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29 May 2008

Honourable Speaker,
Honourable Premier of the North West province,
Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Leaders of Political Parties,
Executive Mayors, Mayors, Speakers and Councillors,
Magosi a rona a tlotlegang,
Commissioners,
Chairpersons and Representatives of Public Entities,
Business Community, Sports Ambassadors, Artists,
Cultural activists and experts in various fields,
Comrades and distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature, we are ascending the podium to present the 2008/09 Financial Year in line with the five (5) year Strategic Plan. We do so bearing in mind challenges and achievements of our young democracy. Central to our Policy Speech is that "African Child", to whom we referred in our previous budget speeches.

That African Child is watching with keen interest as we are all involved and engaging in strategies to address:

* mass literacy campaign
* crime prevention
* economic transformation
* social cohesion
* nation building
* good governance
* public sector infrastructure programme
* poverty eradication
* job creation,
* development of a global partnerships for development.

Our sport, arts and culture programmes seek to have this child as a major beneficiary. The future belongs to this child. Bagaetsho kana motsogapele o rile "Ngwana Sejo o a tlhakanelwa". This is a wisdom left behind by those who came before us which simply translates that "a child is brought up by the community".

Having said that Honourable speaker, our programmes in the department seeks to afford the African child to grow in conditions of prosperity, unity and democracy. These should be values that transcend all continents of the world so that each child must enjoy world peace and security, sustainable growth and development of all countries and where all nations are equal. This child should be protected from tasting xenophobia, tribalism, and racism.

Management and administration

Honourable Speaker, it should be regarded as being a crime against the principle of participatory democracy if people are forced to become spectators in their empowerment and development.

Long before today, our predecessors and struggle ancestors proclaimed in a loud and clear voice that "The People Shall Govern". We are sure that we are following on the right footsteps of those whose vision lives with us today. The reality of that vision is that people must participate in the daily grind of their lives. They must take charge of decisions that determine their destiny.

We reiterate our policy position to the service delivery model of ensuring that our Department is visible to communities, where Departmental officials are placed within communities for community development and empowerment. This devolution of functions to District and Service Points, allows for distribution of Human Resources, Infrastructure in the form of offices and the Authorising Environment for swift decision making.

Our people in the villages, townships, farms and towns will walk or travel less in order to get service. Traditional Leadership Structures and Local Municipalities will always play a key role as our Partners for Development. Our Department deals with talent identification and development, and as a consequence, having officials on the ground will lead to easy identification of talent in Sport, Arts and Culture and for that talent to develop, the proper infra-structure is necessary. But talent alone is not good enough, especially if it does not yield economic fruits. Our sports people, artists and crafters must be economically empowered through the expression of their God-given talent.

We are developing a workforce that is knowledgeable, accessible and client oriented. We are conscious of the fact that a lot of training is needed in order to maximise these qualities. Our Head Office staffs continues to receive training that is relevant for policy development that should guide our service delivery and Monitoring and Evaluation tools of that delivery, while our District personnel receive training that relates to facilitation and implementation of programmes.

It is the purpose of this department to put systems of good governance in place so that officials within the department are empowered to carry the mandate of the Department forward. The more the departmental officials have relevant knowledge, the better their vision will be to deliver expected services. We owe this to ourselves and the people of this province.

Honourable Speaker, our devolution of powers and operational reconfiguration complies with the Public Finance Management Act and other policy prescripts. Further thereto, as per consensus during the Departmental Strategic Retreat held on 14 to 17 August 2007, we have:

* realigned the mission and vision of the department
* introduced the departmental brand promise, "We share your passion for art and play"
* consolidated our values
* revisited and amended our strategic goals and objectives
* prioritised key deliverables in line with policy speeches
* implemented the decentralisation and devolution of responsibilities to the four districts and twenty one municipalities and ninety nine ward clusters of the province.
* incorporated key projects or activities that were not assigned to the department after the strategic plan.

