[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Premier
Honourable Member of The Executive Council
Honourable Members of The Provincial Legislature
Various Stakeholders in Sport, Arts and Culture
Ladies and Gentlemen

During the financial year 2003/2004 our department will be going through its third year of existence from a budget allocation of R28 374 000 in the year 2000 to a budget allocation of R50 626 000. As part of normal planning cycles, we consciously went through a process of organisational introspection with an intention to review and reposition the department to better tackle challenges that lie ahead. Our strategic plan for the MTEF period 2003-2006 is reflective of the outcomes of this exercise.

Honourable speaker, as a department we submit that in line with a revamped mission, focussing on enhancing unity in diversity through the provision of services for sustainable development of sport, arts, culture and heritage in Limpopo, our business processes will be guided by the following pillars of effective and efficient service delivery:

* Fostering an integrated approach
* Facilitating equitable development and access
* Contributing towards enhancing economic growth
* Building healthy relations with stakeholders and the general public and
* Achieving departmental business excellence

Honourable members we are confident that this framework will better position us to continue providing our people with more opportunities to participate in sport, arts and cultural activities and organisations across the province. This includes facilitating the provision of infrastructural resources and redressing past imbalances.

We are confident that this framework will enhance our capacity to continue facilitating the development and promotion of sport, arts and cultural products and services in the province. This is the context within which we would like to responsibly utilise resources at our disposal. It is within this context that we would like to reaffirm our commitment to the project of transforming South Africa into a non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous country as we fully embrace the President's message in the 2003 state of the nation address and I quote,

" With regard both to changing the lives of South Africans for the better and building relations of human solidarity with the peoples of the world, the tide has turned. Our task is to take this tide at the flood, further to progress towards the achievement of the goals for which so many of our people sacrificed. This is the perspective that will inform our work as we strive to meet our obligations to our people and the peoples of Africa and the world" closed quotes.

Honourable speaker, as the tide continues to turn we as a department will continue to utilise our provinces cultural and heritage endowments, our rich sporting talents and information reservoirs in the form of libraries and archives as we continue to play a pivotal role in addressing socio- economic and political ills facing our country and the continent, characterised by deep seated impoverishment, an escalation of infectious diseases such a HIV/AIDS, crime and unemployment.

Sport and Recreation

Honourable speaker our province successfully hosted a number of national and international sporting events during the previous financial year. This includes the International World Shoot Competition, The Davis Cup tennis tournament and the World Boxing title fight. These developments send a strong signal on the urgency of amassing more resources towards the provision and improvement of sporting infrastructure across the Province.

To this end we have coordinated the employment of poverty relief funds from national department of Sports and Recreation to upgrading and building basic out-door sporting facilities. For the financial year 2002/2003 nine projects were launched to the tune of 12 million to the benefit of communities around Modimolle, Makwarela, Modimolle, Ga-kgapane, Elands kraal, Praktiseer, Thulamahashe, Naphuno, Seshego and Mohlolong. During different stages of these projects more than 500 jobs were created.

In 2002 we were once more successful in cementing ours relations with private and public entities, this is reflected through joint ventures we entered into as follows:

* Foskor provided an amount of R500 000 for provincial games, this funds were paid directly to service providers
* Spoornet provided us with promotional material for the transformational workshop.
* Transnet provided tracksuits and playing kit for developmental games.

We have also nurtured 350 athletes who participated in different national competitions utilising the experience picked up as part of participating in the Provincial Games. As a province we acquired 11 gold medals, 9 silver, and 11 bronzes during the financial year 2002/2003.

The month of September 2003 is targeted for hosting indigenous games; these activities mark a progressive integration of heritage and sporting programmes in the quest to locate our province within the African Renaissance Agenda. It will boost the morale and commitment of our athletes towards celebrating our heritage through sports. It will also expose our your youth to cost effective but very challenging ways of entertainment.

For the financial year 2003/2004 we have budgeted R900 000 for provincial games including the above-mentioned project with an intention to link various stages of competitions to themes that address crime prevention and HIV/AIDS.

