Date: 29/06/2004
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Title: M Masuku: Culture, Sport & Recreation Prov Budget Vote 2004/2005
POLICY AND BUDGET SPEECH 2004/2005 FOR DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, SPORT AND RECREATION, BY HONOURABLE MEC MADALA MASUKU, 29 June 2004
Madame Speaker, Pinky Phosa
Honourable Premier, Thabang Makwetla
Members of the Executive Council
Members of the Mpumalanga Legislature
Mayors and Councillors
Makhosi
Colleagues in Culture, Sport and Recreation Fraternity
Distinguished guests
Comrades and friends
It is indeed an honour and a privilege for me to address this House, at the beginning of the second decade of our freedom, whilst we celebrate the achievements of our first Decade of Freedom and Democracy.
Madam Speaker, we have arrived where we are today, because of the struggles that have been waged by our masses who endured the pain and suppression that was inflicted by the apartheid regime on daily basis.
Madam Speaker, for what happened in the past, we carry no grudges, but a warm invitation to our oppressors, that we collectively should build a caring, united, non-sexist, non-racial and democratic South Africa.
It is against this backdrop, that as a department, we have partnered with other stakeholders to celebrate this year's national days such as Freedom Day, Heritage Day, Day of Reconciliation and Human Rights Day. Our objective inter-alia, is to rally our people around the gains and achievements of the democratic system of governance, with the aim of inspiring hope to face future challenges with confidence.
We are not just preaching the attainment of our freedom, but we are practically at work to make the people's contract we signed with our communities, a reality.
The former President of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, proclaimed in his reading on Freedom and Development:
"Freedom and Development are as completely linked together as are chicken and eggs! Without chicken you get no eggs, and without eggs you soon have no chicken. Similarly without freedom you get no development, and without development you very soon lose your freedom!"
To us people, like Julius Nyerere, Nkwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, Chief Albert Luthuli, Moses Mabhida, Augustinho Nato, Eduardo Mondlane, Samorah Machel, Oliver Tambo, Joe Slovo and many other gallant heroes and heroines of Africa, remain shinning and twinkling stars, who remain our source of inspiration, towards a developed, united and democratic Africa, that we are currently propagating through initiatives like NEPAD and the vision of the African Renaissance.
For us to attain and maintain standards on freedom and development, we need to ensure that people are involved in the developmental processes, decision-making and determination of their own destination.
Madam Speaker, and Honourable Members, we have been charged with a task of managing what many may see as a softer, but most important issue in the development of our society.
Culture, Sport and Recreation functions are seen as marginal, frivolous and extravagant exercises that do not need any priority, but are mere unnecessary waste of time and money. This probably explains why in South Africa, Culture and Sport are the most under funded departments in all spheres of government.
Today, the pyramids of Egypt seem a wonder and a miracle to the eye of the wondering traveller, but man took a conscious decision to realise that dream and effort made a reality. Similarly, if you can walk, you can dance, and if you can talk, you can sing. It is true in so far as you have feet to walk and a voice to speak. Thus, Mpumalanga Province is so rich, in that it has "feet" to walk and a "voice" to sing.
In addition to the abundant raw talent, we have a landscape that is ready to be seen, not only where it is, but everywhere on the globe. For its natural beauty it will be a waste for Mpumalanga to host anything less than ten shoots of film, television or adverts. The "dance" and the "singing" can only happen when we give filmmakers an excuse, an incentive and infrastructure to support their filming business and utilise the province as a major film location, as well as capturing our performing art practitioners on film.
Madame Speaker, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights states "Everyone shall have the right to freely participate in the sport and recreational activity of his/her society". In addition, the Freedom Charter declares that "The doors of learning and culture shall be opened to all", and our very democratic constitution places Sport and Cultural rights alongside such equally important functions such as Health, Education, Housing, etc.
Stated in another way then, this department's mission is to ensure an overall societal development and nation building through Culture and Sport, building the nation through opportunities and resources to create, participate in or simply to enjoy culture and sport. To make culture and sport an accessible commodity for personal, communal, national and global consumption and participation.
What this means, Madame speaker, is that Cultural and Sport matters are not issues of privilege, but fundamental constitutional rights that even this Honourable House is compelled to uphold and protect.
In his inaugural address on the 30th of April 2004, our Honourable Premier, Mr TSP Makwetla had this to say: "It is our belief that Mpumalanga has a firm foundation to realise a leap in our journey towards a region and a country where the cultural life of our people - material and otherwise will meet the expectations of our people".