Needless to say Honourable Speaker, our revamped strategic plan further informed operations within the department. In so doing our operational focus for the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) is:

* The implementation of the performance management and development system.
* The implementation of the supply chain management which optimises the upliftment of the PDIs as expressed in the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act.
* Implementation and strengthening of the district model.
* Provision of Administrative, Financial and Technical Support to District and Service Point Management.
* Implementation of the Public Finance Management Act and related Regulations
* Development and Promotion of Creative, Performing Arts and Sport facilities for economic growth.
* Development and promotion of competitive sport through High Performance Programme.
* Promotion and enhancement of healthy lifestyles.
* Promotion of Social Cohesion using sport, art and culture as a platform
* Declaring war against illiteracy.
* Promotion of Community Art Centres.
* Integration of the national crime prevention strategy in Departmental Programmes.
* Promotion of Recreational Rehabilitation programmes in Provincial Correctional Centre's
* Identification and election of strategic partners or funders in support of departmental programmes.
* Support and promote exchange programmes in support of the department's strategic objectives.
* Ensuring support and transformation of all state institutions.
* Ensuring alignment and implementation of priorities as identified in policy speeches.
* Provision of reports and submission to Executive Council (EXCO) and MinMec

Honourable Speaker, we hold a view that these specific deliverables are in line with all that we stand for. We believe that these capture the essence of our strategic plan and shall further assist in evaluating the performance of the Department and its officials.

Arts and culture

Finland Partnership

In the recent visit of the Premier to Finland, we engaged with a number of companies and institutions in our search for arts and culture partnerships and opportunities. Among the institutions that we engaged is the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. We have identified within the arts and culture sector the following priority genres that we hope to partner on, these are:

* craft development
* film and video production
* performing arts
* fashion design

We are currently negotiating a partnership between the University of the North West (Mafikeng), the University of Art and Design (Helsinki) and Mmabana Art, Culture and Sport Foundation. These institutions will work out an arts and culture programme/curriculum that will focus on the development of these key priority genres above. The implementation model of the partnership is simple.

* The two universities will design arts and culture programmes in close collaboration with Mmabana.
* Mmabana will expand and improve its current programmes so as to realign with the programmes of the two universities.
* Mmabana shall in turn link with Community Arts Centres.

We hope to expand on the Community Arts Centres (CACs) that currently exist. These are mini-Mmabanas that we hope to proliferate in the Clusters and or Wards. Community Arts Centres will feed Mmabana with the learners and students.

Honourable Speaker, this partnership must help us to move with speed in our march to empower our arts and culture communities. This model will create levels of excellence in which students, learners and artists must develop full potential that must be equal to any in the world. We will identify other partners that will benefit the arts and culture fraternities. The SABC (North West Region) and the National Film and Video Foundation are such partners that must be drawn into the fold.

Infra structure Challenges (Arts and Culture)

In meeting the objectives of the programmes identified we need to expand and develop infra structure particularly in townships and villages where such infra structure does not exist. We have identified three specific areas of infra structure development and expansion for arts and culture. These are:

* Establishment of a Mmabana Centre in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District.
* Upgrading and Maintenance of the existing structures and equipments therein.
* Building Community Arts Centres in the twenty one (21) Municipalities as mini-Mmabanas. The long term view is to create a Community Arts Centre in each of the ninety nine (99) Ward Clusters.
* Providing of Theatres in the Community Arts Centres/Mmabana.
* Provision of Galleries for Visual Arts and other Exhibitions within the community Arts Centres.

Performing Arts

The performing arts are the most popular forms of recreation and entertainment in all communities, which can also be used as a tool for Nation Building, Mass Participation and Social Cohesion. They are also a tool to transcend tribal and racial barriers. However, they need structures that should assist in their proper development and management. Our District and Service Point model agitates for active participation by communities through the formation of Local, Cluster, District and Provincial forums. This arrangement will make it easy for organisation of performing arts activities on Saturdays and Sundays in the clusters. Our key genres in the performing arts are the following:

Drama is one of the most popular genres in the Performing Arts and the province has produced many practitioners who rank with the best in the world. We will improve on this achievement by doing the following:

* training of actors and technicians
* support script writing
* support the formation of companies
* support the staging of shows

