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National Book Week begins today and the IFP calls on the Department of Arts
and Culture to empower our South African Authors.

" There is a great need to empower South African authors, as this country
focuses on encouraging South Africans to read books. There are many gifted
authors who lack information about where they can promote their work as
there is no available market to them " said IFP Spokesperson on Arts and
Culture, Hon Hilda Msweli MP.

Msweli further added that " Initiatives such as the National Book Week tend
to be hyped for the duration of their campaigns and soon long forgotten -
until the following National Book Week. The Department of Arts and Culture
must have proper plans to ensure that rural book authors are assisted in
promoting their work and that all South Africans have access to books".

The IFP also calls the Department of Arts and Culture in conjunction with
the Department of Education, that the culture of learning must be encouraged
in schools by delivering school books on time. In addition, the IFP
believes that to encourage its citizens to learn, government must provide
learning facilities, especially libraries, where people live. Libraries
should have activities like storytelling, book club sessions, as well as
poetry sessions. The IFP believes that the Department of Arts and Culture
must also focus on working together with organisations which focus on adult
education.