Photograph by Mothlalefi Mahlabe Chapter 5 and The Department of Arts, Culture, Science and • participating in the International Network Technology deals with matters pertaining to on Cultural Policy with 45 countries. arts, culture, science and technology, and ren- ders State archive and heraldic services at Policy and legislation national level. Since its establishment in 1994, the Department’s work has included, among The Council of Culture Ministers makes other things, the important decisions on policy matters of • submission of 17 pieces of legislation national impact, and consists of the Minister • reprioritisation of expenditure and Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science • construction of some 40 community centres and Technology and the Members of • allocation of R55 891 million to new initi- Provincial Executive Councils responsible for atives in arts and culture arts and culture. • funding of 21 museums and art galleries • signing of 28 cultural and arts-related bilat- National symbols eral agreements • promotion of multilingualism National anthem • development of the National Arts Council The national anthem of South Africa is a com- (NAC) to a funding level of R25 million bined version of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika and The • funding of 261 film projects Call of South Africa (Die Stem van Suid- • implementation of poverty alleviation pro- Afrika) and is played at all State occasions. grammes, using cultural industries The Call of South Africa (Die Stem van Suid- • developing a national skills plan for the arts Afrika) was written by CJ Langenhoven in and cultural industries May 1918. The music was composed by the • participating in trade missions in the United Reverend ML de Villiers in 1921. Nkosi Sikelel’ States (US), Europe and Africa, promoting iAfrika was composed in 1897 by Enoch cultural industries Sontonga, a Methodist mission school teacher. The words of the first stanza were origi- South Africa has a vibrant music industry. In April nally written in isiXhosa as a hymn. 2001, the internationally acclaimed Philip Tabane of the Seven additional stanzas in isiXhosa were band Dr Malombo received a South African Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. The group fuses later added by the poet Samuel Mqhayi. It ancient African rhythms with western instruments. became a popular church hymn that was later 85 South Africa Yearbook 2001/02 adopted as an anthem at political meetings. It and a knobkierie. Together, this asserts the has been translated into most of the official defence of peace rather than a posture of languages. war. This shield of peace, that also suggests an African drum, conveys the message of a National flag people imbued with love for culture. Its upper The national flag of the Republic of South part is a shield being imaginatively represent- Africa was taken into use on 27 April 1994. ed by the protea. The design and colours are a synopsis of prin- Contained within the shield are some of the cipal elements of the country’s flag history. earliest representations of humanity in the The central design of the flag, beginning at world. Those depicted were the very first the flag-pole in a ‘V’ form and flowing into a inhabitants of the land, namely the Khoisan single horizontal band to the outer edge of people. These figures are derived from images the fly, can be interpreted as the convergence on the Linton Stone, a world-famous example of diverse elements within South African soci- of South African rock art. The motto of the ety, taking the road ahead in unity. The flag Coat of Arms, written in the Khoisan language was designed by the State Herald. of the /Xam people, means diverse people When the flag is displayed vertically against unite or people who are different join together. a wall, the red band should be to the left of the viewer with the hoist or the cord seam at the National orders top; when it is displayed horizontally, the hoist In November 2000, the Presidency invited jew- should be to the left of the viewer and the red ellery designers to submit designs for the band at the top. When the flag is displayed country’s top medals and awards. The nation- next to or behind the speaker at a meeting, it al orders which will be redesigned include the must be placed to the speaker’s right. When it Woltemade Award for bravery, the Order of is placed elsewhere in the meeting place, it the Southern Cross for exceptional achieve- should be to the right of the audience. ment, the Order of the Star of South Africa for contributions to peace and security, the Order National Coat of Arms for Meritorious Service, and the Order of South Africa’s new Coat of Arms was Good Hope bestowed on visiting dignitaries. launched on 27 April 2000. A central image of the Coat of Arms is the Arts and culture organisations legendary secretarybird with its uplifted wings. Above the bird is the rising sun, a force National Heritage Council that gives life while representing the flight of The National Heritage Council Act, 1999 (Act darkness and the triumph of discovery, 