Music has always been the backbone of recreation in our society and is as such the most popular genre. It is also the most diversified of the performing arts. We will continue to support the development as well as empowerment of all our musicians. This will be done with the view to fostering economic independence of our musicians. We will achieve the above mentioned through the following:

* training of musicians and technicians
* support staging of concerts and festivals
* support recording of groups

We will strive to see a fusion of African traditional dances with the western dance forms. This development shall be supported with the necessary resources that can ensure that this process is a spontaneous occurrence in the interaction of cultures. The above should be achieved through the following:

* training of choreographers and dancers
* support the formation of companies
* support participation in festivals and concerts

Poetry is a genre that has also diversified from the spoken to the written word. We will encourage poetry that ranges from praise singing to modern and contemporary styles. In this genre the following will be supported:

* identification of talent
* developments of poets
* support for the formation of groups
* support participation in festivals and concerts

Story telling is an old form that forms part of the culture and heritage of our people. The young and the old will get involved in an informal interactive process of education. The following will be supported:

* identification of talent
* training of story tellers
* support for the formation of groups
* support participation in festivals and concerts

Visual Arts

The Visual Arts sector will be one of the key priority sectors that we will pay attention to for the next five years. We have identified Painting and Photography as our key programmes in this sector. The Mmabana Centres and the Community Arts Centres will be used in the facilitation of the programmes.

Craft Development

We want to build a North West craft industry that will be competitive in both local and international markets. We are finalising the establishment of the North West Craft and Design Institute as promised in the Budget Speech of 2006.

The institute will ensure the coordination of all services related to the field and will focus on Information Dissemination, Market Research and Product Development and linking the right product to the right market, Business and Entrepreneurial training as well as an Innovation and Fabrication Centre.

We will work closely with other stakeholders such as Invest North West, Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) Platinum Incubator, North West University, and Government Departments such as the Economic Development and Tourism and the National Departments of Arts and Culture and Trade and Industry.

Infra Structure Challenges for Craft Development

We will establish craft hubs in the four Districts to support and promote the development of the craft sector. These hubs must be centres for product development and promotion.

The Mmabana Centres, the Community Arts Centres and other identified spaces will provide accommodation to the crafters.

Fashion Design

Our Department will continue to support the North West Fashion Week into a sustainable entity. The North West Fashion Week attracted more than thirty five (35) Designers and forty (40) young upcoming models in our province.

The department will put intervention strategies in place that will realise inclusivity within the programme so that the initiative may grow into a prominent and nationally recognised Fashion Week in equal stride with others in the country.

To realise the above objective, it is crucial that the there be a Provincial Entity that will operate in Mmabana, supported by District Entities in the Mmabana Centres in the four Districts.

Our communities in the wards and clusters should operate from the Community Arts Centres. The focus in this sector should be Product Development and Promotion and a rigorous search for Markets of these products.

Heritage and Museums

The Heritage Indaba that we promised in our last Budget Speech was held on 13 and 14 March 2008, at the Mmabatho Convention Centre. The outcomes of the Indaba are as follows:

* to ensure an all inclusive participation of stakeholders in? Heritage development and transformation of the sector in the province
* identification of key Heritage issues in the province
* definition of Heritage policy guidelines
* recommendation of sound Heritage strategies to ensure efficient and effective management of Heritage resources in the province.

We are in the process of finalising a Heritage and Museum Management Plan. Such a plan shall be closely tied to the heritage routes of our Province (namely, the N4 Bakwena Platinum Route in Bojanala District, the N12 Treasure Route in the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District and the Western Frontier Route in the Dr. Ruth Mompati District). The plan will also address a comprehensive strategy for Name Change for purposes of Restoration and Removal of Offensive and Derogatory Names. As part of this comprehensive Heritage and Museum Management Plan, we shall continue to engage other partners in our quest to develop our World Heritage Sites with a keen eye on shared growth and in the development of the local and district economies.

