Africa media launch
30 August 2006
On behalf of the people of Gauteng we welcome the announcement that the Lion
King is coming home to Africa. We are proud that a production of its stature is
coming to South Africa and Gauteng in particular.
Gauteng is the country's economic engine, the most densely populated
province and a cultural melting pot. People from all over the country, the
continent and the world are attracted to our province, which has become a
dynamic, vibrant, innovative and creative urban region with a depth of cultural
diversity in which the arts are able to thrive.
The staging of the Lion King in Gauteng is an important milestone in the
development of the creative industries in our province and further evidence
that we are a globally competitive city region in the making.
Gauteng has the most well developed creative economy in the country and is a
home to the largest concentration of cultural enterprises in South Africa.
Research conducted by CreateSA in 2003 showed that over 40% of all creative
enterprises are found in the province. Gauteng has substantial creative
industry infrastructure, a vibrant creative arts community and well structured
and well organised music, film, television, radio, print, publishing and
multimedia industries. We also have world class technology and skilled
technical people who service these industries, adding to our competitive
advantage.
We are currently implementing a creative industries strategy to take the
sector to even greater heights. This forms part of our initiative to build
Gauteng as a globally competitive city region, which we launched in the Gauteng
legislature yesterday. The Gauteng city region initiative entails a new and
integrated approach to development in our province to ensure that we are able
to effectively manage the challenges posed by rapid urbanisation and population
growth and position ourselves as one of the world's foremost city regions. Our
vision is to build a prosperous future for all in our province.
Key aspects of the initiative include strategies to attract greater
investment and tourism, grow our economy and create more jobs, develop an
integrated transport network, combat crime, upgrade our social and economic
infrastructure, combat HIV and Aids, improve our health and education systems
and lift our skills levels.
The Lion King adds a welcome boost to the creative industries strategy and
will make an important contribution to skills development, job creation and
other economic opportunities in our province.
The creative industries are internationally recognised as an important
generator of new jobs and enterprises, providing opportunities for small,
medium and micro enterprises and as an important factor in urban
renaissance.
The sector forms part of the knowledge economy and makes an important
contribution to stimulating creativity and innovation, which are increasingly
becoming features of the Gauteng city region economy. This sector has massive
job creation potential and forms part of a cluster of economic activities
around sport, leisure, culture and heritage and tourism.
We have already done important work in this area through promoting the film
industry, investing in the Newtown cultural precinct and other visitor
attractions such as the Constitution Hill, heritage routes and drama, music and
arts events.
Arts and culture have a crucial contribution to make in the process of
healing our country, creating social cohesion and nation building. The creative
industries have the potential to forge partnerships between government and the
private sector, to build bridges across different sectors of the population and
to contribute to community development.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in
bringing the Lion King to Gauteng, Till Dawn Entertainment, the Theatre on the
Bay, Disney Theatrical Productions, Tsogo Sun and Telkom for your relentless
efforts in making this project a reality. It is a partnership which will
undoubtedly bear fruit and which will no doubt promote and inspire local
theatre as well. The production will help showcase and develop our local talent
and leave a lasting legacy for the people of Gauteng.
Thank you.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government
30 August 2006
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gpg.gov.za)
