Honourable Speaker, Ms Lindiwe Maseko
Honourable Deputy Speaker, Mr Steward Ngwenya
Honourable Premier, Ms Nomvula Mokonyane
Members of the Executive Council (MECs)
Members of the provincial legislature
Officials
Stakeholders in the sport, arts and library sectors
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
It is a great pleasure and a privilege to present to this house the 2010/11 budget vote for the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, which is the second in my term in office.
It would be a serious indictment if we do not recognise the opportunities as well as challenges faced by this current budget, but before we do so let me take this opportunity to pay tribute to the fallen heroes and heroines and also congratulate those who had made us proud in the current year.
The South African arts and culture fraternity is deeply saddened by the death of the award winning sculptor, Jackson Hlongwane in January 2010. The 99 year old Hlongwane's work formed part of the national school's curriculum.
Popular actor and comedian Mandla Thabethe, popularly known as "Bongo" on television sitcom, Family Bonds, died early this year. Thabethe was also a producer who starred in several literacy education adverts, he was nominated for best actor in the comedy category in the 2010 South African Television and Film Awards.
We also mourn the passing on of the dribbling wizard and a significant footballer in Emmanuel "Scara" Ngobese. He died a week ago after a long battle with tuberculosis. The late Ngobese first showed his skills at Moroka Swallows, where he became an instant hit, he went on to play for Thembisa Classic, he then relocated to Durban where he played for AmaZulu, but Kaizer Chiefs spotted him and brought him back to the home of champions where he just excelled and even featured in the Amaglug-glug.
The music industry has also had its own share of sad farewells in some of its icons; the musicians include Afro-Soul Jazz Musician Labella Dani and two popular Maskandi guitarists and musicians who also sadly passed away this year Bhekumuzi Luthuli and Simosakhe Mthalane. We will miss them but the legacy they left behind will continue to inspire us.
Honourable Speaker, it is not all sad and gloomy. In the midst of sadness there is some good news like the internationally acclaimed musical Sarafina that is making a comeback after the director and owner of the musical Mbongeni Ngema, was approached by German film makers to stage another production. The new production is set to coincide with the 2010 FIFA World Cup starting in June 2010.
Three Gauteng based musicians did us proud by snatching the prestigious awards at the South African Music Awards (SAMAS); Lira won the best global chart digital video disc (DVD) and best female artist of the year, Kurt Darren won best selling true tone as well as best selling full track download and Teargas won the best rap album.
Supersport United football club is hereby congratulated for winning the 2009/10 Absa Premier Soccer League championship. They have now equalled the record of winning the league for three years in a row.
Honourable Speaker, the Blue Bulls, who are the defending champions of the Super 14 Cup they won in 2009 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, will be playing their South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby (SANZAR) Super 14 semi-final rugby match against the Crusaders of New Zealand at Orlando stadium tomorrow (22 May 2010) starting at 17h00, which is the first ever in our history and this should foster social cohesion and unity amongst Gauteng people.
Whilst most of us will be tempted to concentrate on the Nedbank Cup final between Bidvest Wits and AmaZulu on the same day, it is important that we give full support to the Blue Bulls to encourage them and other teams to continue taking the transformation route to the highest level where colour and location will no longer matter when decisions around all forms of sport are taken.
I would like to encourage Rugby fans and staunch supporters to drive in their numbers to Soweto to watch their favourite players and even enjoy chisa nyama (braai meat) and amanqina (knuckles).
Honourable Speaker, I wish to indicate that our budget for the financial year 2010/11 has been reduced by approximately R10 million. A further reduction in the overall allocation has been as a result of the expiry of the three year commitment to support Soccerex with an amount of R20 million per annum from 2007 to 2009, which expired last year in November when the last leg of Soccerex was hosted in Gauteng. The total budget for the financial year 2010/11 has been reduced to R337 million from R362 million in 2009/2010.