Heritage and Museums Infra Structure Challenges

Honourable Speaker, we cannot realise the above outcomes of the Heritage Indaba if we do not attend to the creation of relevant infra structure. This infra structure must exist in the form of:

* heritage sites
* museums
* cultural villages and
* craft outlets Mmabana Arts, Culture and Sport Foundation

Honourable Speaker, we are pleased to announce to this august house that the process of appointing and placing the Board of this institution has been successfully completed.

We have further appointed both the Chief Financial Officer (Mr. Frans Thupaemang) and Chief Executive Officer (Mr Allan Losaba). These appointments brings us to a firm believe that the Mmabana machinery has been placed in a position where it will operate like a sleek-oiled machine. This institution will play a pivotal role in the development of our young people with passion in sport, arts and culture in the province.

Statutory bodies

Honourable Speaker, We are pleased to announce that we have appointed Governance Bodies for our State Institutions and are putting their systems in place so as to be fully functional. These bodies are the Provincial Arts and Culture Council (PACC), the Provincial Geographical Names Committee (PGNC), Provincial Heritage Resources Authority (PHRA) and the Mmabana Arts, Culture and Sports Foundation, (Mmabana Board). We share the same values of good governance with them.

Language Services

Honourable Speaker, we will embark on a vigorous campaign to promote African languages. Our key aims are to see:

* an increased number of African writers
* an increased availability of literature in African languages
* an increased number of readerships in African languages
* improved access to learning and knowledge through usage of African literature
* participation in mass campaigns to fight illiteracy

Infra Structure Challenges for Language Services

For effective development and management in this sector, Honourable Speaker, we want the sector to be organised into an Association of Writers. This will make it possible for roll out programmes that are relevant to the sector such as, Writing, Protection of Intellectual Property Rights and others.

Twenty one (21) Writers' Associations have been formed in the Municipalities and these in turn culminated in the formation of the Provincial Writers' Association. The Writers' association has identified the establishment of Publishing House as a key empowering tool. We are therefore forced to look into the possibility of establishing a Publishing House through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

Libraries and archives

Record Management

Honourable Speaker, we hold the view that Archives are our most important tool to record our documents. But before we elaborate any further on this sector, we need to remind this august house that the massive structure opposite the University is not an extension of the University. It is rather our Archives Building that we promised in our Policy Speech of 2006. (p15; Budget Speech 2006).This building will be opening in 2009 and this will mark a new era for the province in terms of records management and archives. Proper records management by Government Departments and other statutory bodies within the Province will find the usage of this tool very useful.

We are faced with a big challenge of finding Government Departments, Local Municipalities, Traditional Leaders and other important institutions using the tool for record management purpose. We have developed a strategy to encourage and empower these institutions to use records management plan for the safekeeping of important documents.

Toy libraries

The Toy Library which was started in 2004/05 has now been established in 72 community libraries. Implementation involves the training of Library staff, Parents and educators of Early Childhood Development Centres on the correct usage of toys, aids and games. The toys are available for use in the library and are lent to parents and Early Childhood Development Centres.

Our findings are that this service appears to be useful, particularly in the rural areas. There is even a greater demand for this service for institutions intended for. This serves as a relief for our indigent communities who are finding it difficult to afford the purchase of toys.

Mobile Library

If you see a bus in Mmabana later during lunch, please do not think that it is ferrying tourists, it is our state-of-the-art Mobile Library that we promised in 2006. (p19: 2006: Budget Speech). Let me take this opportunity to elaborate on what should be expected when entering this Mobile Library.

This state-of-art piece of work is equipped with the following:

* toy library
* public address system
* computers
* dolphin mercury pen
* public viewing screen
* photocopy machine
* fax
* dvd player
* ramp to allow wheelchair users
books of all categories
tables and chairs with tents

The Dolphin Mercury Pen is utilized for the visually impaired persons. To date, nineteen (19) persons who are visually impaired have been trained with this equipment and they will be spread in the seventy five (75) Libraries around the Province.

We will obviously test its effectiveness and functionality where it is located. We are confident that we will emerge with a clear need for this masterpiece of illiteracy combating mechanism.

This project for visually impaired people will be extended to six (6) more community libraries. The Department together with the Office of the Premier’s Disability Desk and Local Municipalities will recruit more visually impaired people and the Department will ensure that they are provided with the necessary training to use the computer facilities that will be provided in community libraries

Illiteracy Campaign

Honourable Speaker, we hold the view that Libraries are our most potent weapon to fight illiteracy. Surrounding that noble idea would be an extensive combat against illiteracy in all its formats. That shall include programmes with a buy in from communities. Our intention is to cover the vastness of our province, which comprises mostly of the rural and the farming communities.

These libraries will forge partnerships with mass literacy project and the ABET programme of the Department of Education to provide material and space for support. We will also embark on programmes of reading awareness and library promotion. This exercise will ensure that community libraries become centres for community learning in bettering their lives.

The Department will participate and support the promotion of indigenous language writing, publishing and reading. The Library Services Programme will host quarterly book launches of Setswana publications which will be done in partnership with local language structure in the province. Given the above information, the house and the members of the community shall rest assured that we have assembled the necessary armoury to combat illiteracy and look forward to meet the millennium development goals in particular the one that refers to the achievement of universal education.

Up Grading and Expansion Plan

The Conditional Grant we get from the National Government will be partly utilised for capacity building in the community libraries. The rest of it shall be utilised to expand and upgrade the existing structures. This exercise shall also create jobs as part of Libraries Programmes.

To date, the Libraries and Archive programmes has created 68 jobs within library and information services in the province. We were able to appoint a total of 27 librarians and twenty one (21) assistants who are seconded to Local Municipalities and placed at the community libraries. Fourteen (14) staff members including the grant manager have been appointed at Head Office to assist with grant administration and other related functions of processing and dispatching information material to community libraries. Four (4) of these staff members are information technology (IT) technicians who are placed at District Libraries to support the roll out of the ICT in the community libraries.

Training and development of three hundred and seven (307) librarians and library assistants in five various training programmes have been carried out. These programs include customer care, internet research, advanced toy training, puppeteer and shelving for support staff. This will harness and sharpen the skills of our staff in order to cope with the demand of our community and other library users. It will further enable us to carry out our mandate as set out in our strategic plan.

Honourable speaker we would like to take this opportunity to update the house on the ICT roll out plan in our libraries. Due to the vastness and the ruralness of our Province, research showed us that we would not be able to roll out the plan from one power source. We further commissioned the researchers to find out the best model that we can use to accomplish this ambition. The results have been received and interpreted. They advise us that we can utilise power sources that are ranging from Satellite to Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) lines, which will be ideal for various parts of the Province. The due processes of procurement will be followed and from July 2008, the implementation shall unfold, bearing in mind the costs and possibilities of viz major.

Sport and recreation

Honourable Speaker, during the 2007 Budget speech, we had committed that among others, we shall:

* Engage Federations in an attempt to address Development and Transformation in Sport and Recreation.
* Support the twelve (12) priorities Sporting Codes.
* Support North West based Teams campaigning in the SAFA Vodacom and First Division Leagues by building their administrative and technical capacity.
* Facilitate and support the establishment of Community Clubs

Today we are pleased to inform this esteemed house that substantial progress has been achieved in this regard.

Community Sport

Honourable Speaker, through the Siyadlala Mass Participation Programme and School Sport Mass Participation Programme conditional grants, the department has embarked on a community sport program which seeks to promote sport and recreation activities in communities.

To that end, we shall have sporting activities taking place in clusters on Wednesdays and recreation activities on Saturdays. These activities will be played in a league format that will on semester basis link with major events such as SA Games, Youth Games and Legends Games to mention but a few.

Once more, these activities will not only enhance our key national priorities of Nation Building, Crime Prevention, Social Cohesion and Mass Participation, but will assist in unearthing the latent talent that lies untapped in our communities. In her State of the Province address the Honourable Premier raised some of the social ills related to the aforementioned. We hold a view that our programmes will assist in addressing these social ills, for it is indeed true, that a child in a tennis court is not like a child in a court of law.

Once identified, we shall mount an aggressive skills empowerment drive that should take that talent to greater heights and greener pastures. We are aware that in our communities we have yesteryear sport practitioners and icons. Their knowledge needs to be infused in our plans so that there is sufficient transfer of skill.

Club Development

Through the National Sport and Recreation Conditional Grant, provision has been made for Legacy Projects of which Club Development forms the Core Key Result Area. The Strategic Goal of these Projects is to create a platform to fast tract Transformation of Sport by providing smooth and sustainable passage along the Sport Development Continuum in the Country and in particular the North West Province. The elements of this grant include:

* Facilitation, coordination and support to clubs.
* Establishment and reviving of existing clubs.
* Empowering athletes and officials through Education and Training.
* Construction of code specific facilities where they don't exist.

To this end, 48 clubs are being supported in Merafong and Maquassi Hills. These clubs have received support and assistance through the provision of attire, equipment and training in Sport and Recreation Management. This Project will cascade to all Local Municipalities for all prioritised sporting codes.

Honourable Speaker, in our last policy speech, we indicated that the Department and SAFA will jointly strengthen the development of soccer in the province. As a consequent, we were able to assist the South African Football Association (SAFANW) with provincially based Vodacom League Teams with transport expenses. We also provide support in the form of Life Skills, Capacity Building and Scientific Support to the Vodacom league teams that qualified for the qualifying playoffs into the first division (Matlosana FC and Mothupi Birds FC).

Once promoted to the First Division, the department’s support package would be different so that we produce our own teams in the elite league where self sustainability would be achieved. The overall objective would not be to buy a status in the elite league, but rather to develop a team that would be able to sustain itself in the elite league.

Our intervention also included spectator mobilisation. The Service Level Agreements with individual Teams were signed through the North West Sport Academy to allow for efficient allocation and management of funds.

High Performance and Sport Excellence

Honourable Speaker, in our last budget speech, we indicated that we will deploy four departmental officials to work closely with the North West Academy of Sport. That deployment has happened as the four are currently attached to the High Performance Unit and are working in close collaboration with the North West Academy of Sport to ensure the acceleration of development and transformation of sport and recreation in the province.

We are happy to report that since the deployment of these four officials, there is an improved engagement with federations, the level of participation in the high performance programme has improved, and the referrals of identified raw talent has also improved. Team North West that was composed of Athletes, Team Management and Support Staff represented the Province during the 4th South African Games that were held in Bloemfontein in September 2007. 282 Athletes who managed to go through Training Camps and Scientific Support at the Academy, enabled us to obtain overall position six out of nine provinces and brought home 14 Gold Medals, 13 Silver Medals and 25 Bronze Medals.

For the 2008/09 financial year, provision for 240 athletes representing the 12 priority codes has been made for scientific support.

We will continue to support provincial Federations, Clubs, and individual athletes through this programme. Our relations with these stakeholders will enable the model to function optimally in identifying and nurturing natural talent to professional levels. The Provincial Sport Council will play a major role in ensuring that relevant governance structures are in place. The Council has been made aware that there is a need to resuscitate and re-launch it to become a vehicle for sport and recreation transformation.

The challenges facing the cycle between talent identification, club development, and our high performance programme are the unavailability of sport and recreation facilities, and also the optimal utilisation of sport infrastructure developed over the years. The department has requested Municipalities and tribal authorities to avail these facilities to communities within their jurisdiction, and finally, the new approach will inculcate a passion for excellence in sport.

The National Treasury has called on municipalities to apply for the Neighborhood fund. This fund is targeting the development of sport and recreational facilities. The department will encourage municipalities to utilise these funds to support the 12 priority sporting codes.

2010 FIFA World Cup

The country will be hosting the 2009 Confederations Cup, which serves as a dry-run for the World Cup tournament of 2010. The department’s interest in the 2010 FIFA World Cup is on the possible benefits likely to be derived from the event. To that end we submit that hosting the World Cup is a catalyst to development, and this development includes, but is not limited to:

* Roads infrastructure that would link Rustenburg and its environs to the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace.
* Increased tourism traffic that would also enhance the quality of tourism products.
* Capacity building in respect of volunteers and other service providers
* The greening and beautification of the Host City.
* The upgrade and enhancement of the Host City’s health facilities through the upgrade of hospitals and clinics.
* Improved network of transport facilities.
* Upliftment of the economy though skills development, the craft industry and performing arts.
* Capacity engagement within Home Affairs, Intelligence and the SAPS in respect of entry points
* The enhancement of the local municipalities' Emergency and Disaster Management Services.