It is against this backdrop, Madame Speaker that I wish to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all my predecessors, the former MECs of our department for laying a solid foundation, on which we shall build and deliver a better life for our people.
In the last ten years:
* A total of R41, 2 million has been spent on the upgrading and renovation of more than 218 sport facilities, including the multipurpose combi-courts, to encourage mass participation in Sport and Recreation
* Grants-in-aid to the tune of R3, 8s million have been transferred to the various Provincial Sport Federations, to run developmental programmes and projects that promote mass participation and transformation of Sport
* Sport equipments worth 1,2 million has been purchased and supplied to 26 local sport councils, and organisations, including 18 LSEN schools (Learners with Special Education Needs),
* The Mobile Craft Clinic (Letsa Letsemba) has trained more than 4000 crafters and artists in the various arts and craft skills
* The Mpumalanga Arts and Culture Festival (Tjhagalani Kusephuka Tidzindzi) unearthed and showcased more than 295 performing artists of various genres
* The Mpumalanga Geographical Names Committee has facilitated the change and standardisation of 19 new geographic names since its inception in 2001
* Seven new public libraries came into operation since 1998
* A R5 million grant from Carnegie Corp. of New York was used for the building Electronic Bridges (BEB project) over a three - year period ending in 2005
* Books to the value of R19, 5 million were purchased over the past 10 years for the 135 public libraries and other library service points
* The province has successfully conducted a Healing and Cleansing ceremony that culminated into the establishment of the National Freedom Park Project in Pretoria.
We must translate into reality our vision of a people-driven process of change, as well as the fundamental principle that people are their own liberators. We are also, more than convinced that we will realise this vision through effective service delivery by stimulating the cultural and informational capacities of Mpumalanga's people.
Our department covers a wide range of responsibilities that seek to develop the full potential of Mpumalanga's people in the disciplines of Culture and Sport. In this regard huge strides have already been made, however there are still challenges that lie ahead.
Madame Speaker, having alluded to the major achievements of the Department in the past, I also wish to bring to the attention of the House some, of the major constraints and challenges which need our concerted effort as government, to overcome.
Firstly, the establishment of a Provincial Archives Centre remains a serious constraint in that, it is long overdue. Following the study commissioned by the Department in the past financial year (2003/04), the Provincial Archives Centre is estimated to cost over R60 million, You will notice that Madam Speaker, this figure is equal to the total budget of the entire Department. Therefore, the co-operation of all departments in contributing to the realisation of the Provincial Archive Centre cannot be over-emphasised.
Secondly, the limited financial resources allocated to the Department, require that we device creative ways to source funding for the full establishment of the Mpumalanga Arts and Culture Council as an autonomous body that will be empowered to carry out its full mandate so as to achieve its strategic objectives, similarly the Sport Academy Programme, the Provincial Heritage Resource Agency and the Provincial Language Committee. These structures are envisaged to provide quality advise to the department.
The financial constraints as mentioned above have impact on our programme including expansion and sustainability of the Annual Arts and Culture Festival. We therefore, need other strategies to source funding. We believe that the above-mentioned structures have capacity to deliver on these aspects through mobilisation of external funding.
With regard to the Library Infrastructure, the Department has noted that there is a shortfall of 95 library institutions, especially in the previously disadvantaged areas and currently, it has managed to facilitate the building of 5 libraries. Madame Speaker, this backlog needs a radical solution possibly as a province we need to allocate special funds for intervention.
In this financial year, an amount of R500 thousand will be spent on the renovation and improvement of existing library facilities in Greater Groblersdal, Lekwa, Greater Tubatse, Middelburg and Msukaligwa Municipalities.
We will also spend R2, 4 million to transform the public library collection in terms of current information and titles. Books will be selected by the public Librarians, informed by inputs from communities. Special attention will be given to purchase reference and other non-fiction books including previously banned material. Information is power whilst knowledge is strength.
Quite clearly Madame Speaker, history has thrust upon you and me, a mission much greater than ourselves, that of transforming our country from her sick past.
Particularly, when one considers the transformation of our heritage resources such as geographical place names, we have no choice, but to intensify our efforts to rid this province and our country off derogatory, blasphemous, offensive and vulgar place names, that have virtually littered our geographical landscape.