2010 FIFA World Cup state of readiness
As we mark 20 days away from the world's most spectacular football showcase, Madam Speaker, before I speak about our state of readiness towards the 2010 FIFA World Cup I want to draw the attention of this house to some facts about the event.
Since 15 May 2004 when President of FIFA, Sepp Blatter made that historic announcement that South Africa was to host the world cup, South Africans pulled all resources together and started on the preparations. I can now give a report on our state of readiness for the tournament.
The three stadia namely: Soccer City, Ellis (Coca Cola) Park and Loftus Versfeld are collectively home to 21 of the 64 matches during the world cup. These include the opening ceremonies and first match between Bafana-Bafana and Mexico on 11 June at Soccer City stadium and the final at the same venue on 11 July followed by the closing ceremony which will close the curtain on this historic event.
The event is taking place during the Youth Month a significant month for all South Africans, where young heroes and heroines took the bull of apartheid by its horns, but this year ladies and gentlemen we commemorating the day in style. 16 June 2010 will be a day when Bafana-Bafana will be playing against Uruguay at Loftus Versfeld stadium at 20h30.
This event again befits the celebration by young people as the event itself is about the celebration of the youth talent and skills in the field of play. The majority of the players, the likes of Itumeleng Khune, Teko Modise, Dieder Drogba, Michael Essien, Samuel E’to, Lionel Messi, Christiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Fernando Torres, Robinho, etc. are young people below the age of 30 years.
Madam Speaker, we are ready on the infrastructure and associated resources on health, medical, emergency, safety and security, disaster management services, tourism and traffic management.
Our hospitals, emergency centre, disaster management centre, dedicated police stations, courts and correctional services have been constantly inspected and dry runs have been conducted and continue to be conducted to check their ability to master the pressures associated with the event and are ready to discharge their responsibility with efficiency.
Who can forget that six years ago when the FIFA President, Mr Sepp Blatter, took out that card inside the envelope to announce our win as the host country, a day when the former President Nelson Mandela shared a tear, we will also not forget his contribution behind the scenes?
Is this not a tribute to him? Yes indeed it is a befitting birthday present for him as the event will be finalised during his birth month. He will be 93 years old seven days after the final whistle of the spectacular event.
Honourable members, Gauteng is the heartland of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, 19 of the 32 teams will be based here and indeed Gauteng is the home of champions. Teams can play anywhere in the country but the cup will be won in Gauteng.
I am also proud to mention that the four legacy stadia, namely Rand, George Thabe, Sinaba and HM Pitje, that the Gauteng provincial government through the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation has upgraded, will be used as either team base camp venues or specific official training venues linked to the match venues.
These will add to the other training venues such as Ruimsig, Dobsonville, Super stadia and other training grounds that have been chosen by the visiting teams providing an opportunity for the local communities to see their favourite players during the training sessions when they are open to the public.
We are talking to the FIFA authorities that the teams should conduct clinics and impart some knowledge and skills to our soccer legends who, should acquire better skills and be in a better position to take development of football in the country to higher levels.
In my budget speech in August 2009, I mentioned that we hosted a successful 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup from 14 June to 28 June 2009, where Mr Blatter gave the country 75 percent success rate in terms of the hosting of the tournament.
The eight matches including the opening match between Bafana-Bafana and Iraq and the final between Brazil and United States of America were well attended mainly by South Africans in particular. What was amazing throughout the tournament was the support the team was receiving from both black and white South Africans blowing their vuvuzelas.
We were all aware that the challenges that had been experienced during that tournament were mainly related to the transportation and movement of people before and after the matches. It was clear as the tournament progressed that the major challenges were noticed after the matches when people would want to get to their transport simultaneously whilst streaming into the venues were not coming in at once.
It was therefore important that our planning as Gauteng including host and non-host cities that the main focus, whilst not ignoring any sector, was on the provision of the improved transport operational plans.
Madam Speaker, Awukho umshado ngaphandle kwabantu. Without the people involved before and during the event, the world cup will not be memorable. It is on this basis that the Gauteng Executive Council took a decision in its extended Lekgotla in September 2009 that the Gauteng Gateway 2010 campaign should be developed and implemented whose objectives are to Brand Gauteng as a preferred destination for trade, investment and tourism before and after the hosting of the world cup and ensure that the people of Gauteng are the hosts.
Gateway
In March 2010, we hosted the Gauteng Gateway 2010 Summit, which was attended by among others service providers and operators in tourism, hospitality, entertainment, art and others who had an interest in showcasing Gauteng to the world.
The summit discussed amongst others, what all Gauteng people could do to show the best of Gauteng to visitors and make their stay in our province the most enjoyable one. The summit also answered and came up with solutions for those who needed clarity on how they can own the event.
We have embarked on the 2010 community mobilisation road show, a partnership between the Transnet Foundation and the Gauteng provincial government, which commenced on 20 April 2010 on a provincial wide journey.
This mobile stage brings a lot of fun, excitement and spirit of the tournament to as many people of Gauteng as possible. The road show team is continuing to encourage communities to be good hosts, fly the flag, sing the national anthem and lead the Diski dance through dance workshops, music and fun competitions at each stop. Football Fridays are another form of involving soccer legends to rally the support behind Bafana-Bafana and the hosting of the event.
Sport development and coordination
Ladies and gentlemen, while much of our efforts and energies are focused towards the success of hosting the world cup, we cannot neglect our mandate and key areas of performance. Developing young talent where the integration of programmes within the sport and recreation section takes place is our key area.
Talent identification and development of talent starts at the Mass Participation programme and is coordinated through the hubs. The establishment of sport clubs that are affiliated to federations where they participate in structured leagues, as well as enhancing of the skills of players, coaches and technical officials through various capacity building courses are amongst departmental priorities.
To achieve this, the department creates an enabling environment for sport federations to assist the department to identify talent. We want to see our athletes, coaches, technical officials and sport administrators represent this province at national as well as international level.
Central to the challenge of building Gauteng, as a preferred home of competitive sport, is the contribution this government makes to the development of young athletes. This year, the department has partnered with five tertiary institutions by allocating funding for bursaries for 45 students. These are students that have participated nationally as well as internationally in a range of sporting codes who came out of this partnership.
In the past year the department concluded the Due Diligence study on the repositioning of the Gauteng Academy programme. Further engagements will be taking place with stakeholders on the findings and the recommendations of the report.
These stakeholder consultations will assist the department in ensuring that Gauteng Academy is aligned to the national strategies on high performance from the South African Revenue Service (SRSA) as well as from South African Sport Federation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).
For this year, the department will be supporting the high performance programmes of the seven priority codes, such as, rugby, cricket, swimming, athletics, netball, boxing and football.
Two seminars will be organised where we will focus and target both developmental as well as elite coaches, technical officials, athletes and sport officials. This year greater support will be given to federations to assist them with their team selections for tournaments.
Focus will also be on ensuring that the Rosina Sedibane Sport School of Learning is supported with equipment as well as with coaching personnel and capacity building programmes. This programme is in collaboration with the Gauteng Department of Education.
Legacy programmes
The purpose for the legacy projects is the Club Development programme, where there are 33 clubs in the programme from football and netball. During this financial year, the number of clubs will increase to include athletics and rugby, the training of coaches, technical officials and sport administrators in order to ensure sustainability of the club on exit of the programme after three years.
The programme will also incorporate life skills training for the players. The objective of this programme is to ensure that clubs exist and the league structures are operational within the communities.
It is important also to inform the house that the Tennis Development programme was piloted last year, and that four regional tournaments took place, which culminated into a provincial tournament. During this financial year, the programme will be extended to other areas in the province; it will also include coaching clinics for players as well as training programmes for coaches, technical officials and administrators.
Strengthening community based structures
In the previous year, 27 sport organisations were trained on the Business in the Box project. This project aims to assist our federations, regional sport councils as well as our clubs on the club development programme to be compliant so that they are also able to source funding from the department as well as other sectors such as the Lotto and the private sector.
In the past year, the department has initiated a process to ensure that the provincial Sport Council is functional and sustainable. One of the legacy projects is to ensure that our football structures are assisted to ensure that they have better administration processes in place.
In 2009, 44 local football associations were supported with administration equipment such as computer, printer, software and the regional structures with card printing machines. This year the focus will be on capacitating the structures in corporate governance and other capacity building courses.
In the Sport Grant-in-Aid programme, organisations that have qualified for funding will be supported in their developmental programmes in various communities and those that have been unsuccessful will receive equipment and attire.
Furthermore, those who did not qualify will be included in the Business in the Box project to ensure that they become compliant in future. There will be road shows later in the year where sport organisations and community structures are capacitated on the grant-in-aid application process.
Learn to Swim programme
Madam Speaker, due to high levels of drowning experienced in the province, we will embark on implementing Learn-to-Swim programme in conjunction with Swimming South Africa and together with the regional federations.
The aim of the programme is to ensure that our children are water safe, but also to ensure that we begin to transform swimming in this province. In the last financial year, the programme was piloted in Soweto and surrounding areas. This year it will be rolled out to the other communities in Gauteng. The swimming programmes focuses on three areas, which are:
* water safety education of children in schools
* learn to swim lessons for children in schools and
* development of clubs at swimming pools.
Mass Participation programme
Our department has been successful in establishing 51 hubs in Gauteng. These hubs are multi-purpose community centres where sport and recreation activities take place to encourage our communities to participate in sport and recreational activities towards living active and healthy lifestyles.
In 2009, we undertook a review process where we looked at the efficiency and effectiveness of the hubs in our communities. Whilst a lot has been achieved in this regard, let me the first to admit, a lot still needs to be done.
To achieve this, there is going to be a significant shift of focus towards the hubs to ensure their functionality, effectiveness and efficiency to meet their intended objectives.
School Sport Mass Participation programme
The following priority sporting codes are found on this programme: soccer, rugby, athletics, netball, volleyball, cricket, basketball and chess.
There are 325 schools currently participating in the programme where one sport assistant has been appointed for each school. There are 195 primary schools, 118 secondary schools and 12 schools for learners with special educational needs.
These schools are divided into 21 clusters and are managed by cluster coordinators across the province and are divided as follows:
* Sedibeng: Evaton, Boipatong, Ratanda, Sharpeville
* West Rand: Kagiso
* Johannesburg: Orange Farm, Lenasia, Pimville, Dobsonville, Alexandra, Ivory Park
* Ekurhuleni: Tembisa, Tsakane, Vosloorus, Thokoza
* Tshwane: Mamelodi, Soshanguve East, Soshanguve West, Atteridgeville, Mabopane
* Metsweding: Bronkhorstspruit (Ekangala), Zithobeni, Rethabiseng.
In all these regions, the focus at school level is targeted at under 11, 12 and 13 in primary schools and under 14, 16 and 17 at high schools respectively.
The appointment of sport coordinators and cluster coordinators is in line with the responds to creating decent jobs. Their monthly stipend is R2 073 for sport assistants and R3 500 for cluster coordinators.
As part of the resourcing of the schools, they have been provided with equipment and attire. Capacity building programmes have been organised in sport administration, life skills and event management. To revive school sport within communities festivals are organised across the 21 clusters. This programme is managed jointly with the Department of Education.
Competitive sport
Each district will host a minimum of two primary public viewing area events supported by secondary ones across the District municipalities. The Department will support each District with R500 000 as an additional support to resources already secured from municipality budgets and Lotto, via the department's intervention. This will amount to the total of R1.5 million for all three districts.
Additional support of R150 000 will be that of a legacy to private establishments where screens, ablutions facilities and security will be added to ensure comfortable environments for the viewing of the beautiful game.
Furthermore, an amount of R500 000 has been set aside to support the districts with marketing of their public viewing areas in the context of the Gauteng 2010 Gateway strategy, thus extend the exposure and reach. We will also support the districts with the sourcing of developmental and established local artist to liven the events at the cost of R150 000.
