REMARKS BY MINISTER OF SPORT, ARTS AND CULTURE, HON. NATHI MTHETHWA, AT THE INAUGURAL VIRTUAL #FORTHERECORD MEDIA ENGAGEMENT, 06 AUGUST 2021 We thought it is important to start our inaugural #ForTheRecord conversation with you by focusing on this issue repeatedly raised about the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s unresponsiveness to the dire needs of the creative sector. It is also underpinned by the fact that we do not want to create an information gap between us as we now move from relief support to recovery of the sector. Based on facts that are publicly available and verifiable, we are today stating it unequivocally that statements and allegations suggesting the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has been unresponsiveness and uncaring are not backed up by fact. Yes, we are unable to support each and every role player in the sector in need of assistance. But that is because of limited resources, not because of refusal to support. If anything, monies spent thus far are just under R 700 million, that is over half a billion rand. This translates into just under 65 000 beneficiaries. By all accounts, this cannot be counted as a small feat. And this is not just about figures but lived experiences of many South Africans. I am referring to persons and institutions such as: - Just to sample some of the institutions we can mention: - • Baxter Theatre Centre • SAADA - South African Artist • ASSITEJ South Africa Development Association • Bat Centre Trust • Khayelitsha Art School & Rehabilitation • Cape Town City Ballet Centre - KASI RC • Afrika Burns Creative Projects • SA Creative Industries Incubator • Tshwane Gospel Choir • AFRO Arts SA • Writers Guild of South Africa • Music Academy of Gauteng • Zip Zap Circus School • Johannesburg Youth Orchestra • Alex Arts Academy • Johannesburg Opera NPC • Capital Arts Revolution Co-op Ltd • Free State Dance Theatre NPC • District Six Museum Foundation • South African Arts and Culture Youth • Robben Island Museum Forum (SAACYF) • Mandela Bay Theatre Complex Npc • Bassline Jazz Club (Pty) Ltd • Mamokgadi Pottery Primary • South African Disabled Musicians Cooperative Association (SADMA) • National Arts Festival • SA Fashion Week CC • The South African National Dance Trust And some of the persons who are beneficiaries includes: Beatrice Phukubje (from Limpopo) Lorenzo Vaughan (from Northern Cape) PJ Powers Lusanda Mcinga Sello Maake KaNcube Musa Manzini Sipho Mabuse Alec Khaoli Don Laka Pinkie Ziyanda Tuswa Andrew Mohlola (from Limpopo) (from Northern Cape) Freddy Gwala Moses Ngwenya Bokani Dyer Eugene Mthethwa Lungelo Faith Mtetwa (from Elvis Nkovane (from Mpumalanga) Kwazulu Natal) Vusi Mahlasela Billy Monama Shekhinah Thandi Donel Vicky Sampson Riley Joseph Giandhari (from Vusi Mahlasela Kwazulu Natal) Ndifeleni Manenzhe (from Khanyisile Khanyo Maphumulo Limpopo) Khwezi Nongane (from Kwazulu Marcus Wyatt Natal) Nirvana Nokwe-Mseleku Sonti Evelyn Just to pick from the 3rd phase of funding as an experience - out of a total of 7 440 individual applications received for relief funding, 6 518 were recommended by adjudicators. That translates to 88% of the total number of applicants. On our department’s website at www.dac.gov.za / www.srsa.gov.za we will release a complete list of persons and organisations that are beneficiaries of support provided during this stressful Covid-19 period. Also worthy to mention is that the department implemented an elaborate communication and outreach plan to mobilise role players so that they can apply for the relief funding. Also, those who applied were provided with support to limit the number of unsuccessful applications. This is best explained by the high number of successful applications. Important to emphasise is that in the immediate we are focused on providing relief funding. In the medium to long term, we are focused on the economic recovery and reconstruction of the sector. That is what the Cultural and Creative Industry Master Plan and the implementation of the White Paper are about. Another is Mzansi Golden Economy which is more than just an open call. It actually includes amongst others funding the Arts Bank to commission for visual arts and arts products, research to inform decisions we make that are informed by outputs of South African Cultural Observatory as well as support for flagship programmes in provinces. The Debut Programme is another recovery intervention. It sets out to transfer enterprise development skills to a carefully selected cohort of artists from all nine provinces. This programme develops artists to become resourceful, opportunistic, agile, and sustainable “art- repreneurs” who can make a profitable livelihood from their artistic talent. Page 2 of 3 The Debut Programme is rolled out over three phases (i.e. kickstarter, hlanganisa and catalyst). It is now in the second phase, which is the hlanganisa stage. At this point participants are introduced to an agile way of testing a service/product, and development of a new business venture. This phase also includes mentorship sessions with provincial mentors/facilitators as participants work towards the inaugural Debut Programme Online Art Fair Week - an opportunity to showcase and take their products to market. These are subjects we will explain in greater detail at future #ForTheRecord sessions. We also believe that collaborations based on listening to one another and pulling together is what will eventually rescue us out of the current dire situation. That is why I constituted, on the advice of the sector, the Ministerial Advisory Team (MAT) which comprise of leading and known persons from the industry. These are Sharif Baker, Thobela Dlamini, Gaby Le Roux, Joy Mbewana and China Mpololo. They have been instrumental and invaluable to the department during the relief funding allocation process. MAT will also join us in future #ForTheRecord sessions to provide a more detailed breakdown of progresss they made based on the workstreams they are focused on as indicated earlier by Dr Khumalo. I am looking forward to an open, frank and interactive dialogue with you. Whilst we will be answering questions and comments you pose, we will also be taking note of lessons that could assist us to improve moving forward. I thank you! ENDS/ Enquiries: Masechaba Khumalo: Spokesperson (Minister) / Cell: 082 858 4415 Mickey Modisane, Head of Communications DSAC/ Cell: 082 992 0101 Issued by the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture Page 3 of 3 .