Through provincial games we aim at increasing participation in sporting activities across the province, this includes ensuring that sporting codes that were not accessible in the past are non-racialised. In order to link these games to the transformation agenda in the sporting fraternity and also recognising the contribution these games are making towards the cream of South African sport talent that continues to represent this country internationally, we have renamed this games O.R. Tambo games. These games are scheduled to take place during the youth month.

The Limpopo Province Sports Academy has tabled its strategic plan and to match that as a department we have budgeted R500 000 towards its programmes for the financial 2003/2004. This institution will be at the centre of advancing sports as a science and a discipline. It will also be at the centre of building highly professional competencies in the province across sporting codes. We also view the academy as a vehicle through which the face of sport in this province will continue to transform.

Honourable members the department has put aside R350 000 as an allocation for hosting a sport transformation indaba. This forum amongst other things will take stock of the implementation of resolutions we took in last year's forum; it will also focus on governance issues with special emphasis on access and equity dimensions.

I must mention Honourable members that the issue of transforming sports governance is crucial, especially when it relates to ensuring that various sporting bodies embraces our new policies and do not undermine progressive legislation ushered by the democratic dispensation. To this end we will finalise the sport federations audit and ensure that our sporting bodies comply with new demarcations, R100 000 has been set aside to coordinate these activities.

Once again the annual sports gala hosted by the department displayed the extend to which our programmes transfer skills and contribute to the wealth of professional sporting expertise we have in this country when 63 Athletes were decorated at the end of 2002/2003 financial year, most of these athletes represented South Africa in different international competitions. We are confident that some of them will take part in the forthcoming Olympics, All Africa Games and Elite sport competitions. We intend to increase this number by 40% in the new financial year hence R300 000 is budgeted for build up activities and the ceremony.

We continue to have cordial relations with sports federations, the sports council and the provincial boxing control commission. We value their advice and contributions they make in professionalising sport in this province and ensuring that our programmes are able to reach each and every constituency and corner of this province. We will also continue to offer support for their programmes at different levels.

Honourable Speaker, I would like to submit that an overall budgeted amount for sport and recreation for the financial year 2002/2003 is R 3 831 000, this includes capital expenditure of R300 000 mainly for sporting equipments and other accessories, transfer payments of R500 000 and R10 000 for the sports academy and the provincial boxing control commission. The above-mentioned amount excludes personnel costs.

Arts and Culture

In the quest to continue protecting and developing formerly disadvantaged languages and further dealing with the problematic of ensuring that our people are able to express themselves in different situations utilising all official languages, the department will be launching the medical terminology dictionary. This project is the first of its own kind in South Africa to successfully translate medical terminology into Xitsonga, Tshivenda, Afrikaans and Northern Sotho. This included idiomatic expressions relating to health/medical language and sign language. This will also highlight the diversity of our indigenous languages. We believe that this giant step will contribute towards enabling our people to have clarity in terms of medical services they receive and also be able to articulate what their needs are.

The department spent R100 000 on this project from the 2002/2003, budget. During 2003/ 2004 financial year we will conduct more research and consultations into possibilities of producing a commercial terminology dictionary. We are confident that this endeavour will contribute towards opening access for our people to participate in the mainstream of economic activities, through easy access to lucrative markets such as environment and tourism and mining. We need to do more in facilitating the provision of resources and more opportunities to develop sign and Braille languages; already we have taken the first step by hosting a seminar during the year 2002. This is one of the projects that will be prioritised as we endeavour to develop our official languages hence we have budgeted R500 000 to cater for language development.

As part of programmes to encourage authorship, we continue to conduct literary competitions whereby members of the public are encouraged to write scripts based on different themes focussing on drama, short stories and other forms of narratives. During the previous financial we spend R100 000 on this project and we have budgeted R300 000 for this financial year.

Honourable speaker our department continues to create opportunities for up and coming crafters and artist to enhance the quality of their work and acquire more skills through workshops, training sessions, seminars and cultural exchange activities. The outcome of this exercise is more refined cultural products to which market value can be attached.

