Honourable Speaker
Honourable Premier
Honourable Members of the Legislature
Colleagues in the Executive Council
Mayors and Councilors
House of Traditional Leaders
Chairpersons of Sport Federations
Chairpersons of Arts and Culture Statutory Bodies
CEO of Phakisa
Acting CEO of PACOFS
Representatives of the Business Sector
Ladies and Gentlemen
Comrades, I greet you all in the name of freedom and democracy
To date, the people's democratic triumph continues to echo over the hills, through the valleys and plains of our country. We continue to experience great joy every season of the year through events that mark the deep sense of our appreciation of the strides we have made in these past 14 years of democratic breakthrough.
The euphoria of Human Rights Day, Freedom Day, Workers' Day, Youth Day, Heritage Day, Tumahole Day, Maokeng Day, Rammulotsi Day, Sixteen Days of Activism and many more dates of significance in our calendar inspire us to even work harder in consolidating our gains.
Sport, arts and culture are inseparably rhythmic and complementary in nature. Their collective universal attribute is evident in the ability of self discovery and building a spirit of oneness among people. Correctly applied, these timeless human activities defies institutional segregation, break shackles of racism and cultural barriers. These three in many instances, offer solace and act as an antidote of anger, racism and xenophobia. Sport, arts and cultural appreciation unite people in the universal love of humanity.
Sport, arts and culture also add up as effective vanguards for social and economic transformation. Athletes, artists and cultural activists have contributed hugely in the vanquished glory of apartheid. Today, they act as our social conscience and social agents whose activism should be used to advocate freedom and build democracy – a strategy that was used effectively by the ANC to defeat apartheid.
We are eternally grateful to all those young people, men and women of yesteryear in the province, who despite the inhuman sports regulations and little or no facilities and without proper financial support were able to excel and offer their best in sport. We hail all of them; the celebrated and the many unsung sports heroes and heroines whose names are permanently inscribed in the sport chronicles of this province. We also owe a permanent debt to those artists, authors, poets in the province whose creativity continues to enrich our lives to this day.
Time has come to strengthen efforts to break barriers and build bridges among different people of this province. Time is now - to pull out indigenous knowledge from oblivion and reintroduce it to our communities. Time has come for us to reclaim our heritage; to identify, to promote it, and preserve it for future generations. Time has also come for us to transform without fear and prejudice museums that served and continue to serve as citadels of skewed source of historical and cultural knowledge, into a truly representative source of our rich past and diverse cultural tapestry.
The previous exclusion of black people in some sporting codes have done immeasurable damage to athletic capability in the province. Our responsibility is to reverse the situation – and build a free non-racial, capable and competitive sportsmanship in the province that does not only offer recreational benefits, but that is further focused to provide decent livelihood for those who participate.
We believe that the Department will play a major role in uniting the peoples of this province and to promote this unity through democratic participation in sport, arts and culture. We also believe that sport, arts and culture are tools that should be used to effectively fight poverty and create wealth for impoverished communities. We therefore call on all the peoples of Free State to rally behind our vision of creating a better life for all through sport, arts and culture.
In this second decade of freedom and democracy, our people continue to expect nothing less than the implementation of the liberation vision as contained in our glorious document, the Freedom Charter, a document that has always stood as a symbol of mass participation and demonstrated the power of consultation.
I wish to state that we have as the Department, relentlessly pursuit our mandate to respond to this vision as set out by our forebears. These remarks that I have just made reflect the mandate of our Department, our strategic plan and performance matched with appropriated budget in the previous financial year. And importantly, the remarks serve as a precursor that will lay a foundation for our expenditure this new financial year.
It therefore gives me a great pleasure to present to you this budget vote, which serves as an account of our response to the Freedom Charter. I wish to present to you the progress and milestones we have achieved in the last financial year with regard to the implementation of our four programmes which are: 1. Administration, 2. Arts and Cultural Affairs, 3. Library and Archive Services and 4. Sport and Recreation.
I would also want to outline the kind of challenges that confront us in our quest to built a better life for all people in the province. These are challenges I think are not insurmountable, but require patience and deeper understanding of our history and our cultural diversity.
Speaker, let me hasten to point out that since taking over as the political head of this department, we embarked on an intensive consultative programme during which we interacted with various stakeholders of the Department internally and externally. These stakeholders ranged from individual sport persons and structures, to individual arts and cultural activists and their structures. The purpose of these consultation was to seek popular opinion and guidance from the stakeholders and the general public into how best could the Department's objectives be achieved.
From these consultative interactions we emerged better informed of the enormity of the challenges we had in pursuing our strategic objectives. We have indeed to some degree managed to address some of these challenges in a short space of time. We are however conscious of the huge responsibility that still awaits us to confront the remaining challenges.