Metros will also be assisted at the tune of R100 000 each taking the amount to R300 000, given the capacity and resource they already have at their disposal. All these events will be hosted in the following areas:
* Johannesburg: Mary Fitzgerals Square
* Tshwane: Giant stadium (Soshanguve) and Temba (Hammanskraal)
* Ekurhuleni: Dries Niemandt Welcome Village, Ethafeni, Bulithando and Kwenele parks
* Metsweding: Ekangala and Refilwe community halls
* Westrand: Merafong City, Mohlakeng stadium and Coronation Park/Tarlton
* Sedibeng: Saul Tsotetsi and Constitutional Square.
In our pursuit and realisation of the social cohesion initiative of the province, the department has set aside an amount of money to support and assist the communities that otherwise would not have directly participated in the once in a lifetime experience of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
This amount will be used to purchase tickets for deserving sectors and will be distributed primarily by municipalities via established relevant structures within the Gauteng. This is meant to expose the ordinary man on the street to live performance of international sportsmen.
Another focus under social cohesion will be the formation of public private partnership that will be led by this directorate to support the hosting of these events as well as other programmes of the department. These partnerships are aimed at augmenting the seed funding and limited resources government can provide to fund its programmes.
The department will assist the municipalities in sourcing infrastructure development funding from various sources of funding that are meant to fund such developments. The priority will be the completion of George Thabe stadium so that it is usable by the community. These initiatives will be done in partnership with municipalities, via their integrated development plan processes as well as the federations to ensure that facilities are fully compliant with the sporting code prescripts.
Grants-In-Aid
In 2009, the Grants-in-Aid programme of the department has made huge strides in moving away from awarding grants on an ad hoc basis to various sport, arts and culture organisations to ensuring that the funding that they receive is aligned to the various strategies of the department.
For 2010/11 financial year, R1.075 will be for 2010 Arts and Culture special projects, R750 000 has been put aside for bursaries, R350 000 Grants-In-Aid.
In 2009, the Grants-in-Aid programme of the department has made huge strides in moving away from awarding grants on an ad hoc basis to various sport, arts and culture organisations to ensuring that the funding that they receive is aligned to the various strategies of the department.
For 2010/11 financial year, R1.075 will be for 2010 Arts and Culture special projects, R750 000 has been put aside for bursaries. Another allocation will be R1.5 million for HIV and AIDS sport related programmes and R1.5 million HIV and AIDS arts and culture programmes.
Cultural affairs
The Creative Industries is currently busy with the Gauteng 2010 Merchandise campaign. Gauteng is already known worldwide as the financial and business hub of Africa. The Gauteng Craft and Design Centre has a partnership with Tigers Eye that will provide a platform in all stores, including all shops at OR Tambo and heritage sites to market Gauteng specific craft.
Through this initiative, 200 enterprises are participating and as a result 600 indirect jobs were created and 100 crafters trained in new product development e.g. pins, national flags, or recycled materials reflecting the national colours, small football figurines, key rings, jewellery incorporating national flags and symbols and makarapas-mass!
The live music in public spaces will contribute not only to international tourism but also local tourism. The following entertainment precincts (Gauteng 2010: Live performance Circuit) have been developed at: Katlehong, Thokoza precinct, Mamelodi precincts, Netwown Cultural precinct, Pimville-Kliptown precinct, Orlando West heritage precinct, Sebokeng precinct, Kagiso-Khutsong precinct and Refilwe Cullinan precinct.
Honourable Speaker, in the support for live music events, the department has undertaken to grow and market special events like the Joy of Jazz, Moretele Jazz and Jazz by the River events.
In support of music industry in Gauteng, we are partnering with Moshito, the music market and trade show which comprises music exhibitions, the sales of music products and services, music business seminars and live music events. By supporting this music market, we aim to enable local Gauteng musicians to effectively market their music within Southern Africa and internationally.