That is why, the Mpumalanga Geographical Names Committee (MPGNC) has rolled out a comprehensive programme to work with all Municipalities and provincial governments Departments, as well as other stakeholders from the business sector, to rename, name, and standardise place names, that will restore our dignity as a people.
The revival of our cultural heritage and the promotion of our cultural diversity have been demonstrated through a number of interventions. We have to ensure that as many people as possible, more especially from the previously disadvantaged communities, take part during this year's activities, in as far as indigenous games are concerned.
We have been able to produce 48 people to represent us during the National competitions and 4 were selected to represent the country in Canada during the International Traditional Games. We have to ensure that this number is doubled and we are determined to achieve that.
In this financial year 2004/2005 an amount of R1 million, allocated to the province by Sport and Recreation South Africa, is budgeted for the Mass Participation programme that is specially targeted for the crime-rife nodal points in our Province. This programme will run for three years, and is aimed at the youth in the following areas, Vosman, KaNyamazane, Embalenhle and Siyabuswa. In addition, this programme will create 28 jobs for the sport volunteers in the areas mentioned above.
Regarding sport development, our strategy of utilising the SA Games programme, has yielded good results in the past two years. This year 2004/2005, a budget of R630 thousand is allocated for this programme, where a number of selected sporting codes participate in youth sport competitions that commence at the municipality level until it reaches the national championship. In the last SA Games that were held at Buffallo City, Mpumalanga obtained position six out of nine provinces.
We will ensure that we expand the codes in which we participate and as a result increase the number of participants. We will ensure that the Provincial Team is representative as much as possible.
Madame Speaker, we are equally convinced that the Arts and Culture Festival has been successful since its inception. However, we are also convinced that we can achieve more. During this financial year, we will review its impact and look at other ways of making it a driving force for economic development. As we do that, we will ensure the involvement of all stakeholders.
Very few people in the Province are aware that Mpumalanga has been given the rights to host the World Gold Panning Championships 2005 at Pilgrim's Rest.
In this regard we are going to intensify our marketing strategy in collaboration with the Department of Economic Development and Planning. We shall link this to tourism and profile Pilgrim's Rest as a World Heritage site.
Madam Speaker, the Department acknowledges the forthcoming act on library services, that will in a long-term transfer libraries into the hands of Local Municipalities. The House is reminded that such institutions were placed in the custody of the provincial departments in terms of schedule 5 of the Constitution of the RSA.
It should be noted that the present arrangements entailed that the Department should be responsible for the maintenance, upgrading, renovating and even building of library centres where they are non-existent, supply library books and carry a responsibility to personnel expenditure. We trust and hope that such new development will alleviate the financial burden in the department.
Madame Speaker, with regard to language development, our mandate as a department, has always been to create favourable conditions for the development of all the official languages of South Africa with special emphasis on the historically marginalised languages, the African languages.
Therefore, Madame Speaker, we will facilitate the development of a Provincial Language Policy.
Part of the Cultural Renaissance is to enhance the Moral Regeneration Movement in a quest to achieve a caring society that upholds high moral standards in the different spheres of life, including work ethics, responsible citizenry, loyal rate payers, and crime free environment. Therefore the department through its programmes will advance and promote a society with high moral values.
Madame Speaker, our cardinal strategic objective with regard to the administration of the Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation, is to ensure effective investment in systems, resources both human and financial, for the delivery of quality service in line with the principles of Batho Pele and Vuk' uzenzele.
The department has embarked on a comprehensive skills audit of its work force, with the express purpose to capacitate the staff with relevant skills and knowledge so as to improve the efficiency and competency of our personnel.
The Honourable Premier TSP Makwetla, in his State of the Province address, indicated that "while we put more energy, time and money on developing the telecommunications and the energy sectors, we will have to encourage more investment in key economic sectors including crafts, tourism and cultural industries"
In partnership with the Department of Economic Development and Planning, we are in the process of identifying key areas of cooperation with regard to cultural tourism. These include the continuous support of the Letsa Litsemba Mobile Craft Clinic in which skills of crafters are harnessed to be internationally competitive.
The department intends to use the international gold panning competition event to be hosted in 2005 as a springboard to market Pilgrim's Rest as a tourist destination.
Furthermore, positive publicity for South Africa and a boost for tourism will certainly result from this event. In the context of creating jobs for our people in order to fight poverty, it is clear that the 2005 Championships will yield positive spin offs.