Programme 1: Administration
Speaker, the budget allocation for this programme is R30 480 million. It is important to mention that we have been working very hard to improve and strengthen the administrative machinery of the Department. This allocation will come in handy to address concurrent issues in different components of this programme. We will use this programme to pursue best practices for improved quality service delivery and establish an environment that encourages resourcefulness and innovative thinking by our staff members. We indeed want to build a strong legion of personnel that firmly adhere to the principles of “Batho Pele”, and who will in unison respond to the call: 'Business unusual, all hands on deck to speed up service delivery. To respond to this we will use all the tools at our disposal as well as complying with relevant legislative framework requirements as reflected in the many pieces of legislation and Public Service regulations. I also need to mention that the Department has made inroads in unfolding the programme of Moral Regeneration Movement successfully, with the establishment of district and local structures and implementation of the programme.
Programme 2: Arts and Cultural Affairs
Artists are social commentators and form part of the intellectual memory of a society that continually pricks our conscience. Artists are the 'Masupatsela' of social reform and progressive development. Art is universal and abundant. It is there to be harvested and enjoyed. It gives a deeper meaning to life as at times its expressions go beyond and transcend race and class consciousness.
The Arts and Cultural Affairs Directorate continues to redefine itself and its focus in achieving its strategic objectives and the directives from the ANC Conference.
It has become important for Arts and Cultural Affairs to develop a turn around strategy for both the Arts and Culture and the Heritage and Language Services Sectors. In the Arts and Culture Sector we have come up with mechanisms to enhance the two most Units being the Visual Arts and Craft as well as the Performing Arts.
Visual Arts and Craft
Craft Development
The strategy this year is to formalize the Craft Sector such that it can form a stable and sustainable business industry. We have partnered with Productivity South Africa to start a programme called TSA SETSO Craft Development Programme which aims to develop and formalize 250 Craft SMEs. To enhance this process and provide a voice for the craft SMMEs we have set up a Crafters Trust that will manage the affairs of the programme. The final step will be the establishment of a Craft Emporium which will be run by a professional business entity which will have the crafters as 51% shareholders. This programme took off last year with a Cultural Exchange Programme that saw us taking five (5) crafters to India for further training. These five are now part of our Master Crafter Unit that will provide training to participating crafters of the TSA SETSO Programme. Some of this unit's achievements in the past year include the 43 crafters assisted during the 2007 MACUFE Craft Market where they exhibited their cultural wares and crafts. 20 Crafters were also identified and assisted in taking part in the “One of a Kind” exhibition at the DECOREX in Johannesburg.
Fashion Week
The hosting of the 1st Free State Fashion Week will be a regular feature that will serve as a resource base for fashion designers. This event will be driven with the same skill and poise of established fashion events.
Performing Arts
The unit achieved some milestones in the past year with the development of the performing arts sector, which included the following:
· Support to the Free State Choral Music Association (FRECMA) towards preparing three (3) choirs which represented the Free State at the National Choir Competitions in Durban. One of the three choirs, Belcanto came third in one of the categories.
· Support to the Free State Youth Arts Council towards a research mission at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.
· Sponsoring the VUKA Arts Festival which, a developmental festival which is organized by PACOFS.
· Partnering with PACOFS, Dihlabeng Local Municipality, Free State Youth Arts Council and the Free State Youth Commission towards hosting BASHA Arts Festival which is also a developmental festival.
Arts and Culture's Turnaround Strategy further states that infrastructure and partnerships with Municipalities and other state entities are critical to achieving success. This is seen in the approach that has been taken where these state entities have partnered and will be partnering with the department in projects. Here we speak of the following:
1. Partnering with Municipalities in all the districts to replicate the Mangaung Strings Programme in all the districts. 2. Signing a MoU with PACOFS, the Free State Youth Commission and the Dihlabeng Local Municipality for hosting BASHA in Bethlehem for the next three (3) years.
3. Signing a MoU with PACOFS and Ngwathe Local Municipality for hosting the VUKA Music Festival in Parys for the next three (3) years. Linked to this will be the development, recording, releasing and marketing of music by Free State music groups using the PACOFS recording studio.
4. Working with the private sector towards honoring our legends in the performing arts sector. Speaker, I have to mention here that tonight we will be honoring one of our greatest music legends, Ntate Selebano. We will be handing over a set of musical instruments to him and his group made up of youngsters that he is developing.
5. Mmabana Cultural Centre has partnered with the National Youth Commission and the Flemish Project to run a three (3) year developmental programme in the Free State. Eighty (80) young people will be trained in Fashion Design, Performing Arts, Visual Art and Printing.
6. We have also partnered with the Department of Correctional Services to renovate the three Community Arts and Culture Centres, which in turn will provide training for the inmates in the prisons. We are also fast tracking the appointment of Instructors to improve service delivery in these centres.
