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INTRODUCTION

In what we view as a motion of confidence in our service delivery, President Thabo Mbeki last year announced the splitting-up of the old Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology into two separate Departments both under one Ministry. The changing demands of the new millennium, the broad range of projects in which we are involved and dynamic local and international conditions were some of the reasons underpinning the decision. The unbundling came into effect on the 1st of August 2002. What remains critical is for the two departments to continue to be more focussed in meeting the new challenges, address the increasing number of areas of focus and implementation and ensure their new administrative managements further contribute to public service delivery in line with the Batho-Pele principles.

Our commitment to fighting the scourges of poverty and underdevelopment, to fostering meaningful public debate on pertinent issues, to leveraging the benefits of effective public-private and international partnerships for our people, to skills transfer and wealth creation and to building a strong, multicultural, unified and diverse national identity underpins all that we do. Each of the two Departments contributes in unique and focussed ways, targeting the sector under its mandate and within its policy framework.

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

The challenges that face government are, at a macro level, common to all Departments - lifting people out of poverty; making interventions that eliminate underdevelopment; rooting out corruption; ensuring that our work remains relevant, excellent and cutting-edge locally and internationally; and creating equal opportunities for all, especially those previously disadvantaged by virtue of race, sex or disability. But on a Departmental level, strategies and approaches for rising to the challenges and capitalising on the opportunities in pursuit of the goal of a better life for all are sector-specific, dynamic and unique.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) operates at the interface of the demands of a rapidly evolving, technologically advanced and increasingly competitive global socio-economic context and the needs of a society in which poverty and underdevelopment continue to be problems with which we grapple and the legacy of inequality keeps many from realising their full potential. DST programmes are built on foundations of innovation, social and economic relevancy and international best practice, with an eye on ensuring that our decisions and actions make a real and lasting difference to our economy, our continent, our knowledge base and, most importantly, our people and the generations to come.

National Research and Development Strategy

In 2002, Cabinet approved the DST National Research and Development (R&D) strategy. This development allowed for the enhancement of the National System of Innovation. The R&D strategy identifies the need to pay greater attention to HR development as a wealth and employment creator, to bring innovation to the fore in all we do and facilitate S&T performance across government. Delivering increased economic growth and improved quality of life are the two key outcomes of R&D strategy and DST is committed with its partners in Government, the Science Councils, higher education and the private sector, continue our work in meeting this goal. The R&D Strategy is an indicator based and rests on three pillars: Innovation; Science, engineering and technology human resources and transformation; and Creating an effective government S&T system.

Innovation

DST is committed to nurture innovation and is in the process of establishment and funding of a range of technology missions, including biotechnology and information technology, technology for manufacturing and technology to leverage knowledge from, and add value to, our natural resources sectors, critical to promoting economic and social development. A specific technology mission for poverty reduction will also be established. In the long run, a new Institution, the Foundation for Technological Innovation will be established to integrate the functioning and maximise the benefits of the technology missions as well as overseeing the entire processes from inception to diffusion, and funding innovation across the public and private sectors.

National Technology Transfer Strategy

Technology transfer is crucial for bridging the gap between industrialised and so-called "developing" countries, where the manifold problems arising from conditions of poverty fetter communities to underdevelopment, increased risk of disease and related problems. At the World Summit on Sustainable Development, these factors were outlined as challenges and obstacles to sustainable development and effective environmental management. The WSSD also acknowledged that technology transfer is a pivotal step in the ladder out of poverty.

From an economic point of view, the "technological edge" is enabling industrialised countries to grow ever richer on global markets, widening the gap between the rich and poor at an alarming rate. In addition, technologically advanced societies have generated a formidable arsenal of technology solutions for dealing with problems related to disease (human, animal and plant), food security, water and sanitation, energy, transport and communications. They have also enhanced service delivery through improvements in the management of information flow, analysis and decision-making. South Africa has the capacity not only to adopt, adapt and apply these technologies, but also to develop them and share their benefits with other developing nations.

Following the January 2003, Cabinet Lekgotla, DST was mandated to produce the National Technology Transfer Strategy for its consideration and adoption in the July. DST is in the process of producing the strategy and other processes will involve a massive engagement with business- and job creation in the agro-processing area, expansion of the incubation programme for new businesses, increased linkages between knowledge-holders, the people and communities in need of practical, demonstrable application of such knowledge and increased production capabilities for needed healthcare items. .