This is displayed during district competitions that are a build up to the arts achievers awards ceremony where we acknowledge the wealth of expertise that resides in our crafters and artists from district level. To this end we have budgeted R500 000 for the 200/2003 financial year.

I must mention at this stage that the role-played by the Provincial Arts and Cultural Council both at an advisory and support function level is critical to the success of programmes directed towards the promotion of arts and culture in our Province. The same goes for the Geographical Names Committee, though the task it is facing is daunting I am convinced by the wisdom and zeal displayed thus far that we will succeed in building memories of freedom and peace in this Province through their work.

Poverty alleviation funds to the tune of 1, 5 million from the national department of arts, culture, science and technology continue to be utilised effectively through offering resource and expertise support to 14 projects that resides in various arts centres. These funds are also utilised to promote this arts centres including the development and marketing of product ranges offered there. Through this projects 480 jobs have been created, among those that are employed 374 are women and 66 disabled.

During this financial year we will focus more on enhancing the capacity of the melting pot festival to draw more of our people to participate across cultural dimensions. We will also develop further the quality of workshops, drama offerings and craft and film exhibitions. The agenda of melting pot celebrations continue to be guided by the quest to close gaps imposed on our society by cultural norms and value differences as a cornerstone to nation building and a meaningful contribution to realising the objectives of NEPAD. Hence the approach to this festival will also be educational and entertaining. We have therefore planned to utilise R1000 000 form our 2003/2004 budget to fund the melting pot festival and its build up activities.

Our department is set to facilitate processes to ensure that our province joins the whole country in activities directed towards the rehabilitation of individuals and communities affected by gross human rights violations of the past through provincial cleansing, healing and the symbolic reparation ceremonies. We will also coordinate activities directed at renaming of streets and facilities, the erection of provincial memories and monuments and culturally appropriate ceremonies.

As starting point, we have set aside R200 000 form the 2003/2004 budget to cater for this responsibility. This responsibility will be discharged with the support and assistance of representatives from the moral regeneration movement, this includes community leaders, traditional leaders and healers, cultural organisations, youth and women organisations to mention just a few.

Honourable speaker I am also delighted to indicate that at the beginning of 2003 leaders from the above mentioned organisations and institutions including national coordinators of the moral regeneration project participated in a seminar hosted by our department. The aim of this seminar was to locate Limpopo as a province within the mainstream of the moral regeneration movement and single out pertinent issues informed by our context in terms of how this should be addressed. Plans are advanced to provide support to our provincial structure including ensuring that we launch structures at a district level. We will avail R100 000 from the 2003/2004 budget for this purpose.

Honourable speaker, I would like to submit that an overall budgeted programmes amount for arts, culture and languages for the financial year 2002/2003 is R4 523 000, this includes capital expenditure of R60 000 mainly for art and crafts accessories, a transfer payment of R600 000 to the provincial arts and culture council. The above-mentioned amount excludes personnel costs.

Library, Information and Heritage Services

Having received 2.4 million from Public Works towards rural infrastructure development at DZATA and MAKAPANS VALLEY we are confident that we will complete work at DZATA by September 2003 and we would have done more 50% at MAKAPANS VALLEY as we have already completed developmental plans for an entrance gate and access route. The department has submitted the nomination dossier for Mapungubwe world heritage listing, we are working around the clock to ensure that the site is declared as befitting within the 2003/2004 financial year.

As an educational drive in honour of our national symbols we have conducted regional workshops aimed at municipalities and traditional authorities in Giyani, Bushbuck Ridge, Sibasa, Blouberg and Phalaborwa. In a drive to ensure that our museums across the province are reflective of the demographics, history and our provincial cultural diversity we have set aside R 500 000 to further develop the DZATA and SEKHUKHUNE museums and upgrade existing permanent exhibitions at the TSONGA KRAAL.

I must mention Honourable members that the department is struggling to amass enough funds for acquiring buildings that can house provincial archives. Feasibility studies and a cost analysis are done already, this establishment will cost us around 28 million rands. However it is crucial that we should succeed in securing these funds hence we are working on this around the clock, exploring various options including engaging national departments.