Other areas of co-operation with the Department of Economic Development and Planning are the film and video industries. We will explore the establishment of the film and video commission and conduct a feasibility study and viability.
The annual arts and culture festival and imimemo convened by amakhosi are also other potential tourism products. These two activities have enormous potential to be packaged as tourism products that can be sold to tour operators.
It should be noted that as a department we facilitate infrastructure development, while it is expected of the local and district government levels to be responsible for maintenance.
We will work with our municipalities in the form of MUNMEC forums to ensure that the goals we have set ourselves are realised.
We will also work with Education in the areas of school Sports, Arts and Culture as a means to enhance development.
For example, through our bilateral agreement, we managed to secure a R5 million projects on a computerised public library project.
The winning of the 2010 World Soccer bid by South Africa, has given our sport loving nation a great opportunity to put sport, especially soccer at the centre of our socio-economic development.
As a province, we now stand a good chance to host some of the official games of the tournament in 2010. However, to succeed, we need to act together and position our province to reap maximum benefits from the event.
Presently, plans are afoot to ensure that the envisaged multi-purpose sport complex becomes a resounding successful landmark that will hopefully become a valuable economic asset not only for the province, but for the entire sub-region. Remember this world cup is for Africa as a whole. In addition, the department intends conducting a comprehensive audit of all Sport and Culture facilities in the province as well as auditing the usage of these facilities so as to device a strategy to deliver effective and efficient service delivery.
We want to thank Mbombela for having accepted to be a host Municipality for some of the games, and for having worked so hard up to where we are with all the processes leading to Nelspruit being listed as one of the potential hosting cities of the 2010 World Cup. We are still going to work jointly to ensure that the multi-purpose sports complex becomes a reality by 2007.
However, events like these creates their own legacies, such as the province has identified the need to develop programmes that will ensure development of talent and infrastructure to support the World Cup 2010. To this end the Province has since sourced funding for what we call 2010 legacy projects, which involved upgrading and renovating of the following Stadiums:
* Sy Mthimunye Stadium, Emalahleni Municipality: R1 million
* Delmas Sport facility, Nkangala District Council: R3 million
* Nsikazi Stadium, Mbombela Municipality: R1 million
* Umjindi Stadium, Mjindi Municipality: R1, 5 million
* Wesselton Stadium, Msukaligwa Municipality: R1 million
* Fernie Recreation (Phase 2), Albert Luthuli Municipality: R1 million
* Malebitsa Stadium (Phase 2), Greater Marble Hall: R1 million
* Machado Stadium (Phase 2), Nkangala District Council: R1 million
* Emasakeni Stadium, Mkhondo Municipality: R1 million
Madame Speaker, as government we continue to place high on the agenda the task of ensuring that sport is deracialised and that facilities are made accessible to all our people. This is political imperative in sport and recreation, will always form part and parcel of the conditions linked to the grants we intend giving sport bodies and federation in the province. Madame Speaker and Honourable Members, we will continue to engage the private sector in the quest to exhort them to invest in sport and culture as part and parcel of its social investment initiatives.
Madame Speaker, I now wish to table the budget allocation and the Strategic Plan for the Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation, for consideration by the Honourable House.
2004/2005 BUDGET PRESENTATION PER PROGRAMME
1. Administration: 25,7 million
2. Cultural Affairs: 20, 4 million
3. Library and Information Services: 12, 4 million
4. Sport and Recreation: 8, 3 million
GRAND TOTAL: 66, 9 million
Quite clearly the cultural component of the department has more resources than the others due to the fact that it carries most of the programmes and projects. And secondly that the infrastructure funding is now part of the MIG funds allocated to Local Government.
CONCLUSION
Madame Speaker and the Honourable house, allow me firstly to express my profound gratitude to the Honourable Premier, the Members of the Executive Council, the Members of the Legislature, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Education, Culture, Sport and Recreation, the Head of Department and Staff, the Church leaders, and indeed the various sport and culture bodies, for their unwavering support to the Department.
We also applaud all those public-spirited members of the various communities in the province for their unflinching support. Indeed, without their valued participation in our programmes, the department could not have made any impact on our people. As Charles "Tremendous" Jones puts it, "Success is not a reward to be enjoyed, but a trust to be administered".
I thank you
Issued by: Department of Culture, Sport & Recreation, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
19 June 2004
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Title: M Masuku: Culture, Sport & Recreation Prov Budget Vote 2004/2005
POLICY AND BUDGET SPEECH 2004/2005 FOR DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, SPORT AND RECREATION, BY HONOURABLE MEC MADALA MASUKU, 29 June 2004
Madame Speaker, Pinky Phosa
Honourable Premier, Thabang Makwetla
Members of the Executive Council
Members of the Mpumalanga Legislature
Mayors and Councillors
Makhosi
Colleagues in Culture, Sport and Recreation Fraternity
Distinguished guests
Comrades and friends
It is indeed an honour and a privilege for me to address this House, at the beginning of the second decade of our freedom, whilst we celebrate the achievements of our first Decade of Freedom and Democracy.
Madam Speaker, we have arrived where we are today, because of the struggles that have been waged by our masses who endured the pain and suppression that was inflicted by the apartheid regime on daily basis.
Madam Speaker, for what happened in the past, we carry no grudges, but a warm invitation to our oppressors, that we collectively should build a caring, united, non-sexist, non-racial and democratic South Africa.
It is against this backdrop, that as a department, we have partnered with other stakeholders to celebrate this year's national days such as Freedom Day, Heritage Day, Day of Reconciliation and Human Rights Day. Our objective inter-alia, is to rally our people around the gains and achievements of the democratic system of governance, with the aim of inspiring hope to face future challenges with confidence.
We are not just preaching the attainment of our freedom, but we are practically at work to make the people's contract we signed with our communities, a reality.
The former President of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, proclaimed in his reading on Freedom and Development:
"Freedom and Development are as completely linked together as are chicken and eggs! Without chicken you get no eggs, and without eggs you soon have no chicken. Similarly without freedom you get no development, and without development you very soon lose your freedom!"
To us people, like Julius Nyerere, Nkwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, Chief Albert Luthuli, Moses Mabhida, Augustinho Nato, Eduardo Mondlane, Samorah Machel, Oliver Tambo, Joe Slovo and many other gallant heroes and heroines of Africa, remain shinning and twinkling stars, who remain our source of inspiration, towards a developed, united and democratic Africa, that we are currently propagating through initiatives like NEPAD and the vision of the African Renaissance.
For us to attain and maintain standards on freedom and development, we need to ensure that people are involved in the developmental processes, decision-making and determination of their own destination.
Madam Speaker, and Honourable Members, we have been charged with a task of managing what many may see as a softer, but most important issue in the development of our society.
Culture, Sport and Recreation functions are seen as marginal, frivolous and extravagant exercises that do not need any priority, but are mere unnecessary waste of time and money. This probably explains why in South Africa, Culture and Sport are the most under funded departments in all spheres of government.
Today, the pyramids of Egypt seem a wonder and a miracle to the eye of the wondering traveller, but man took a conscious decision to realise that dream and effort made a reality. Similarly, if you can walk, you can dance, and if you can talk, you can sing. It is true in so far as you have feet to walk and a voice to speak. Thus, Mpumalanga Province is so rich, in that it has "feet" to walk and a "voice" to sing.
In addition to the abundant raw talent, we have a landscape that is ready to be seen, not only where it is, but everywhere on the globe. For its natural beauty it will be a waste for Mpumalanga to host anything less than ten shoots of film, television or adverts. The "dance" and the "singing" can only happen when we give filmmakers an excuse, an incentive and infrastructure to support their filming business and utilise the province as a major film location, as well as capturing our performing art practitioners on film.
Madame Speaker, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights states "Everyone shall have the right to freely participate in the sport and recreational activity of his/her society". In addition, the Freedom Charter declares that "The doors of learning and culture shall be opened to all", and our very democratic constitution places Sport and Cultural rights alongside such equally important functions such as Health, Education, Housing, etc.
Stated in another way then, this department's mission is to ensure an overall societal development and nation building through Culture and Sport, building the nation through opportunities and resources to create, participate in or simply to enjoy culture and sport. To make culture and sport an accessible commodity for personal, communal, national and global consumption and participation.
What this means, Madame speaker, is that Cultural and Sport matters are not issues of privilege, but fundamental constitutional rights that even this Honourable House is compelled to uphold and protect.
In his inaugural address on the 30th of April 2004, our Honourable Premier, Mr TSP Makwetla had this to say: "It is our belief that Mpumalanga has a firm foundation to realise a leap in our journey towards a region and a country where the cultural life of our people - material and otherwise will meet the expectations of our people".