Biotechnology

The National Biotechnology strategy approved by Cabinet in 2001 forms an important component of the R&D strategy. It addresses new developments in biotechnology and the country's vulnerability with respect to exploitation of our biodiversity and indigenous knowledge and the advent of new technologies. What is critical is the need to continue to mobilise academics to develop far more holistic understandings and interventions to increase the rate of innovation in our society. We need to continue developing specific capacities in the social sciences to understand and strengthen our system of innovation. We recognise the overlaps of, for instance, agriculture with indigenous knowledge, biotechnology, and earth observation that need a systematic integrated approach.

The Biotechnology strategy requires complete engagement of our people with biotechnology at all levels, to enhance economic opportunities that would ensure that we become an economically viable society. Implementation of the strategy is already on a sound footing with the establishment of Biotechnology Regional Innovation Centres (BRICS).

To establish (BRICS), DST received proposals by consortiums comprising of academics institutions, private institutions and research councils to form three Biotechnology Regional Innovation Centres representing specific regions in the country. The BRICS are investment that promotes research and development, entrepreneurial services, technology platforms, intellectual property management, business incubation. Each centre will specialise in specific areas of technology within the national development imperatives, local expertise and market opportunities.

The key three centres to leverage biotechnology opportunities according to specialisation in biotechnology are:

* Biopad BRIC in Gauteng region focuses on animal health and industry/environmental related biotechnology.
* Ecobio BRIC in KwaZulu-Natal focuses on human health and bioprocessing, with a plant biotechnology focal area to contribute to plant biotechnology.
* Cape Biotech Initiative BRIC in the Western Cape focuses on human health and bioprocessing.

The National Bioinformatics Network forms a strong bioinformatics data management, Information Technology, genomics) foundation required for innovation and advancement in biotechnology.

These centres combine business, academic and research capabilities to target areas that are directly relevant to our country needs, as well as providing a platform for global economic participation. The key areas of activity include human health, industrial biotechnology, food security and agricultural production. These significant developments complement existing strategies in Information Communication Technologies (ICT) and new developments to support the advanced manufacturing industry.

ICT capacity is as necessary a factor to economic development and growth as biotechnology. The establishment of specialised institutions such as the projected Advanced Institute for Information and Communication Technology will address this, and the key component of human resource development. It is an essential skill enhancement intervention outlined in 2001's Human Resources Development Strategy. As our President mentioned in his State of the Nation address, the expansion of the ICT youth internship programme will facilitate the performance of the service sector.

Technology Stations

In September 2002, the Tshumisano Technology Stations Trust was launched. The Tshumisano Programme is partnership-programme with the German Agency for Technical Co-operation and the Committee of Technikon Principals. The Trust has been established to further implement the Technology Stations Programme (TSP).

The TSP provides skills development training to SMMEs to enhance their innovation capacity and competitiveness, while exposing technikon students to practical situations facing businesses. It aims to address product and process technology needs of SMME manufacturing and the service industry through technology transfer, development and diffusion and enrich the R&D capacity of technikons.

Seven stations are currently operational in the fields of electronics and electrical engineering complemented by IT as imbedded in electronic processes and products; Metals value adding, product development and rapid prototyping; Chemicals (at two of the technikons); Composites; Automotive Components and Textiles and Clothing. The Tshumisano Technology Stations Trust will build on this very successful collaboration, stimulating job creation, skills transfer and application, a culture of innovation and increased social and economic investment.

Godisa Programme

This technology transfer initiative is the GODISA Programme, launched in 2001 to stimulate technology transfer. It is currently supporting eight technology transfer centres in five provinces, focussing on a multitude of technology platforms and markets such as biotechnology, life sciences, medical devices, software, embedded systems, fine and performance chemicals, small scale miners and hydroponics for cut flower exports. This technology transfer has very real local and international benefits and directly leads to job creation, increased levels of competency and enhanced international competitiveness.

A national study on small business activity in technology intensive product- and service markets has been completed by GODISA, which has also just piloted the first national training and development programme for Incubator managers and staff. A comprehensive, open source, web-based resource and information centre is being established.