The department is informing this house that we plan to continue and bring more events to the province and these among other, include the Southern African Development Community, Zone 6 Games, Boxing Tournaments, Women World Cup of Golf and the Telkom Charity Cup. We hold a view that these events contribute to Economic Activity and Growth; Nation Building, Social Cohesion and a healthy lifestyle for all.

Honourable Speaker, allow me to present the Department's 2008/2009 budget. The total budget for the department is R327, 150, 000 (three hundred and twenty seven million and one hundred and fifty thousand rands) broken down as follows:

Programme 1: Administration – R56, 808,000

An amount of fifty six million, eight hundred and eight thousand rand (R56, 808,000) is allocated to programme one, administration. The programmes main objective is to account and manage public funds, to provide human resources, financial and general administrative support services. In addition, it provides executive management, technical and administrative leadership.

Programme 2: Cultural Affairs – R79, 288,000

An amount of seventy nine million and two hundred and eighty eight thousand rand (R79, 288,000) is allocated programme two, Cultural Affairs. The programme's main objective is to promote culture, conserve and manage the cultural, historical assets and resources, of the province by rendering various services.

Programme 3: Library and Information Services – R102, 743,000

An amount of one hundred and two million, seven hundred and forty three thousand rand (R102, 743,000) is allocated to programme three, Library and Information Services. This programme's main objective is to assist local library authorities in rendering of public library services and providing of an Archive in the province.

Programme 4: Sports and Recreation – R88, 311,000

An amount of eighty eight million, three hundred and eleven thousand rand (R88, 311,000) is allocated to programme four, Sports and Recreation. This programme's main objective is the Promotion of Sport and Recreation to contribute towards the reconciliation and development of the North West province community through the provision of equitable, accessible and affordable facilities, programmes and services.

In conclusion, we wish to borrow from the wisdom of Lou Austin whose observation about the meaning and import of purpose is very instructive and relevant to us as individuals, as colleagues working in a team of the Provincial Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, as a province of the Republic of South Africa, as a country that belongs to the continent of Africa and as children of the larger universe. Austin says:

"You are here for a purpose. There is no duplicate of you in the whole wide world. There never has been, there never will be. You were brought here now to fill a certain need. Take time to think that over."

Lou Austin

Honourable Speaker, this august house must have noticed that the child is central to all our Policy Speeches. That child whom we spoke of at the beginning is here for a purpose. The child has sporting and or arts related talent that should be nurtured, talent whose purpose is to empower the child, the child’s family and the community where the child comes from.

The purpose is not to indulge and dwell in self-destructive and negative activities. Conditions of that talent to grow depend on how this Department and its partners in the Communities co-operate in facilitating systems for growth and development of individuals, groups of people and communities.

It is the purpose of this department to put systems of good governance in place so that officials within the Department are empowered to carry the mandate of the Department forward. The more the departmental officials know, the better their vision will be to deliver. We owe this to ourselves and the people of this province.

Motlotlegi mmusakgotlaa le ntlo e e tlotlegang, ke rata go leboga, baagi ba porofense ya rona ya Bokone Bophirima, badiri ba lefapha, ka kemonokeng e ba mphang yona mo maikaelelong a go tokafatsa matshelo a baagi ba rona, ba metshameko, setso, botaki le maphata otlhe a a amegang mo tsamaisong ya ditiro le dikgatlhegelo tsa lefapha.

Ke lebogela dinao tsa baeng botlhe ba ba tlotlileng taletso ya go tla go nna le rona, le batho botlhe ba ba dirileng gore tiro ya gompieno e nne ya maemo.

Kealeboga
Ngiyabonga
Enkosi
Baie Dankie

Thank you.

Issued by: Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, North West Provincial Government
Source: North West Provincial Government (http://www.nwpg.gov.za)