It is against this backdrop, Madame Speaker that I wish to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all my predecessors, the former MECs of our department for laying a solid foundation, on which we shall build and deliver a better life for our people.
In the last ten years:
* A total of R41, 2 million has been spent on the upgrading and renovation of more than 218 sport facilities, including the multipurpose combi-courts, to encourage mass participation in Sport and Recreation
* Grants-in-aid to the tune of R3, 8s million have been transferred to the various Provincial Sport Federations, to run developmental programmes and projects that promote mass participation and transformation of Sport
* Sport equipments worth 1,2 million has been purchased and supplied to 26 local sport councils, and organisations, including 18 LSEN schools (Learners with Special Education Needs),
* The Mobile Craft Clinic (Letsa Letsemba) has trained more than 4000 crafters and artists in the various arts and craft skills
* The Mpumalanga Arts and Culture Festival (Tjhagalani Kusephuka Tidzindzi) unearthed and showcased more than 295 performing artists of various genres
* The Mpumalanga Geographical Names Committee has facilitated the change and standardisation of 19 new geographic names since its inception in 2001
* Seven new public libraries came into operation since 1998
* A R5 million grant from Carnegie Corp. of New York was used for the building Electronic Bridges (BEB project) over a three - year period ending in 2005
* Books to the value of R19, 5 million were purchased over the past 10 years for the 135 public libraries and other library service points
* The province has successfully conducted a Healing and Cleansing ceremony that culminated into the establishment of the National Freedom Park Project in Pretoria.
We must translate into reality our vision of a people-driven process of change, as well as the fundamental principle that people are their own liberators. We are also, more than convinced that we will realise this vision through effective service delivery by stimulating the cultural and informational capacities of Mpumalanga's people.
Our department covers a wide range of responsibilities that seek to develop the full potential of Mpumalanga's people in the disciplines of Culture and Sport. In this regard huge strides have already been made, however there are still challenges that lie ahead.
Madame Speaker, having alluded to the major achievements of the Department in the past, I also wish to bring to the attention of the House some, of the major constraints and challenges which need our concerted effort as government, to overcome.
Firstly, the establishment of a Provincial Archives Centre remains a serious constraint in that, it is long overdue. Following the study commissioned by the Department in the past financial year (2003/04), the Provincial Archives Centre is estimated to cost over R60 million, You will notice that Madam Speaker, this figure is equal to the total budget of the entire Department. Therefore, the co-operation of all departments in contributing to the realisation of the Provincial Archive Centre cannot be over-emphasised.
Secondly, the limited financial resources allocated to the Department, require that we device creative ways to source funding for the full establishment of the Mpumalanga Arts and Culture Council as an autonomous body that will be empowered to carry out its full mandate so as to achieve its strategic objectives, similarly the Sport Academy Programme, the Provincial Heritage Resource Agency and the Provincial Language Committee. These structures are envisaged to provide quality advise to the department.
The financial constraints as mentioned above have impact on our programme including expansion and sustainability of the Annual Arts and Culture Festival. We therefore, need other strategies to source funding. We believe that the above-mentioned structures have capacity to deliver on these aspects through mobilisation of external funding.
With regard to the Library Infrastructure, the Department has noted that there is a shortfall of 95 library institutions, especially in the previously disadvantaged areas and currently, it has managed to facilitate the building of 5 libraries. Madame Speaker, this backlog needs a radical solution possibly as a province we need to allocate special funds for intervention.
In this financial year, an amount of R500 thousand will be spent on the renovation and improvement of existing library facilities in Greater Groblersdal, Lekwa, Greater Tubatse, Middelburg and Msukaligwa Municipalities.
We will also spend R2, 4 million to transform the public library collection in terms of current information and titles. Books will be selected by the public Librarians, informed by inputs from communities. Special attention will be given to purchase reference and other non-fiction books including previously banned material. Information is power whilst knowledge is strength.
Quite clearly Madame Speaker, history has thrust upon you and me, a mission much greater than ourselves, that of transforming our country from her sick past.
Particularly, when one considers the transformation of our heritage resources such as geographical place names, we have no choice, but to intensify our efforts to rid this province and our country off derogatory, blasphemous, offensive and vulgar place names, that have virtually littered our geographical landscape.