The GODISA Programme is already illustrating success in the form of newly created and growing technology-based businesses. It is receiving increased financial support from the DST and continues to receive funding from DTI and the European Union.

An independent Trust will begin to formally manage the GODISA Programme and a permanent programme management team is currently being recruited. In this financial year 2003/4 the programme will expand the number of Centres that are being supported by 50%. Thereafter, the establishment of new Centres is projected at a rate of six per year. The GODISA Programme is set to become the National Incubation Programme and a National Centre of Excellence.

Poverty Reduction Project

DST is determined in its fight against poverty and a multi-pronged approach is the most effective strategy in alleviating this burden. To fight poverty, DST has established a Poverty Reduction Programme. This is focussed on the agro-processing area, with great potential for achieving sustainable reductions in poverty levels in rural and peri-urban areas. Its mechanism is the establishment of small- and micro business ventures within targeted communities once skills transfer has taken place.

The project emphasises the transfer of skills, the utilisation of low cost labour intensive technologies, stimulating demand and securing orders within the South African domestic market, establishing and maintaining product quality standards and general good business management practice. The programme has established a variety of projects. Some the examples are: -

* The honeybee, widely found in South Africa, has been significantly under-utilised for honey production. DST funded the costs of training communities across the country to keep honeybees, and make honey, sweets, and also candles from the wax. Every one of the new production units sells its honey, under the brand name. This approach fosters a culture of quality consistency and the maintenance of product standards. The Beekeeping project has been nominated for an Ipumelelo Award.
* A similar project is that of small scale and community based oyster mushroom farming, which will promote food security. This is a new initiative and training is currently in the planning phase.
* Another range of projects trains people in the skills of papermaking and product development. These projects use natural fibres accessed from the waste of large commercial farming operations or from the farming operations of small, resource poor, emerging farmers. One of the projects, for example, involves a group of about fifteen rural women who are using sugar cane waste and a low cost technique for pulping it to make paper by hand. Further processing enables them to make the packaging for the crafts that they sell to tourists.

This group was very successful at the WSSD and now earns on average R15000 to R20000 per month, as the order lines are secure. The group has also moved from the informal sector and selling its products on the street, to a production premises that manufactures goods sold to tourist shops and businesses requiring paper packaging.

The DST has spent a total of R40 million on enabling vulnerable and impoverished communities and individuals across our country to learn useful, wealth creating skills. The mechanism for this has been the services of technikons, universities, non-governmental and community-based organisations and research institutions that have a solid knowledge base about these low cost technologies. Thus the DST Poverty Reduction Programme also contributes to development and nation building through fostering meaningful dialogue between various actors within communities.

A further R30 million has been budgeted for the coming year and we hope to expand the Programme even more in the long-term. With additional funding resources, the DST will be able to use a number of internees (recent tertiary sector graduates) to work with the institutions involved in transferring appropriate skills for establishing sustainable economic activities that push back the boundaries of poverty.

Innovation Fund

DST economic development is closely aligned with capacity for innovation and the Innovation Fund has continued to stimulate creative approaches to problems and the development of viable commercial applications. The Fund stipulates a three-year period for research with five years for commercialisation. Projects from the first Round in 1997 are in the process of achieving full commercialisation and are already showing a high level of success.

The following are some examples of successful projects in which the Innovation Fund has invested:

* The development of low-maintenance, self-sustaining biological (passive) systems for the treatment of contaminated industrial effluents funded to the tune of R 8 827 000 over three years and mine. A patent has been registered as a direct result of this project. The Water Research Commission, in which at least 50% of the intellectual capital originating from this project was used, has registered a second patent. In addition, a new company has been registered and negotiations with a Black empowerment initiative will result in a number of community-based companies to build and operate the plants.

* The impact of policy and information and communications technologies on the physical environment for education, given R2 million over three years. The project was aimed at the development of a physically and educationally innovative learning environment. This included new 'outcomes-based-education' methods of teaching, the use of the Internet and communications technology as a learning resource and an increasing emphasis on community involvement and learning. The objective was to develop structures that would be distinctive enough to support and encourage local communities and users to become involved in projects and 'own' these, without limiting how this happens by being too prescriptive. To date four buildings in the Western Cape and a further building in Mpumulanga have been constructed. The Maphala Gulube Primary School, a school serving 1000 pupils, located in eMbalenhle, an informal settlement near Secunda was used as a pilot project.

Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) human resources and transformation In his State of the Nation Address on 14 February 2003, President Mbeki emphasised that a key strategy in overcoming poverty and building the nation is to make interventions that address the imbalance in representivity in terms of gender and those from previously disadvantaged communities. DST needs to develop the attractiveness of jobs in the SET sector and build capacity in communities and with targeted groups, while remaining at the cutting-edge of global developments.

As our R&D Strategy has emphasised, proactive Public Understanding of Science Engineering and Technology (PUSET) programmes will only succeed in increasing the SET human resource base, to enable young people to pursue science related careers.

Thus the human resources pillar of our strategy is critically linked to the innovation pillar and its tangible social and economic results. The DST' s National Research Foundation is directly linked to the higher education sector through the National Plan for Higher Education and proactively works at promoting science.

To address the challenges facing PUSET both from within the DST and through the work of our Institutions, DST hosted the first meeting of the International Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) Network in Africa, and the second in the Southern Hemisphere in Cape Town late last year.

DST is also involved on a micro level in exposing children and their communities to the world that SET can open up for them. Minister Ngubane launched the computer literacy pilot project in Eastern Cape on the 21st of December. This education project, designed to as user friendly and accessible as possible, is in line with government' s commitment to rural development as it affords children in rural areas access to a multimedia kiosk equipped with various computer applications, including the Internet, and an assistant to guide the children's learning processes.

Creating an effective government S&T system

The third pillar of the new R&D Strategy clearly distinguishes between the roles of line departments that deliver to specific sectors, and the Department of Science and Technology, which will play an increasingly integrative role and continue to position government's approaches to SET in competitive international frameworks. Thus DST will also function in ensuring international best practice with respect to government funding of science and technology, working for well-articulated functions of basic research (knowledge generation), innovation (new businesses, products and services) and venture capital. This will keep our SET sector on the most beneficial economic track.

We also continue building meaningful and significant international relationships. Last month I participated in the debates of the European Union Commission Conference under the theme of "Partnerships for the Future". This looked at concerns beyond those most directly involving the EU such as the urgent need for a concerted global partnership and effort to arrest the growing "digital divide" between the developed and developing worlds, undeniably one of the most significant impediments to international sustainable development.

In 2002, DST hosted the first Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States - European Union Forum on Research for Sustainable Development in Cape Town in July. These are but two examples among many of our international involvement. All carry benefits, some measurable and others less tangible but no less important, for economic development in our country.

Bilateral Co-operation

DST, through its Sub-Programme of Bilateral Cooperation is committed to building strong international relations and innovatively benefiting from and contributing to the SET sectors of other countries. It manages over thirty science and technology agreements with different countries.

The main areas of S&T co-operation between South Africa and its international partners are material science, manufacturing technology, biotechnology, sustainable management of the environment, exploitation of natural resources and minerals, medical research and public health, engineering science and advancement of technologies, water supply projects, agriculture, mathematics and science education.

Active bilateral agreements are serviced through the offices of National Research Foundation as shown below and range from 60 active projects with France (with which we have four agreements) to eight projects with the People's Republic of China, with whom our agreement is still new. Other countries include Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, Poland, Italy, India, Norway, Nigeria, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Preparations are currently underway to issue calls for proposals for research collaboration with countries such as Egypt, the Ukraine, Belarus, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Pakistan, once the requisite "Framework Programmes of Cooperation" (POCs) have been finalised with these international counterparts. New agreements are also being negotiated with countries including Chile and Brazil.

Our SET practitioners continue to make significant international contributions. A number of the country's scientists, specialists in the disarmament of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, are preparing to travel to Iraq. President Mbeki has detailed the negotiations that preceded this step in the battle for peace. Let us hope that this battle is the only one that is engaged in.

Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Launch

In May 2003, DST will launch South Africa's bid for the site of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The SKA is so named because the "core" of this astronomical instrument will be a square kilometre of radio detectors linked to each other to observe the radio signals from the universe. The SKA belongs to a new generation of radio telescopes, and will be the premier global facility until 2050. The SKA will be funded and built by 2015 by an international consortium of countries and institutions representing all major players in the international astronomy community. The current projected budget is R10 billion. The country that hosts the SKA will derive considerable benefits from this expenditure and the long-term international use of this key facility.