Honorable speaker, the greatest news to come out from the Arts and Cultural Affairs Programme is the return of MACUFE and the Provincial Arts and Culture Council (PACC) Act being passed.
MACUFE
The department has set up a Task Team that will spearhead the repackaging and re- launching of the festival. I am sure that we are all aware of the damage done to the image of the festival and the amount of work ahead of the team. We have committed ourselves to give the province a festival we can all be proud of, a festival that will serve, promote and benefit our people better. One of our plans is to have the festival programme in place by end of May complete with all commitments in place.
PACC The PACC started operating as a legal entity on the 1st of April 2008. A new committee was appointed and very soon announcements will follow on calls for applications and the processes and procedures to be applied.
International Trips
International Trips have become one of the vehicles used by the Department to expose local artists to international markets. The Department has recently taken crafters, fashion designers and visual artists to the Accenta Trade Fair in Belgium, the Czech Republic and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
This year will see our Cultural Facilitators accompanying Heads of Community Arts and Culture Centres to Belgium as part of our partnership and twinning programme with the Antwerp Province.
Intergrated and Joint Venture Projects
The department has hosted a number of programmes that featured both the Sport and Recreation and Arts and Culture Directorates, being :
· OR Tambo Games 2007 which featured a performance in honour of the late OR Tambo.
· SA Sport Awards and the SA Boxing Awards which featured performances by cultural groups and musicians coordinated by the Arts and Culture Directorate.
These events will continue this year with even closer collaboration by the two (2) directorates.
Mass Participation
The Department will, alongside the Wednesday Sport Programme, introduce Wednesday Arts and Culture programme. We have to accept that not all our learners will participate in sport and therefore we have to provide them with other avenues of positively expressing themselves. Heritage and Museums
In this financial year the department in association with the Lejweleputswa District Municipality and the Masilonyana Municipality will start working on the establishment and development of the Winnie Mandela Museum in Brandfort. The museum will include the original house where Comrade Winnie Mandela was held under house arrest.
Two other museums that will be developed in Bloemfontein are the Music and Theatre museum as well as the Sports Museum which will be established as part of the 2010 legacy projects.
Speaker, may I announce that in an effort to foster patriotism among the younger generation, and in the spirit of nation building and social cohesion, during the course of this year about 300 young people from all Free State municipal districts will be taken on a tour that will expose them to the heritage landscape and history of our province, heritage site at national level as well as those found in Lesotho seeing that our histories are linked. The 1st of these tours will take place in June during school holidays. To ensure that they benefit maximally from this exposure we will provide lectures, notes and knowledgeable tour guiding.
We will this financial year, strengthen our efforts in development of heritage and museums through inter alia: increase staff volume of the Sesotho Literature Museum, conducting tours to heritage sites and museums, Provide more strength to Secretariat Services for efficient service delivery by Free State Heritage Resources Authority (FSHRA), Provincial Geographical Names Committee (PGNC) and the Provincial Language Committee. We have just celebrated Freedom Day and we look forward to celebrate International Museums Day, Heritage day and Heritage Month.
Profensi ya Free State ke Letlotlo la bohlokwa le nehilweng baholoholo ba rona. Ke Letlotlo leo re lokelang ho le baballa le ho le fetisetsa melokong e tlang. E kgabile ka lesabasaba le apesitsweng ke difate, jwang le dipalesa tsa bohlokwa.
Dipina, dipapadi tsa botjhaba, mekgabiso ke tse ding tsa dintho tse etsang karolo ya bojalefa ba rona. Re kgothaletsa setjhaba ho loha, ho bopa, ho betla kapa ho etsa mekgabiso ka ho fapana, ele ho supa setso esita le ho hodisa moruo metseng le profensing ka bophara. The landscape of our province is made up of majestic peaks of mountains, beautiful hills, valleys and build environment that reflect our identity and provide a rich heritage not only for us in the province but a treasure that is shared with the world over. The significance of Vredefort Dome has justified it to be identified and declared a World Heritage site. There are many other similar areas in the province that need to be identified and declared heritage sites. We need to actively engage ordinary people in this process of identification of potential heritage sites, as they are in many cases custodians of knowledge on heritage matters.
The Provincial Geographical Names Committee as recommended by the National Department of Arts and Culture and the South African Geographical Names Council, will embark on public hearings on geographical names between June – November 2008.
The aim of this project is to develop a common vision, mobilize the community, raise awareness on the naming processes, improving the capacity of the Provincial Geographical Names Committee and to encourage all relevant stakeholders to engage in the process, strengthening the scientific, social, economic and political case and the basis for standardization of geographical features. The Provincial Geographical Names Committee will work with municipalities to collect geographical names that need to be considered for standardization in the following categories:
· Names that are incorrectly spelt
· Multiple names and duplicated names
· Names not officially recognized
· Offensive names
· Corrupted names, and
· Any other names that might need to be reviewed for whatever reason.
