of Arts and
Culture's mandate all tiers of government i.e. provincial and local
governments, civil society, statutory institutions, experts in the field of
arts culture and heritage as well as other relevant stakeholders.
Research on the review is almost complete and the material will enrich the
process for amending both the White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage and
legislation. It is the position of the Department that once completed this
process will lead to efficient management of public resources and institutions.
The process is also aimed at enhancing the Department's capacity to deliver its
services to the general public.
We have commissioned an audit of skills in the heritage sector to arrive at
a Human Resources Development Strategy. The absence of qualified staff is
likely to undermine most of the work that the Department started. This strategy
will present medium and long term practical and implementable strategies for
addressing this serious shortcoming in archaeology, curatorship, museology and
research.
The Department is working with tertiary institutions and other relevant
stakeholders on this issue. These endeavours will undoubtedly contribute to the
Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) and Joint
Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA).
Treaties
We will, during this financial year, also ratify a number of international
treaties which include the following:
* the UNESCO convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage, to rehabilitate
African heritage practices
* the Underwater Cultural Heritage Convention.
The ratification of these conventions will enhance the country's capacity to
safeguard and promote our heritage. The Department is convinced that this has
potential to contribute to social cohesion and building a South African
national identity. The national policy on intangible cultural heritage will
ensure that the country's cultural diversity is well protected and
preserved.
In the past year, we supported almost 400 South African artists and cultural
practitioners to showcase their talent abroad and forge closer links with
counterparts around the world.
It is our mandate to make sure that South African talent takes its rightful
place on the global stage and to use artistry as a tool for economic
self-liberation. We have signed bilateral agreements with France, United
Kingdom, China, Cuba, India, New Zealand and Belarus towards this end.
Significantly, we ratified the Convention on the Promotion and Protection of
Cultural Diversity Convention in 2006 and became the 35th member country to do
so.
Since 2004, when we became a fully autonomous Ministry, we have taken giant
steps towards making the South African cultural presence felt in international
affairs. The journey continues with the following conferences and
celebrations:
* South Africa will through the New Agenda Coalition (NAC), host the conference
of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) National Arts Councils
2007.
* South Africa will launch the Commonwealth Foundation 2007.
2010 World Cup
* An amount of R25 million has been allocated this year towards the
preparation for the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
and other related activities.
Concluding remarks
The work of the Department cannot be covered in the contextual sweep that I
have attempted in this presentation. In many profound ways it can only be
expressed by artists of the highest calibre whose artistry makes us proud as it
expresses the soul of this nation.
It is for this reason that we salute the many, far too many, South African
artists and performers who left us during the course of this past year. May
their perseverance, their commitment and their talent continue to inspire us
and future generations as we build a better South Africa in a better world.
Thank you, Madam Speaker!
Issued by: Department of Arts and Culture
8 June 2007
Source: Department of Arts and Culture (http://www.dac.gov.za/)