The SKA will complement existing world-class astronomical observatories in the subcontinent, such as the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) at Sutherland (the most powerful optical/infrared telescope in the Southern Hemisphere) and the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) in Namibia (the most powerful cosmic ray telescope in the world). This would put the Southern African region on a par with Chile in terms of international investment in global science infrastructure in astronomy.

The international bidding process for the SKA site has begun and the final decision regarding both the site and the preferred technology will be made in late 2005 by the consortium, which includes institutions from 15 countries including the United States of America, India and China. South Africa has observer status. At this early stage, potential front-runners for the SKA location appear to be Australia, the United States and South Africa.

MEDIA QUERRIES FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PLEASE CONTACT ANDREW APHANE on O82 387 5615 OR FLORENCE MTHETHWA ON 082 601 0249`

ARTS AND CULTURE

New Department of Arts and Culture

On the 1st of August 2002 the President announced the unbundling of the old Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology into two separate Departments.

Freedom Park and heritage projects

President Mbeki has spoken of the Second Decade of Freedom and the memory of heroes in the struggle for freedom and justice. People of such calibre are recognised in a multitude of ways, one of the most important being through the award of National Orders, the first of which was on the 6 December 2002 at a high profile ceremony at the Union Buildings.

People of honour and integrity, as well as historically significant events and other milestones will be honoured through Freedom Park and other national legacy projects.

In the years that it will be built, Freedom Park will stand as not only a monument to South Africa's hard won peace, but to world peace, to unity in diversity, as well as to safeguarding human rights and multiculturalism.

It will also contribute to job creation and act as a catalyst for socio-economic improvements in the lives of the local community through infrastructure development and increased tourism. Preliminary market research conducted nationally amongst adults has indicated that 85% of locals and 80% of foreign visitors feel positive about the Freedom Park concept.

The Freedom Park Trust completed a Development Framework in 2001. The project includes the Museum, Garden of Remembrance, memorial, gathering space, administrative offices and a commercial precinct. In the coming years it will be dealing with the practicalities of infrastructure development and implementation. Salvokop is environmentally sensitive and unique and this has been taken into account.

An international architectural competition has been accredited to the Union of International Architects (UIA), a body established by UNESCO to regulate international architectural competitions. Architects will be working within a conceptual framework that includes representations from the Pre-colonial, Colonial, Apartheid and Post Apartheid periods. Winners will be announced on the 24th of July this year.

Another development of major significance to our country is the Constitutional Court, which will move into its new and permanent home on Constitutional Hill this year, an economic boost of which the area is in need and also a huge step in the preservation of an area with inestimable historical value for our democratic nation.

National Days and projects on the African continent

The First Decade of Freedom offered the challenge of building a common sense of identity and national pride. These national days have become vibrant and powerful catalysts in this process of nurturing a strong nation and showcasing South Africa's rich and resonant cultural traditions, artistic talent and heritage.

Freedom Day on the 27th of April 2004 will be special occasion in that it will mark 10 years of democracy in SA. In planning for this national celebration the Department of Arts and Culture has been allocated an amount of R80 million, spread over two financial years. South Africa's remarkable progress as a nation since 1994 must be showcased to the world to inspire investor-confidence, complement our robust economic development and place our dynamic country in a strong position in the global village. National days also inspire and rely on the work of Letsema volunteers.

African partnership projects and Archives

The 25th of May is Africa Day and South Africa will be hosting representatives from across the continent. NEPAD and the formation of the AU have broadened our horizons and stimulated government to new ways of creating multilateral and bilateral linkages. An example is the SA-Mali Timbuktu Manuscripts project, driven by DAC through the National Archives.
South Africa's National Archives also continues its work with the documentation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, setting up systems for proper archiving of electronic records.

Poverty alleviation and cultural industries

Research has given substance to the belief that the most vulnerable in our society can- and do find opportunities in the craft sector, and other cultural industries. For a number of years now DAC has been working with partners such as DTI and international partners, in developing and implementing a Cultural Industries Growth Strategy. This strategy has made meaningful contributions to the lives of thousands of people while contributing to the growth of the tourism and marketing sectors and enriching our identity both locally and internationally.