Language Services
Speaker, the promotion of a multi-lingual dispensation in the country and the province continues to be the focal point of our programmes. Within the democratic movement we have resolved that indigenous languages must be promoted at all levels of society. In the Free State we have made headway in this regard.
Ntle le ho sebetsa jwaloka motlwang wa setso, o mong wa mesebetsi ya puo ke ho tsamaisa dipuisano, mme ka ha Molaotheo wa Naha o tshireletsa ditokelo tsa Puo, boikarabelo ba Lefapha ke ho ntshetsa pele dipuo tsa batho ba batsho tse neng di kgethollwa. Sena re se etsa ka ho rala Leano la Puo le tlang ho tsepamisa dipuo tsa semmuso ka hara profensi le ho beha dipuo tsa batho ba batsho tse ka hara profensi boemong bo lekanang le dipuo tse kang Senyesemane le Afrikaans.
The draft language policy has been finalized and handed in to EXCO for final approval. The policy promotes multi-lingualism with a special attention to promoting Sesotho and other indigenous languages found in the province.
The department in association with the University of the Free State has entered into an agreement with the Flemish (Belgian) government to fund the MIDP IV programme which will see twelve (12) interpreters trained by the University on full scholarships. The Department will play a significant role in selecting and training these interpreters.
In addition to, the Department will work with and assist community based organizations, writers and publishers to publish books and articles in Sesotho and other indigenous languages.
Programme 3: Library and Archive Services Directorate:
Speaker, honourable members, comrades, libraries and archives are reservoirs of knowledge and fountains of heritage. Libraries are synonymous with life-long learning and self-development. One of the principal aims of Library Services is to supply public libraries in the Free State with library materials. As the impact of libraries also extends to the economic sphere, a conscious effort was made this year to ensure a policy shift to be in line with the Government's BEE policy.
As a contribution towards business development in the form of establishing SMMEs in the Free State, the Department engaged itself in bringing together local business people and major South African book suppliers. The eventual outcome of the negotiations between role- players is the registration of three local businesses on the Library Services' book supplier database, two in partnership with already established South African book suppliers.
During 2007/08 the department received a Conditional Grant from the National Department of Arts and Culture to upgrade community library services in the Province. The grant is part of a national allocation of R1 billion to all provinces and will continue for a period of 3 years. For the first year an amount of R16, 470 million was received. The strategic goal of the Conditional Grant is to enable the South African society to gain access to knowledge and information that will improve their social, economic and political situation. The immediate objectives of the grant are to improve the staff situation at libraries, provide libraries with an ICT infrastructure, upgrade library collections (books and other materials) and upgrade library buildings.
The projects undertaken in this programme aim to improve the quality of service delivery at libraries, thus supporting and promoting people development.
In the past financial year 40 libraries were provided with an ICT infrastructure, giving communities access to the Internet and other electronic information resources, thus making access to government website easy. Further, 60 libraries in the Province now have on-line access. The project brought modern technology to remote communities such as Thaba Phatswa in Mantsopa Local Municipality. Computer training programmes for library staff and communities were also implemented. Approximately 30 000 new books were provided to 20 libraries with conditional grant funding. African literature, materials in African languages and literacy materials could be added to existing collections. This will inevitably include books about acts of history of the struggle for liberation in the country. A book about the history of Thabo Mofutsanyana, Fezile Dabi, Caleb Motshabi, Kaizer Sebothelo, Winnie Mandela and Barnard Molokoane will be produced. The Department has appointed 46 library workers at various libraries throughout the Province, contributing to improved service delivery.
Speaker, the upgrade of the Philippolis Library, started during 2007/08 and hopefully it will be completed this financial year. Apart from the conditional grant projects, two new library buildings were completed, also contributing to the goal of accessible and equitable library and information services to all communities. The new libraries are in Refenkgotso (Fezile Dabi District) and Selosesha (Motheo District).
A new library was opened at Grootvlei Prison on request of the inmates who took the lead in establishing contact with the Department and negotiating an agreement. This is the second library to be opened at the prison. At Fauna Primary school a school/community library was established and also at Roseview Primary a box library has been established.
Speaker, at the request of the Mayor of Ngwathe Local Municipality, we will be building a new library at Edenville. It is appropriate that I must at this stage point out that the building of new libraries in the province will henceforth follow the Extended Public Works Programme approach. An amount of R2 million will be used in the first phase to build a new library - Ratanang in the Xhariep District. R10.3million of conditional grant will be used to provide ICT to 40 libraries and to maintain existing ones. Additional staff will be appointed for 30 libraries and 50 000 books will be purchased. R3.5 million will be used to upgrade various library buildings and improve security. We will spent R1.1 million on photocopiers for 31 libraries and the Departmental staff capacity will be increased to the value of R2.9 million.
We will start the process of renaming libraries this financial year because it is important that these institutions of knowledge have the necessary and relevant identity in line with the cultural heritage and history of our country.
Archive Services
The function of the Archives Services Sub-Programme is to ensure that public documents are collected and kept safe for use by researchers and the general public. Public documents are important primary source of information and must therefore be managed properly to ensure accessibility for potential users.
In the context of the South African history, it is also important that the Archives Sub- Directorate has special programmes to collect materials which will address imbalances and gaps in the archival collection. During 2007-08 the children of Bram Fischer donated his personal documents to the Archives. These materials were documented properly and will form an invaluable reference resource for anyone doing research on the struggle history.
The oral history programme with traditional leaders was continued and a number of interviews were conducted with leaders in the Qwaqwa area.
In the coming year, the Sub-Directorate will embark upon a project to publish materials obtained through oral history interviews. If these materials can be published it will be more accessible for the general public.
Programme 4: Sport and Recreation
Speaker, the role that can be played and should be played by sport and recreation in nation building and promoting social cohesion is phenomenal. Our extensive consultation with recognized structures of recreation convinced us of the urgent need for the development, adoption and immediate implementation of a turn-around strategy befitting the Free State, the Province with a Passion for the Game. Such a strategy needs to take the following critical sector growth factors into account:
One, implementation implications of the Sport and Recreation Amendment Act. Two, ensuring a proper balance between mass participation on the one hand, and enhancement of progressive competitiveness on the other hand. Three, a visible return to alignment with the eight (8) Priorities outlined in the White Paper on Sport and Recreation as the framework for the implementation of future development intervention programmes. Four, a deliberate South African High Performance priority codes orientation in future development intervention programmes with primary emphasis on the thirteen (13) codes that constitute the participation scope in the Biennial South African Games programme. Five, a conscious bias towards strengthening the Inter Governmental Relations through joint-venture intervention programmes with other spheres and agencies of government.
Speaker, our sector consultations cited several sector growth and development inhibiting factors for the Free State Sport and Recreation: These can best be summarized as 8 sector growth gaps within the Free State, that give rise to 8 sector negative growth trends that need to be turned into positive growth trends providing the following 8 opportunities:
1. Promotion of sector scarce skills.
2. Long-term retention strategy for Free State talent.
3. Sustainable programmes for sector marginalized groupings.
4. Adequate client services grants.
5. Establishment of 2010 Unit to implement sector legacies.
6. Establishment of effective sector governance structures.
7. Providing stipends to volunteers. And,
8. Development of sport facilities.
Speaker, the following are some of our achievements:
· The Free State Province hosted the 2007 SA Games, a national sport event held every second year, and that contributes to economic growth through sport tourism. A total number of 5 538 participants occupied all available accommodation in Bloemfontein and surrounding areas for an unprecedented continuous period of 6 nights. A total amount of R11, 8 million was generated by the hospitality sector for accommodation alone. · The O.R. Tambo Games were held in Matjhabeng, Lejweleputswa District on 26-28 October 2007.
Speaker, the 2007 O.R. Tambo Games tournament was of a particular significance since it coincided with the 90th birthday anniversary of comrade O.R. This annually recurring event is held to commemorate the legacy that this stalwart of our liberation struggle, and the African National Congress bequeathed to the youth and the future of South Africa.
· The Sports Legends awards were held on the 3rd November 2007 with the aim of recognizing the well deserving talent of administrators and athletes over the past decade, and the role that they played in the development of sport in the Free State.
· The SABC Sport Awards were hosted on the 7th December 2007. It is a singular honour for me to pronounce in this august house that the department has secured the rights to host this prestigious annual function until 2009.
· The BSA 2007 Baby Champs Tournament featuring 21 Bouts televised live from the Thabong Community Centre was a huge success that catapulted the Baby Champs into one of the top SA sport event brands today, and thanks to the Free State Province's Passion for the Game.
· SABC Boxing Awards were hosted by Free State Province on the 15th February 2008.
· The first ever International Boxing Title fight was hosted as a joint-venture with Robs Promotions on the 08th March 2008.
Highlights projected for the 2008/09 budget year:
Speaker, along similar lines that assured our successes for the previous budget year, the work plan of the Department will be seeking to implement the following turn-around strategy aligned intervention programmes:
1. Promotion of sector scarce skills:
The Department will be offering bursaries and learnership programmes for the following: Sport scientists, Biokineticists, Sport trainers, scientific priority code coaching, Translation, and Sign language. The 7 Bursaries will be availed annually, and will be informed by the needs as identified by the Department.
2. Long-term retention strategy for Free State talent:
The Department will ensure a myriad of talent nurturing environments through the following programmes and projects: Talent development centres, High performance development centres, District sport schools, Promotional officers, Semi and Professional sport franchises support programmes, and Sport science support programmes.
Of particular importance in this regard is the envisaged Lejweleputswa District Sport School for talented learners in 8 Priority Codes of Sport, as well as the talent incubation programme that seeks to create a conducive environment for talented athletes in priority individual sport codes designed to optimally develop such talent.
3. Sustainable programmes for sector marginalized groupings:
These will be designed to boost sector mainstreaming opportunities by progressively building capacity for: Sport for people with disabilities, Sport for women, Sport for youth, Sport for girl child, Sport for the elderly, Sport for rural and farms , as well as Civil servants games.
4. Adequate client services grants:
This will ensure and enable identified priority codes to practice and develop their sport with due consideration to mass participation and enhancement of progressive competitiveness within the sector, and the grants will, among others be used for: Major events, Sport development, Transformation and dispute resolution, Anti doping advocacy, Sport nutrition , National and International support.
5. 2010 Related sector legacies and preparations:
These will among others promote the following: Upgrading and establishing competition and practice/training camp venues, Fan parks, Supporters clubs, Community Mobilization, Spectator education, Fair Play…Fair Life, as well as Twinning and exchange programmes. Of particular importance there will be the mass based football development project (Soccer in the Zone), that will be implemented in conjunction with former Professional Football Players in the following 10 towns/areas in the Province: Botshabelo – Thaba Nchu, Thaba Phatsoa, Qwaqwa, Soutpan, Verkeerdevlei, Senekal, Cornelia, Parys, Rouxville, Orangeville.
6. Establishment of effective sector governance structures:
These will be undertaken with a view to create an enabling environment for viable and effective: Sport Councils, Club development, Federations support, Sport support structures and Linkages with municipality initiatives.
7. Provision of stipends for volunteers: These will be achieved through the implementation of the following MPP Conditional Grants: Legacy projects, Sport in school, Sport ambassadors, and Siyadlala MPP Hubs. To this end, a total number of 288 volunteers throughout the province, and with emphasis on unemployed youth will receive these stipends at rates that are prescribed by the MPP DORA grants.
8. Development of sport facilities:
Focus will be on the following types of sector infrastructure: Multi-purpose sport facilities, District sport schools, District high performance satellites, Talent development centres, and 2010 Legacy Projects.
Free State Talent Incubation Programme
Speaker, the Free State Province has over the years become prone to losing its talented sport persons to other provinces on account of the capacity to offer them better talent nurturing opportunities. In response to this negative growth trend, the Department commenced the programme with the contractual appointment of two boxers, Messrs J. Olifant and E. Tumane, at the Free State Sport Science Institute as Sport Promotion Officers. The rationale being to create a conducive environment to enable them to fully realize their boxing talent within the Free State environment, and discharge duties aligned to transfer of skills to participants within the various mass participation sites in the Province.
The following were skill potential determining factors:
1. Mr. J Oliphant was a 2006 Baby Champ Champion in his division.
2. Mr. Tumane was ideally rated in his division to fight for the SA Title as FS Champion, and had the potential of becoming a national champion in that division. And,
3. The conditions of their then employment did not provide them with adequate training opportunities to realize their full potential.
Other meritorious cases that will be included in the programme are the following boxing prospects:
· ML Moselesele who is a 2007 SA Baby Champs champion.
· TSD Ntsele who is the current Free State Flyweight champion. And,
· TB Mkhwanazi who is the current Free State Junior Welterweight champion. Speaker, the department is, in consultation with other priority codes' democratically elected structures, in the process of making an audit of Free State youth with exceptional talent with a view to accommodate them in this programme.
Raising the Profile of Indigenous Games:
Speaker, pursuant to the ideal of progressively promoting the Indigenous Sporting Activities to ultimate international and sector membership status, and in the same breath paying tribute to the fact that the Free State Province not only hosted the launch of the project in February 2002, but played a leading catalytic role in the articulation and shaping of the project as a contribution to the African Renaissance campaign, it is a singular honour for me to announce that the Free State province will be sending four participants in Diketo, a team manager and a provincial coordinator to the 4th Busan World Traditional Games to be hosted in Korea during the latter half of this financial year.
They will constitute Free State representation in IG Team South Africa's campaign.
Mass Participation Programme (MPP) Conditional Grants
Speaker, this mass based programme is in its 5th year of implementation and will be pursuing the following objectives:
• To build capacity within the sector
• To promote access to sector resources.
• To communicate and market programmes effectively.
• To promote stakeholder participation and mobilization.