That is why, the Mpumalanga Geographical Names Committee (MPGNC) has rolled out a comprehensive programme to work with all Municipalities and provincial governments Departments, as well as other stakeholders from the business sector, to rename, name, and standardise place names, that will restore our dignity as a people.
The revival of our cultural heritage and the promotion of our cultural diversity have been demonstrated through a number of interventions. We have to ensure that as many people as possible, more especially from the previously disadvantaged communities, take part during this year's activities, in as far as indigenous games are concerned.
We have been able to produce 48 people to represent us during the National competitions and 4 were selected to represent the country in Canada during the International Traditional Games. We have to ensure that this number is doubled and we are determined to achieve that.
In this financial year 2004/2005 an amount of R1 million, allocated to the province by Sport and Recreation South Africa, is budgeted for the Mass Participation programme that is specially targeted for the crime-rife nodal points in our Province. This programme will run for three years, and is aimed at the youth in the following areas, Vosman, KaNyamazane, Embalenhle and Siyabuswa. In addition, this programme will create 28 jobs for the sport volunteers in the areas mentioned above.
Regarding sport development, our strategy of utilising the SA Games programme, has yielded good results in the past two years. This year 2004/2005, a budget of R630 thousand is allocated for this programme, where a number of selected sporting codes participate in youth sport competitions that commence at the municipality level until it reaches the national championship. In the last SA Games that were held at Buffallo City, Mpumalanga obtained position six out of nine provinces.
We will ensure that we expand the codes in which we participate and as a result increase the number of participants. We will ensure that the Provincial Team is representative as much as possible.
Madame Speaker, we are equally convinced that the Arts and Culture Festival has been successful since its inception. However, we are also convinced that we can achieve more. During this financial year, we will review its impact and look at other ways of making it a driving force for economic development. As we do that, we will ensure the involvement of all stakeholders.
Very few people in the Province are aware that Mpumalanga has been given the rights to host the World Gold Panning Championships 2005 at Pilgrim's Rest.
In this regard we are going to intensify our marketing strategy in collaboration with the Department of Economic Development and Planning. We shall link this to tourism and profile Pilgrim's Rest as a World Heritage site.
Madam Speaker, the Department acknowledges the forthcoming act on library services, that will in a long-term transfer libraries into the hands of Local Municipalities. The House is reminded that such institutions were placed in the custody of the provincial departments in terms of schedule 5 of the Constitution of the RSA.
It should be noted that the present arrangements entailed that the Department should be responsible for the maintenance, upgrading, renovating and even building of library centres where they are non-existent, supply library books and carry a responsibility to personnel expenditure. We trust and hope that such new development will alleviate the financial burden in the department.
Madame Speaker, with regard to language development, our mandate as a department, has always been to create favourable conditions for the development of all the official languages of South Africa with special emphasis on the historically marginalised languages, the African languages.
Therefore, Madame Speaker, we will facilitate the development of a Provincial Language Policy.
Part of the Cultural Renaissance is to enhance the Moral Regeneration Movement in a quest to achieve a caring society that upholds high moral standards in the different spheres of life, including work ethics, responsible citizenry, loyal rate payers, and crime free environment. Therefore the department through its programmes will advance and promote a society with high moral values.
Madame Speaker, our cardinal strategic objective with regard to the administration of the Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation, is to ensure effective investment in systems, resources both human and financial, for the delivery of quality service in line with the principles of Batho Pele and Vuk' uzenzele.
The department has embarked on a comprehensive skills audit of its work force, with the express purpose to capacitate the staff with relevant skills and knowledge so as to improve the efficiency and competency of our personnel.
The Honourable Premier TSP Makwetla, in his State of the Province address, indicated that "while we put more energy, time and money on developing the telecommunications and the energy sectors, we will have to encourage more investment in key economic sectors including crafts, tourism and cultural industries"
In partnership with the Department of Economic Development and Planning, we are in the process of identifying key areas of cooperation with regard to cultural tourism. These include the continuous support of the Letsa Litsemba Mobile Craft Clinic in which skills of crafters are harnessed to be internationally competitive.
The department intends to use the international gold panning competition event to be hosted in 2005 as a springboard to market Pilgrim's Rest as a tourist destination.
Furthermore, positive publicity for South Africa and a boost for tourism will certainly result from this event. In the context of creating jobs for our people in order to fight poverty, it is clear that the 2005 Championships will yield positive spin offs.