DAC has, through CSIR craft development projects and as part of a macro-poverty alleviation project by the Department, on two projects alone paid out R1 million each of a budgeted R1425 000 each in some of the poorest parts of the Eastern Cape and Free State. R2 million has been invested in the Sekhukune project in the Northern Cape and over four and a half million Rand has been endowed as part of the urban renewal neighbourhood branding project in Gauteng. In addition, we have supported a R2 348 028 craft and cultural development project in the St Lucia Wetlands, and strategically funded numerous other craft and culture development projects with spin-off benefits for the communities such as wealth creation and employment opportunities. The CSIR's craft project in the Eastern Cape has thus far, created 275 jobs.

Dynamic strategies are being used and where jobs are not created directly, training is given in such a way that self-employment opportunities are opened up, swelling the capacity of the SMME sector. For instance, the St Lucia project has already ensured the training of 692 people.

DAC craft programmes have both national and international impact. This was demonstrated by the Proudly South African accredited "Beautiful Things" craft exhibition at the WSSD. The success of this project has prompted the setting up of a semi-permanent exhibition in Newtown. The Beautiful Things exhibition coincided with DAC's annual craft Imbizo. Total sales at the 2002 WSSD Imbizo were about R2 Million. Trade and Investment South Africa (TISA) brought in approximately eight importers using the Inward Buying Mission to the Imbizo in 2002 to source new craft products for their markets.

This year DAC will work with DTI to ensure that Craft Export Council is established. A strategy for craft marketing and financing is currently in the process of being submitted to Cabinet for approval and adoption. DAC is also busy with Create South Africa, a joint project with the Department of Labour (through the MAPPP SETA) that will address skill's development in the creative industries, in particular the crafts.

During the course of 2003, the three-year cycle of allocation towards poverty alleviation that totalled an amount of R97 million will come to an end. National Treasury is currently reviewing the programme and assessing the impact with a view to making allocations to poverty programmes in 2004.

For the new financial year, DAC will focus on urban renewal. For that purpose DAC has designed pilot projects in urban renewal to the amount of R10 million in Alexandra, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria and Durban. These projects will take forward the work of empowering South African artists, sculptors, painters and crafters to utilise their skills in empowering themselves economically.

Film

In the past year, the CIGS programme also looked at the film and video sector, which is an important job-creator and income generator. A report suggested that the industry has generated up to R4 billion in 2001 in Cape Town alone. In partnership with the National Film and Video Foundation, DAC is proactively working with provincial governments in developing their film industries further. In addition, An African Film & Broadcast Conference was held at Sithengi (funded by DAC to the tune of R350 000) in November 2002.

In 2003 DAC is to leverage opportunities for training assistance from international partners through existing bi-lateral cultural agreements. Additionally DAC is also in discussions to set-up an Animation Centre funded by an international partner.

In terms of maximising the benefits of existing infrastructure, DAC is using Community Art Centres, built as part of rural development and urban renewal strategy by the then DACST, as hubs of learning and information sharing for training and skills development.

Through a Public private partnership, DAC is co-ordinating an empowerment programme for young filmmakers. Media and advertising companies can serve as fertile training ground for aspirant filmmakers and for young media professionals. In this area, the Vuka Awards Programme and "Quickies" (1-minute film) training programme are some of the projects supported.

The management of co-production treaties will be transferred to the NFVF. New partnerships or those currently being finalised include Canada, Italy, UK and Ireland. Additionally a feature film fund of R35 million -over the coming three financial years- has been established. The fund will be managed by the NFVF.

INCP

In October 2002 Minister Ngubane chaired Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the International Network on Cultural Policy. Twenty-one countries and UNESCO participated while the USA was an observer. The discussions focused on the issues and challenges facing developing and developed countries with respect to cultural diversity, including tangible and intangible heritage, the role of the media in promoting culture and emerging cultural policy issues. This year, South Africa and Senegal, will lead the team focusing on intangible heritage for the development of international best practice recommendations.

National Language Policy Framework

Publicising and popularising the National Language Policy Framework, which was finalised on the 3rd of December last year, is a major challenge that DAC will be facing over the next few years. It will go a long way to improving the service delivery of government and projects such as TISSA, the Telephone Interpreting Service for South Africa, which aims to facilitate access to services for all South Africans.