This will be given effect to through the following deliverables:
Community MPP Hubs in 33 communities of the Free State, and
Sport-in-School MPP Clusters benefiting 130 disadvantaged Free State Public Schools.
Legacy projects (incorporating Club Development) MPP The overall objective for the implementation of the project will remain to provide Free State youth, learners, people with disabilities, and the elderly in disadvantaged communities and public schools with opportunities for regularized participation in prioritized physically active sport and recreation activities on a sustained basis.
The following constitute 8 of the priority codes that will inform mass participation activities aligned to the implementation of Conditional Grants: Athletics, Boxing, Cricket, Hockey, Football, Netball, Indigenous Games, as well as Rugby.
Support for PSL franchises
Speaker, the Free State has two important sector assets in the form of among others, Bloemfontein Celtics FC and Free State Stars FC. These 2 teams will receive financial assistance to realize higher competitiveness levels from the Department through the following intervention programmes: Upgrading of technical teams' scientific coaching acumen, participation in accredited injury rehabilitation programmes and ferrying clubs' registered supporters to accredited ABSA campaigns involving both clubs. This deliberate investment package is informed by the following rationale over and above its 2010 football legacy status:
1. Both franchises are sector corporate citizens that contribute to significant talent based job creation for the youth of the Free State.
2. Both are branded ambassadors of the province that market the province on a sustained basis through their televised matches.
3. Their combined home matches ensure a steady influx of football related tourism into the Province. And,
4. Their combined home matches in the various ABSA League campaigns further create sustainable opportunities for informal food vendors as platforms for sector contributions for entrepreneurship and vehicle for job creation and poverty alleviation.
As an indication of the Department's clear commitment towards walking the talk, we will have in the first month of this new budget year already achieved the following:
1. Availed 2 buses for Bloemfontein Celtics FC supporters for their Team's match
against Thanda Royal Zulu FC at a crucial stage of the 2007/08 season, and,
2. 10 buses will be availed to Free State Stars supporters for their Team's prestigious semi-final against Mpumalanga Black Aces FC in the Ke Yona Nedbank Cup over the coming weekend en route to the finals. The 2008/09 Football Vodacom League, and Mvela League campaigners will also access financial assistance packages. Wednesday School Sport Programme:
Speaker, as an ongoing pursuit of weaning our youth from anti-social behaviour through active involvement of learners in sport and recreation activities, we will as part of the Sport in School MPP sites, revive the culture of yesteryear around the vibrancy of Wednesday's Inter-school competitions that used to encompass our communities through:
Strategically approaching MPP participating schools as Sport Clubs, and a feeder vehicle for community clubs, viable leagues in the 8 MPP priority codes activities and sector capacity building programmes aligned to the 8 MPP priority codes for enhanced future competitiveness.
Disability Inclusion Programme
We intend to embark on the following programme of action for the Disabled People:
1. Unification of all disability groupings under one umbrella through the Unity Games
2. Organized disability sector programmes in sport and recreation
3. Mainstreaming – linkage between various codes and federation programme along the lines that have been adopted by Swimming South Africa.
Good governance within the sector
We will continue with a programme of action designed to achieve the following:
Revitalising macro governance structures of civil society (Sport Councils) at the levels of Local, District, and Province to create an enabling sector growth environment in the province, and develop sector recognition policies in consultation with democratically elected structures.
The Department will also revitalise the Free State Academy of Sport by ensuring the following: Establishment of a sector accountable Board as per the SASCOC blue – print on Provincial Academies of Sport, and ensuring that funding allocated to the Academy benefits intended beneficiaries through vibrant sector role-player support programmes.
International Visits Speaker, the Department will be undertaking 2 sector capacity building visits to China and Cuba during the course of the budget year. The rationale for these visits being: Exposure to the progressive organization of sector mega events such as the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Paralympics as part of preparations of ensuring successful hosting of both the 2009 Confederations Cup, as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup Leg of matches in the Province, and an establishment of the Lejweleputswa District Sport School along similar lines to the proven successes of the Cuban Sport School system.
To give momentum to the realization of this goal, the Department has earlier today already achieved the following: Distributed football attire to 10 Free State Schools as availed for this purpose by Dr Irvin Khoza, and distributed attire and equipment for 30 young golfers with world class potential, courtesy of other sponsors.
Speaker, I want to utilize this particular moment to personally thank cited benefactors on behalf of the Free State Province in my capacity as the legal custodian of the sector.
Infrustructure Development
Speaker, we will be undertaking the following sector infrastructure projects during the current budget year as 2010 related projects: Sports Museum, Fezile Dabi Stadium at the FSSSI, District High Performance satellites of the FSSSI for Fezile Dabi and Thabo Mofutsanyana District, and at Tumahole and Qwaqwa, respectively, Talent Development Centers in corresponding areas of both Fezile Dabi and Thabo Mofutsanyana District.
