Honourable Premier
Honourable Speaker
Colleagues in the Executive Council
Honourable Members
Ladies and gentlemen
Comrades
On this occasion of the debate on the State of the Province Address may I rise to express my support for the roadmap that honourable Premier Ace Magashule has outlined for us as the Free State. I rise to express that support mindful of the fact that the service delivery indicators, which are captured in the form of our priority outcomes, reflects the road we have travelled since the 1994 democratic breakthrough. This road, let us stress, has been a short one, a little over a mere 15 years, whilst the distance ahead is still long.
As we engage in this debate it is important that we put things in their proper context and demystify the myths. Firstly, that as this postapartheid government we are dealing with the massive historical backlog of apartheid spatial planning which has resulted in the underdevelopment of certain communities is a historical fact that many would like us to forget or ignore.
Secondly, that during the past 15 years or so this government has rolled out service delivery programmes across the length and breadth of our land is a historical fact that some would like us to ignore. Yes the development, although combined, is still uneven. For example, many of our rural communities still lack behind as regard service delivery programmes. It is for this reason that as part of our planning, and as noted by the honourable Premier in his State of the Province Address, we have taken a conscious decision to combine the function of rural development with that of agriculture. This is in order to ensure a sustained and integrated focus on development of rural communities.
Honourable Speaker, from the perspective of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation the 2011 State of the Province Address continue to challenge us to rise to the occasion in our quest to enhance the priority outcomes of this government.
On education
In support of Education Priority Outcome through the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, the Free State Provincial Government has implemented the following programmes, just to mention but a few:
- 11 libraries are targeted to have information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and online public access
- Toy library services have been established in 15 libraries. Preparation for five extra libraries for the 2010/11 financial year is underway.
- 75 libraries have literacy services and these services will be established in five more libraries in the 2010/11 financial year.
- A total number of 2 257 new library material was provided to libraries in the province.
On health
The challenges faced by the health sector in 2009, as outlined by Honourable Premier, are, like any other sector, not a responsibility of the Department of Health to deal with alone. We have a collective responsibility to address these challenges in an integrated way. As the department, like other departments, we have a role to play in ensuring that we realise this priority outcome. In support of the Health Priority Outcome this government has, through the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, set out to ensure active participation and development of Free Staters in various recreational activities in a quest to promote healthy lifestyles. To this effect the following were realised:
- We have taken school sport to new levels in our quest to engage learners and young people in physical exercises. For example, a total number of 6 school sport teams participated in the My School Adventure programme as part of the School Sport initiative.
- Fourteen Provincial teams were supported with high performance services to prepare them for participation in various sporting codes.
- Traditional, ballroom and Latin American dance classes are being provided to both the elderly and the youth at the Mmabana Arts and Culture centre as part of recreational activities that enhances the health and fitness levels of communities.
- Thabong Arts and Culture Centre provide dance training to 7 males and 7 females for people with disabilities with the same objective of recreation and exercises to promote healthy lifestyles.
We cannot just leave it to the Department of Health to conduct health promotion in the province. In engaging the youth and young adults in sporting and recreational activities we are also indirectly dealing with such scourges as HIV and AIDS, Teenage Pregnancies, alcohol abuse and so on. By occupying learners, the youth and young people in sport and recreation as well as arts and culture we take their minds of things that result in these scourges. We are therefore in support of Premier Magashule when he declares that, I quote: “The provision of quality health care for our people, especially the poor, will continue to be a high during the year,” close quote.
On decent work
This being the year of job creation we will continue to roll up our sleeves to contribute towards this goal. The 38 467 job opportunities created in the province in 2010, as stated by the Premier, will certainly increase remarkably if we all contribute the little that we can.
Through the arts and culture craft sector opportunities exist for job creation. For example, during the 2010 FIFA World Cup 50 crafters exhibited their wares at the Public Viewing Areas (PVAs) in Bloemfontein and Welkom. The exhibition of crafts to the public creates an opportunity for the extension of the market for crafters and further chances for employment and sustainable livelihoods. 15 traditional dance groups were also given an opportunity to perform at the PVAs.
The department also provides institutional support to the arts and heritage sector through the following:
- Transfer of funds to Provincial Arts and Culture Council (PACC) to provide access to funding by Artists
- Transfer of funds to Provincial Heritage Resources Agency (PHRA) to enable growth in the Heritage Sector.
- Support the Crafters Trust to regulate economic activities for Free State crafters.
Sport, arts and culture programmes
Speaker, I join Premier Magashule in our joy for the forthcoming 2012 Centenary Celebration of the African National Congress. This is indeed a significant historical moment that we all have to embrace as Free Staters irrespective of our different political identities. The Centenary Legacy Projects mentioned by the Premier should stand out in our communities as part of our rich heritage landscape that we should all pride ourselves in. As the department we will do everything in our power to ensure that the Centenary Celebrations become memorable for Free Staters in particular and South Africans in general.
The challenge of nation building and social cohesion still remains. The recent debates in our country on race relations epitomizes the enormity of the work we still have to do in advancing the reconciliation project we started since 1994. Through our various programmes we will continue to strive to enhance this project. Premier Magashule states correctly in the context of the 2010 FIFA World Cup that, and I quote, “the potential of nation building through sport and recreation is uniquely South African”, close quote.
Speaker, may I in conclusion echo the words of Premier Magashule when he called us to action: ‘ha re hlaseleng botswa – let us exercise!!!’ As the Department we will respond to this clarion call by creating the necessary environment for Free Staters to indeed engage in sport and recreation.
During the departmental budget vote tabling we will further expand on these and other programmes in support of the Premier’s roadmap as outlined in the State of the Province Address.
I thank you.
Source: Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation
