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Almost R200 million to rebuild libraries and buy books
17 January 2008
The Minister of Arts and Culture, Dr Pallo Jordan made a conditional grant of R180 million to provincial government for this financial year which ends in March 2007/08 financial year.
The purpose of the funds was to enable to upgrade library facilities and buy books to equip their collections. In fact, the department conducted an investigation to establish a comprehensive picture of the state of needs. Of course, this is part of the department's mandate to promote a culture of reading.
"The amount allocated to each province was determined by the provincial priorities that needed to be addressed in the first year of the conditional grant," said Minister Jordan.
The amounts ranged from R13,9 million for KwaZulu-Natal to R24 million for the Northern Cape. By last October, KwaZulu-Natal had spent 33 percent of the budget while the Northern Cape had spent 27,7 percent of its budget on upgrading facilities and buying books.
The Eastern Cape, North West and Mpumalanga received R22 million each but only spent 9,3 percent, 9,0 percent and 5,1 percent, respectively.
"Unfortunately, the grants were not prescriptive. In fact, we have left it to the provincial governments to divide the allocations according to their predetermined priorities in their own provinces," said Minister Jordan.
Budget allocation to provinces:
Eastern Cape: R22 680 000-00
Free State: R16 470 000-00
Gauteng: R18 810 000-00
KwaZulu-Natal: R13 950 000-00
Limpopo: R22 860 000.00
Mpumalanga: R22 860 000-00
Northern Cape: R24 030 000-00
North West: R21 600 000-00
Western Cape: R16 740 000-00
Budget spent on library upgrades and book buying by end of October 2007:
Eastern Cape
Upgrading of libraries: R2 000 000-00
Purchasing of books: R6 500 000-00
Free State
Upgrading of libraries: R1 381 598-00
Purchasing of books: R3 150 000-00
Gauteng
Upgrading of libraries: R3 000 000-00
Purchasing of books: R5 940 443-00
KwaZulu-Natal
Upgrading of libraries: R3 000 000-00
Purchasing of books: R7 870 000-00
Limpopo
Upgrading of libraries: R7 396 000-00
Purchasing of books: R5 470 000-00
Mpumalanga
Upgrading of libraries: R10 865 000-00
Purchasing of books: R4 275 000-00
Northern Cape
Upgrading of libraries: R1 681 750-00
Purchasing of books: R6 973 500-00
North West
Upgrading of libraries: R3 638 000-00
Purchasing of books: R4 500 000-00
Western Cape
Upgrading of libraries: R3 638 000-00
Purchasing of books: R598 180-00
Most of the funding in the Western Cape in 2007/08 is spent on the appointment of staff for local municipalities.
Percentage of budget spends by October 2007:
Eastern Cape: 9,3 percent
Free State: 33,6 percent
Gauteng: 25,9 percent
KwaZulu-Natal: 33,9 percent
Limpopo: 9,0 percent
Mpumalanga: 26,3 percent
Northern Cape: 27,7 percent
North West: 5,1 percent
Western Cape: 47,6 percent
Enquiries:
Sandile Memela
Spokesperson for Ministry of Arts and Culture
Cell: 082 800 3750
Premi Appalraju
Media Liaison Officer
Cell: 082 903 6778
Issued by: Department of Arts and Culture
17 January 2008
Source: Department of Arts and Culture (http://www.dac.gov.za)