We hope that since we have passed the legislation part of ensuring that the provincial heritage authority is established other processes will be completed by mid 2003/2004 financial year. This will provide this institution with an opportunity to find it's footing and add value to programmes directed appreciating and protecting our heritage.

Honourable speaker, our provincial library service provided services to one million one hundred and sixteen thousand and sixty six users in the financial year 2002/2003, we plan to increase this number by 20 percent during this financial year. Hence we will focus on intensifying library awareness programmes, continue to concientise our people about the importance of information and reading and their rights as contained in the Access to Information Act.

The process of computerising our library management and information systems is well underway and we have set aside R300 000 for this responsibility for this financial year. The spin offs from this exercise includes improving efficiency in service delivery and enhancing administrative capacity and ensuring that accuracy is maintained in receiving, distributing and producing reports. To further enhance management capacity, our officials participated in the South African Library Leadership Project run by the Library and Information Association of South Africa and the Mortenson Centre at the University of Illinois, USA.

We are still faced by a challenge to establish and renovate library facilities in previously disadvantaged areas, during the 2003/2004 financial year our department will complete feasibility studies on establishing a new Library at Bohlabela District, extending the Vhembe District Library and renovating the Capricorn, Sekhukhune and Modimolle District Libraries.

Honourable speaker, I would like to submit that an overall budgeted programmes amount for Library and Heritage services for the financial year 2002/2003 is R4 257 000, this includes capital expenditure of R364 000 for infrastructural improvements, transfer payments of R 800 000 to the provincial heritage council and R50 000 to the Library Board. The above- mentioned amount excludes personnel costs.

Commemorative days

One of the important mandates that the department is charged with executing is coordinating and managing the organisation of national commemorative days. This includes freedom day and heritage day. The most exciting aspect of executing this mandate is that we get to spearhead the process of educating our people about our democratic dispensation and also conscientise them about the essence of living in a free South Africa. We get to provide a platform for our people to realise the importance of our national symbols and the need to continue consolidating our democracy through participating in other developmental initiatives led by government.

Honourable members I am happy to submit that, during the past financial each of these events were graced by more than 30 000 members of the public from different walks of life.

At the same level with the previous financial year we have budgeted R1 500 000 for both freedom and heritage day. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the financial contribution we received from the National Department of Culture Science and Technology to the tune of R 100 000 for each event respectively.

Administration

Our department endeavours to maintain efficient and effective managerial and administrative systems directed at ensuring that we continue to offer high quality services. The centrality of administrative functions within the department as supporting and strategic partners in ensuring that all our programmes across sport, arts, culture, library and heritage disciplines run smoothly cannot be discounted. Hence Honourable members we have put much effort in streamlining our business process through the acquisition of modern technological tools and empowering our staff members through a number of managerial and administrative skills development programmes.

Personnel will consume approximately 57 % of our budget for 2002/2003 including new important appointments that will be made during the year. We have budgeted R7 141 000 for risk management and security, transversal programmes, financial management, human resource, district coordination, transport, the MEC support programmes and general human resource activities.

Conclusion

At this point in time it is befitting to thank all members of the department who tirelessly continue to ensure that objectives of this democratic government are realised.

Once again we would like to extend an invitation for cooperation, complimentary and constructive criticism to honourable members, our stakeholders, advisory non statutory and statutory bodies as we thank you for robust engagements you had with us during the 2002/2003 financial year. As a department we will continue to strive towards the development and growth of Limpopo provinces socially and economically through programmes we deliver. This we will do through humbly learning from our experiences and improvements through the years guided once more by the Presidents 2003 state of the nation address and I quote

"As we enter the last year of the first decade of Freedom, we will heed the lessons of these first ten years and build on what has been achieved. We must together approach the Second Decade of Freedom (2004-20014), as one in which the tide of progress will sweep away the accumulated legacy of poverty and underdevelopment. THE TIDE HAS TURNED THE POEPLES CONTRACT FOR A BETTER TOMMOROW IS TAKING SHAPE " Unquote

Thank you

Issued by Limpopo Provincial Government

22 May 2003