11 of 1999), established a framework and knowledge, the understanding of things that institution that coordinates the heritage sec- have been hidden, illuminating also the new tor, including archives, museums, heritage life that is coming into being. Below the bird resources, geographical names and libraries. is the protea, an indigenous flower of South In addition to funding projects in these Africa which represents beauty, the aesthetic areas, the Council also serves as a policy advi- harmony of all the cultures, and South Africa sory body to the Minister, a lobby for and rais- flowering as a nation. The ears of wheat are er of additional funding, a strategy-determin- emblems of the fertility of the land while the ing and planning body, and a promoter of tusks of the African elephant, reproduced in international liaison. pairs to represent men and women, symbol- ise wisdom, steadfastness and strength. At South African Heritage Resources the centre stands a shield, which signifies the Agency (SAHRA) protection of South Africans from one gener- The National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 ation to the other. Above it repose a spear (Act 25 of 1999), has established the SAHRA, 86 The National Anthem South Africa Yearbook 2001/02 which replaced the National Monuments atory with regard to race, colour, creed, Council. This body manages the heritage gender, political affiliation or other social resources of the country in co-operation with factors similar new agencies in the provinces, by – names that are clumsily compounded implementing legislation that is in line with – names consisting of personal names international trends in the heritage resources without a generic element field. – names that may be regarded as an advertisement for a particular product, The South African Geographical service or firm Names Council (SAGNC) – names of living persons. The SAGNC is an advisory body appointed by The Council has commenced the review of the Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and names that have not previously been submit- Technology in terms of the South African ted for approval. Names that appear to have Geographical Names Council Act, 1998 (Act racist connotations have been referred to rel- 118 of 1998). The Council advises the evant authorities and communities for com- Minister on the transformation and standard- ment and suggested substitutes. isation of official geographical names in The draft fourth edition of the Toponymic South Africa. Guidelines for South Africa, compiled by the The objectives of the SAGNC are to United Nations Group of Experts on Geo- • facilitate the establishment of provincial graphical Names, was submitted to the geographical names committees Council in May 2000. These guidelines cover • ensure the standardisation, transformation the orthographies of the languages of South and implementation of geographical names Africa and their application to geographical • promote the use of standardised South Afri- names. The Council has made amendments can geographical names at international level to the draft, and it has been submitted to the • promote awareness of the economic and national language bodies that have been social benefits of the standardisation of established by the PanSouth African geographical names. Language Board (PANSALB), with the request The Council has jurisdiction over all names of that the orthographic rules should be brought geographical features and entities falling into line with the most recent standardised within the territories over which the South orthographies. African Government has sovereignty or juris- As the national body, the SAGNC has been diction acquired by treaty. assigned, amongst its duties, the responsibil- The following principles are adhered to: ity to facilitate the establishment of Provincial • each individual feature entity should have Geographical Names Committees (PGNCs). only one official name According to the Act, the Council must set • the following types of geographical names guidelines for the operation of PGNCs and should generally be avoided: municipalities in their respective areas of juris- – approved names of places elsewhere in diction. South Africa – names of places in other countries, and National Arts Council (NAC) names of countries The main task of the NAC is to advise the – names of which the spelling or pronun- Minister on arts policies for the country, in ciation is so close to that of an existing addition to distributing funds to artists and name that confusion might result arts organisations and for bursaries. – names that are blasphemous, indecent, Before 1994, until the establishment of the offensive, vulgar, unaesthetic or embar- NAC, 67,7% of arts financial resources went rassing to the four Performing Arts Councils (PACs) in – names that are discriminatory or derog- the four provinces. The first-cut back on the 88 expenses of these councils resulted in a saving Town, the Playhouse Company in Durban and of R10 million, which was then handed over the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State.