Carnival
It is further important to mention that the department launched the Pale ya Rona carnival project in 2005 with only 3 000 participants and R2 million creating over 350 jobs for dancers, visual artists, designers, welders, construction, etc. The carnival has grown in 2009 with more than 17 000 participants from across Gauteng.
This year the carnival will be celebrated as part of the 2010 Gateway project over a period of three days commencing on 4 June 2010 with a traditional dance and music festival in Mofolo Park, Soweto.
The carnival parade on 5 June 2010, will depart from Mofolo Park meander for 10 kilometres through the streets of Soweto, passing historic sites and places of interest and end up at Mofolo Park where the battle of the DJ’s will commence to crown the ultimate DJ of Gauteng. The winning DJ will win equipment worth of R50 000.
The department is currently busy liaising with the University of Witwatersrand to provide a bursary for the winning DJ to study in the field of music production. From this Community DJ programme, the registered list at the South African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) of 13 DJ’s has grown now to include the 60 new community DJ’s of Gauteng. The carnival CD will also be launched.
Thirty choreographers received accredited training in choreography and will be entered into a Media, Advertising, Printing and Publishing Sector Education and Training Authority (MAPPPSETA) Learnership programme in 2011. The pool of skilled carnival artists have grown from 32 to 60 excelling in the construction of large costumes, backpack making, wire bending and so on. Focus of the large costumes this year will be on the national symbols and national orders.
This year, the carnival is honoured to have the following international participants: a 60 member troupe from the well known Abuja carnival in Nigeria, witches from the Black Forest, Germany, Spain and Brazilians.
The department in partnership with the French institute of South Africa and "Les Grandes Personnes" under the leadership of 15 international artists (France, Chile and Burkina Faso) trained 100 artists and crafters from Gauteng to produce 30 giant puppets.
These puppets will be used to mobilise communities from 4 June to 11 July in stadiums, streets and fan parks. The puppets will also perform during the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the National Grahamstown Arts festival.
Other provinces that will participate at this year's carnival include Kwazulu-Natal, Northwest, Mpumalanga and a 60 member troupe from the Cape Minstrels Carnival Association from the Western Cape.
Sunday 6 June, a musical concert will be held at Mofolo Park with local and international artists from Brazil and Spain. The best three Gauteng songs will also be performed.
Traditional dance
In the past year, it has proven to be more difficult and challenging to promote the traditional and cultural dances in the province when their organisations still continue to work unorganised and fragmented.
This year, the department will intensify its efforts to ensure that the cultural and traditional dancers are organised and work together under the auspices of Gauteng Cultural Umbimbi (GACU).
The Gauteng Arts and Culture Council (GACC) will award bursaries for young artists and cultural workers, support the development of emerging groups and programmes which focus on training and developing artists and support artists in activities aimed at showcasing their work at arts and culture festivals. A bursary policy for arts and culture grants will be drafted this year.
During this financial year, the Gauteng Arts and Culture Council Act, Act 11 of 1998 will be amended and the promulgation of the regulations thereto which will review the constitution and scope of the Gauteng Arts and Culture Council. This will enable the GACC to focus on activities explicitly in support of the Creative Industries development framework and improve accountability and corporate governance.
Heritage
Honourable Speaker, we will review our approach and accelerate the process of implementing programmes relating to national symbols, commemorative days and the standardisation of the geographical names change in Gauteng. We will be working with our municipalities in consultation with communities to strengthen committees dealing with name changes.
The department will ensure that the recommendations that arose from the Geographical Names Change conference held in March 2010 will be implemented. An amount of R851 000 has been allocated towards geographical names change process.
The department will prepare a business case study to Provincial Treasury in ensuring that the provincial Heritage Resources Authority will be competent and ensure compliance with the National Heritage Resources Act.
The heritage policy will be developed in order to create a sound regulatory environment for the identification, preservation and promotion of provincial heritage resources.