Other areas of co-operation with the Department of Economic Development and Planning are the film and video industries. We will explore the establishment of the film and video commission and conduct a feasibility study and viability.
The annual arts and culture festival and imimemo convened by amakhosi are also other potential tourism products. These two activities have enormous potential to be packaged as tourism products that can be sold to tour operators.
It should be noted that as a department we facilitate infrastructure development, while it is expected of the local and district government levels to be responsible for maintenance.
We will work with our municipalities in the form of MUNMEC forums to ensure that the goals we have set ourselves are realised.
We will also work with Education in the areas of school Sports, Arts and Culture as a means to enhance development.
For example, through our bilateral agreement, we managed to secure a R5 million projects on a computerised public library project.
The winning of the 2010 World Soccer bid by South Africa, has given our sport loving nation a great opportunity to put sport, especially soccer at the centre of our socio-economic development.
As a province, we now stand a good chance to host some of the official games of the tournament in 2010. However, to succeed, we need to act together and position our province to reap maximum benefits from the event.
Presently, plans are afoot to ensure that the envisaged multi-purpose sport complex becomes a resounding successful landmark that will hopefully become a valuable economic asset not only for the province, but for the entire sub-region. Remember this world cup is for Africa as a whole. In addition, the department intends conducting a comprehensive audit of all Sport and Culture facilities in the province as well as auditing the usage of these facilities so as to device a strategy to deliver effective and efficient service delivery.
We want to thank Mbombela for having accepted to be a host Municipality for some of the games, and for having worked so hard up to where we are with all the processes leading to Nelspruit being listed as one of the potential hosting cities of the 2010 World Cup. We are still going to work jointly to ensure that the multi-purpose sports complex becomes a reality by 2007.
However, events like these creates their own legacies, such as the province has identified the need to develop programmes that will ensure development of talent and infrastructure to support the World Cup 2010. To this end the Province has since sourced funding for what we call 2010 legacy projects, which involved upgrading and renovating of the following Stadiums:
* Sy Mthimunye Stadium, Emalahleni Municipality: R1 million
* Delmas Sport facility, Nkangala District Council: R3 million
* Nsikazi Stadium, Mbombela Municipality: R1 million
* Umjindi Stadium, Mjindi Municipality: R1, 5 million
* Wesselton Stadium, Msukaligwa Municipality: R1 million
* Fernie Recreation (Phase 2), Albert Luthuli Municipality: R1 million
* Malebitsa Stadium (Phase 2), Greater Marble Hall: R1 million
* Machado Stadium (Phase 2), Nkangala District Council: R1 million
* Emasakeni Stadium, Mkhondo Municipality: R1 million
Madame Speaker, as government we continue to place high on the agenda the task of ensuring that sport is deracialised and that facilities are made accessible to all our people. This is political imperative in sport and recreation, will always form part and parcel of the conditions linked to the grants we intend giving sport bodies and federation in the province. Madame Speaker and Honourable Members, we will continue to engage the private sector in the quest to exhort them to invest in sport and culture as part and parcel of its social investment initiatives.
Madame Speaker, I now wish to table the budget allocation and the Strategic Plan for the Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation, for consideration by the Honourable House.
2004/2005 BUDGET PRESENTATION PER PROGRAMME
1. Administration: 25,7 million
2. Cultural Affairs: 20, 4 million
3. Library and Information Services: 12, 4 million
4. Sport and Recreation: 8, 3 million
GRAND TOTAL: 66, 9 million
Quite clearly the cultural component of the department has more resources than the others due to the fact that it carries most of the programmes and projects. And secondly that the infrastructure funding is now part of the MIG funds allocated to Local Government.
CONCLUSION
Madame Speaker and the Honourable house, allow me firstly to express my profound gratitude to the Honourable Premier, the Members of the Executive Council, the Members of the Legislature, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Education, Culture, Sport and Recreation, the Head of Department and Staff, the Church leaders, and indeed the various sport and culture bodies, for their unwavering support to the Department.
We also applaud all those public-spirited members of the various communities in the province for their unflinching support. Indeed, without their valued participation in our programmes, the department could not have made any impact on our people. As Charles "Tremendous" Jones puts it, "Success is not a reward to be enjoyed, but a trust to be administered".
I thank you
Issued by: Department of Culture, Sport & Recreation, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
19 June 2004
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