Capital works allocation

The DAC that has the responsibility of twenty-seven public entities including museums, art galleries, the National Zoological Gardens, the National Archives and six playhouses. DAC carries a huge responsibility as far as the maintenance of the infrastructure of these institutions is concerned. They play a pivotal role in South Africa's economic and social development, safeguarding our heritage, showcasing our talents and stimulating tourism and job creation.

A strong and economically healthy nation places emphasis on the construction and maintenance of its facilities such as libraries, archival buildings, museums and theatres. The Department's capital works Budget has grown by more than 100%, from R81, 501m (2002/2003) to R168, 050 (2003/2004). For the 2004/2005 financial year it will grow to R188.606m and for the 2005/2006 financial year it will grow to R217.363m.

As examples of how this money is spent, investments that were made in DAC's institutions this year included R7, 8m to the Qunu component of the Nelson Mandela Museum; R6, 3m to the Voortrekker Museum; R5, 5m to the Northern Flagship Institution; R3, 1m to the National Museum and R17m to the Robben Island Museum, R4, 5m of which went to the long term project of repairing the breakwater wall on the Island.

During this financial year have the Department has been allocated funds for capital works to playhouses at a total of R14m. R6m went to replacing the air-conditioning system at the State Theatre in Pretoria; for essential upgrades, R6.5m went to Artscape in Cape Town, R3.7m to PACOFS in Bloemfontein and R3.7m to the Market Theatre in Johannesburg.

For the 2003/2004 financial year, the investments are as follows: -

* R13.5m from a project totalling R25m to establish the Qunu component of the Nelson Mandela Museum and R7.6m for upgrading the Bhunga Building;
* R9m for installing air-conditioning and additional storage at Iziko Museum;
* R5.5m for installing air-conditioning in the public gallery at the Natal Museum;
* R4m for development of Tswaing Crater Museum;
* R1.6m for the upgrading of the Kruger Museum;
* R13m for major upgrading of the SA Military History Museum;
* R42m to Robben Island Museum, mainly for the repair of the breakwater wall (R21 million of an eventual R36.5m), while R11m is for jetties at the West Quay in the Waterfront and R10 million is for general maintenance and upgrading;
* R25 million to kick-start the construction of a new building for the National Library in Pretoria, the projected cost of which is R190m;
* R2.5 million towards the renovation of the Albert Luthuli house in Grautville; and
* R19 million extension to the National Archives in Pretoria, as a kick-start to a project that will cost a total of R150 million.

Orchestras

As a means to meet the needs of a rapidly changing environment in which the funding sources for orchestras were becoming ill-defined, DAC has developed a policy requiring partnership between local, provincial and national government to support these entities. Prior to 1994 the National Symphony Orchestra was funded by the SABC while some of the Performing Arts Councils supported orchestras. Restructuring and transformation, as well as the new needs of audiences and the changing environment led to a refocusing of budgets, which affected the orchestras.

Thus new strategies for meeting this need were examined. In 2002 the first agreement was reached in KZN and the orchestra received R3 million from DACST. In 2003 this will be extended to the Western Cape and Gauteng, with agreements between local, provincial and national government to ensure a further R6 million is allocated. These orchestras will be required to develop training programmes to ensure greater representation and participation by black South Africans.

This year the total allocation from DAC will be R9 million to three orchestras also receiving funds from provinces and local authorities in the above mentioned provinces. The total budget for Performing Arts Institutions is approximately R80 million per annum.

The structure of DAC

Successful organisations are those that can respond flexibly and proactively to a rapidly changing environment. The establishment two Departments out of DACST has facilitated a process of streamlining our structures and identifying areas of focus for the future. The Strategic Plan for DAC sees the establishment of three Branches within the Department: - Arts, Culture and Language in Society; Cultural Development and International Relations; and Heritage, National Archives and Library Services, each of which will be headed by a Deputy Director General. These posts will be filled during the course of the new financial year.

MEDIA QUERRIES FOR ARTS AND CULTURE PLEASE CONTACT ANDILE XABA ON O82 370 5336 OR ON MACK LEWELE 082 450 5076

Issued by Ministry of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology

20 February 2003