There are over 60 museums in Gauteng to suit all interests and tastes of the visitors. The department is currently working with the various museums and cultural institutions to ensure that museum programmes will be running and visited by school children and tourists, craft products that are currently being developed that will be sold at the various museums and heritage sites. The language policy will be reviewed and approved.
Library and information services
Libraries are essential institutions in a democratic society because they provide the information that allows communities and individuals to make informed decisions. Libraries are also essential to the educational process because they support curricula, teach information literacy and foster critical thinking skills.
Libraries provide information that is fundamental to functioning successfully in today's information and knowledge based society. Libraries provide the opportunity for self education, lifelong learning and self improvement.
In Gauteng community library and information services is still provided in partnership with municipalities. There are currently 235 community libraries in Gauteng. The total budget allocated to the library and information services for the 2010/11 is R64.025 million.
This year, the department will receive R51.619 million from the Department of Arts and Culture for the recapitalisation of libraries. A further R8.826 million has been identified for transfer to municipalities from voted funds specifically for the purchasing of information resources to keep library collections relevant and up to date, to improve public access to internet services, to subscribe to periodicals and newspapers for community libraries and to implement reading and library programmes in all community libraries.
For the first time, this year the libraries in Merafong will also be serviced by this Department. 94.4 percent of the library service's budget is transferred to municipalities for the following library projects:
* To increase the access of communities to library services. This year six new library buildings will be completed.
These libraries are in: Brandvlei that will be provided with a container library, Ekangala that will receive a second mobile home library, the upgrading of the Olifantsfontein library will be completed, the upgrading of the Randvaal library will be completed, the libraries in Lesedi will be upgraded and the extension of the Rayton library will be completed. A vehicle will be purchased for Kungwini for outreach services to underserviced areas.
* Eight existing libraries will receive facelifts and be provided with new furniture and equipment, namely Mabopane Libraries, Mogale City libraries, Mohlakeng library, Simunye library, Greenpark and Khutsong, Rayton and Roodeplaat libraries, Kungwini libraries and the roof of the De Deur library will be repaired.
* The book losses and security measures at libraries are increasingly becoming a matter of serious concern and therefore two municipalities will implement book security systems in libraries to curb book losses, namely: the Tshwane libraries will complete the project that was started in the 2009/10 financial year and Emfuleni will implement the book security system in all their 11 libraries. Shalimar Ridge library will be provided with a new palisade fencing to improve security at the library.
* Access to internet services stimulates economic growth in communities; therefore the information and communication infrastructure, networks and services will be upgraded and maintained in Tshwane, Midvaal, Lesedi, and Randfontein.
For the first time, funds will also be transferred to the West Rand district municipality for the maintenance and support of the network and electronic library system for libraries in the West Rand.
The youth in particular make very well use of the computers in the libraries for developing their curriculum vitas, job seeking, applying electronically for jobs and bursaries and in general just to improve their computer skills.
* A new electronic library management system must be implemented in the Merafong libraries, because Gauteng is implementing a different library management system than North West province in libraries.
* A high focus is placed on reading and library programmes, especially for children and the youth. The programmes range from adult literacy support to developing reading, writing and debate skills of learners.
Most of these programmes for the learners are implemented as a partnership between the schools and the local libraries. Examples of these are the Story Skirmish, the Battle of the Books, Jolife Awards, Psyched for Science, the Strongest Link, Ready to Read and the Born to Read. Reading programmes will be rolled out in all 235 libraries in Gauteng.
* 50 000 new books will be added to library collections in libraries to develop collections and keep information up to date. The department will again subscribe to electronic journals and gazettes on behalf of municipal libraries in order to increase access to up to date information.
* The contracts of 88 library staff currently working in municipal library services will be renewed. A focus will also be placed on skilling and training of municipal staff in order to render better services to communities.
* Services that are rendered by municipalities will be monitored by provincial staff in order to determine compliance and to support where necessary. 144 visits will be undertaken to the 12 municipalities that funds are transferred to.
* A departmental resource centre for staff will be maintained in order to supply in the information and work related needs of departmental employees.