The Department will also be transferring the Province's contribution of R6.4m for the completion venue for the Free State in respect of competition venue for both the 2009 Confederation Cup, as well as the FIFA World Cup matches in the province.
I also wish to announce that the Department, in conjunction with the Department of Education, Lejweleputswa District and Matjhabeng Local Municipalities, as well as Harmony Gold Mine Group will be commencing with the process of upgrading the successful Harmony Sport Academy into the Lejweleputswa District Sport School. The rationale being: Creation of talent nurturing environment for talented Free State learners in 8 priority codes of sports and strengthening the overall talent relation strategy outlined in our turn-around strategy. Raising the profile of Boxing in the Free State
Speaker, the Department has embarked on a programme of action designed to elevate the profile of boxing in the Province, and thereby claim its rightful place as the Boxing Mecca of South Africa.
Along the lines and standards that are compliant with the Free State turn-around strategy, the Department in collaboration with Free State based promoters will stage boxing events in the following towns during the course of the current budget year: Ficksburg, Sasolburg, Welkom and Senekal. I particularly wish to convey our appreciation for the role that is being played by the following people in raising the profile of Boxing in the Province: Mr Fezile Mabuya and Mr Blackie Seoe.
Challenges Facing the Programme:
Speaker, I will be failing in my executive duty as the legal custodian of sport and recreation in the Free State province if I do not bring the following to your attention:
One, the lack of adequate resources allocation for sport and recreation as compared to other provinces with a high profile for sport and recreation. This creates an unfortunate over reliance on Conditional Grants to execute the our mandate with regards to sport and recreation.
Two, ensuring that the Free State Academy of Sport implements strategic intervention programmes that are over the long-term beneficial for the Free State sport sector.
We will during the course of the financial year be submitting a case for adequate resource allocation for this programme with a view to strengthen the talent retention potential of the Free State, and to restructure and give strategic direction to the Free State Academy of Sport through a potent Board of Directors as warranted by the SACOC Blue Print for Provincial Academies of Sport.
Phakisa Major Sport Events and Development Corporation: Speaker, Phakisa Major Sport Events and Development Corporation has been revitalized through appointment of a new Board and a Chief Executive Officer.
A turn-around strategy has been developed that seeks to achieve the following in order to become self sustainable by: Diversifying its focus to accommodate priority codes that have potential for enhanced sport tourism and, exploring private sector joint-ventures to contribute towards economic growth in the various municipalities in the Free State.
The challenge remains the seed funding that the Corporation requires to entice corporate sponsorship for implementation of targeted projects in the priority codes, including: Boxing, Rugby, Powerboat, Cricket, Swimming, Cycling, Motor Sport, Athletics and Football. Phakisa is also tasked with coordination of Fan parks in 2010 Fifa World Cup for non –hosting municipalities.
Conclusion
Speaker, a lot has been said recently about Government's Business Unusual approach, and I want to contribute also in this regard. To us this approach means the following: One, that the business content of the services delivery is kept intact, and two, that which needs to be done differently is the approach to service delivery that must, among others, signal service delivery improvement plans that are geared towards optimal sector impact.
It is my informed view that, on the basis of this analogy on the Business Unusual approach, We are well on course of delivering service that will have a lasting impact on sport, arts and culture in the Free State.
Last but not least, may I take this opportunity to express our gratitude to this house, particularly the portfolio committee, for its oversight role on our function. Premier, Me. Beatrice Marshoff, Members of the Executive Council and MPLs, we sincerely appreciate your support and guidance.
May I also extend our appreciation to all our stakeholders within the sport, arts and culture fraternity for their continued support and participation in our activities - The involvement of the corporate sector in supporting our activities materially and in kind is noted and appreciated - To management and personnel in the department, particularly those in the trenches, including general assistants and cleaners. Please continue doing the good job and never waver from your commitment to serving our communities.
Finally, I would like to end by paying tribute to one of the greatest sons of this province who passed on through transition a short while ago, Comrade Morris Carpede, for his selfless sacrifice and undying love for freedom. We have great respect for his contribution to the struggle for freedom. The footprints of Bram Fischer are still visible today as we celebrate hundred years of his birth, we want to thank his relentless efforts in the struggle against apartheid and vision for a free and democratic society. We would also want to honour the spirit of one of the best resourceful soldier and a prolific thinker, Chris Hani, whose eventful life was tragically ended when we least expected.
‘Comrade Chris’ words cannot describe enough the anguish and anger that inhabited our hearts - but we take solace from the fact that you left us a life-long legacy - a daring spirit, yet an amicable countenance. We thank you, and all martyrs whose spirit will eternally inspire freedom and democracy.
I thank you.