* The investigation into the capacity of municipalities to accept assignment and the consultation with important stakeholders in this regard have now been completed. Important decisions on the future rendering of the function will now have to be made by the political leadership in the department and province. Based on the decision taken, the drafting of the policy for the function will then follow.
Archives services
About R800 000 has been allocated to the archives and records management services. The bulk of the funding will be used to finalise the policy for archives and records management services in the province and to draft legislation for the function.
Support will be provided to Gauteng governmental entities with regard to records management services. It is envisaged that 100 percent of the records that are submitted to the department will be dealt with. 80 records managers of governmental entities will also be trained.
National commemorative days
Madam Speaker, the department has successfully planned and managed the commemorative days in the past financial year. These national days are commemorated in order to bring unity to all South Africans irrespective of colour, gender or race.
The success of the commemorative days is measured by the numbers of participants who attend these events from different race groups, cultural and political backgrounds.
It is important to note that for the first time last year, we had two more national days added to our mandate on top of Freedom Day, Youth Day, Women's Day, Heritage Day and Human Rights Day. The two national days added are: Nelson Mandela Day (18 July) and Day of Reconciliation (16 December).
Nelson Mandela Day is a day where we all dedicate 67 minutes of our time to community work and this day was observed differently by each department. However, it important to note that the Executive Council has established a task team on the celebration of Freedom Day in particular. The task team will convene consultative meetings with different stakeholders.
As Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, we painted sport field of disadvantaged areas in the west and in the south. We also distributed reading materials. The first commemoration of the Day of Reconciliation was held at Freedom Park and the function focused on honouring the military veterans.
The honouring was divided into two areas of honouring the late veterans and those who are still alive. As the list is not yet exhausted, this year, the department will still continue to honour the remaining military veterans and this is done in cooperation with the South African Military Veterans Association.
Madam Speaker, the department has tabled a report on the revised approach on the commemoration of national days to the Executive Council and it will be taken for further public participation.
This new approach proposes that there should be a more varied approach such as planning for a number of smaller localised events over a period of a month rather than a single provincial event. The commemorative month projects have been realigned to address issues of social cohesion, patriotism and nation building.
On 16 June, the department will partner with the City of Tshwane and City of Johannesburg to host this year's commemorations. The event will commence with a wreath laying ceremony at Hector Peterson Memorial in Soweto, which is coordinated by the City of Johannesburg, thereafter another wreath laying ceremony at the Solomon Mahlangu Square.
This will be followed by a carnival parade which will commence on the heritage trail that signifies the history of Mamelodi such as Dr Reibeiro house, handover of the Solomon Mahlangu house to the City of Tshwane, oldest building in the area.
This procession will also serve as an awareness campaign which will lead to Moretele Park which will be a public viewing site for the Bafana-Bafana versus Uruguay match that evening. Detailed plans of the remaining commemorative days will mainly be determined by the approved approach.
Conclusion
We remain committed to working together with all stakeholders to be able to deliver more effectively. We want to thank the Portfolio Committee on their critical oversight led by the Chairperson Mrs Nompi Nhlapho, the members and staff of the committee.
Allow me to also thank the Honourable Premier, Ms Nomvula Mokonyane for her courageous leadership, the guidance and support to deliver on our mandate, not forgetting the support of my colleagues on the Executive Council for their continued collective engagement in the work of the provincial government to deliver services to our people and for the ongoing collaboration and cooperation I enjoy with the Gauteng provincial government departments.
Allow me to bid farewell to the outgoing Head of department, Ms Dawn Robertson, for the leadership she has displayed and for her contribution to the department, and welcome my new Head of Department, Ms Busi Mhaga who will be starting on 1 June 2010. Not forgetting the senior management and staff, including staff in my private office for their hard work and support.
To all the role players and stakeholders for their support and guidance, not forgetting my family, comrades and friends.
Working together we can do more.
Thank you
Ke Nako!!
Issued by: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Gauteng Provincial Government
28 May 2010
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gautengonline.gov.za/)
