29 Part 2 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE | ANNUAL REPORT | Budget Vote 14 | 2014-2015 Performance Information Arts & Culture 30 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE | ANNUAL REPORT | Budget Vote 14 | 2014-2015 2.1 REPORT OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL ON Development, protection, preservation and promotion of arts, culture PREDETERMINED OBJECTIVES and heritage The Social Cohesion Programme The audit conclusion on the performance against predetermined objectives is included in the report to management, with findings being reported under the It remains our task to reconstruct our fractured and divided past to a more socially Predetermined Objectives heading in the Report on other legal and regulatory and economically inclusive society that is proud of all its cultural expressions. This requirements section of the Auditor-General’s report. entails, among other things, mobilising people to act together to enable the birth Refer to page 96 of the Report of the Auditor-General, published as Part Five: of a new culture and create new forms of engagement towards greater unity. Financial Information Following the successful Social Cohesion Summit held in 2012, at which a 12-point declaration was endorsed and adopted, the Department developed and continues 2.2 OVERVIEW OF DEPARTMENTAL PERFORMANCE to implement a social cohesion programme that includes initiatives such as community conversations, social cohesion summits and social cohesion advocates. The Department of Arts and Culture is forging ahead with the agenda of In the period under review 30 community conversations were held in different parts “transforming society and uniting the country” as directed by the National of the country. The conversations are part of the ongoing national dialogues that Development Plan. Our task is to build an inclusive society and instil a consciousness seek to further understand the possibilities and challenges of nation building. that South Africans have more in common than that which divided them. We are Community conversations are attended by multicultural delegates ranging from driven by the realisation that societies with greater social cohesion tend to be more the youth to the elderly. The new generation is presented with an opportunity to economically prosperous. rub shoulders with veterans, discussing major social issues and problems affecting Our programme of action is quite diverse and seeks to address all the disciplines society and the country at large. of the arts, recognise all the strands of our heritage and culture, and produce the enabling conditions that allow South Africans to effect changes in their own lives. We encourage dialogues and debates, the sharing of knowledge, and the celebration of our literature, visual arts, performing arts and culture. We seek to promote pride in our heritage, including geographic and place names, our African identity and our common humanity as global citizens. We continue to implement integrated programmes that seek not to only address social issues, but also those focused on sustainable integration of communities into economic activity. Some of the major successes achieved by the Department in a number of our programmes in 2014/15 are set out in the overview below. Delegates engaged during the community conversations The feedback and recommendations from these community conversations were presented to the Social Cohesion Report-back Summit that was held in March 2015. 31 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE | ANNUAL REPORT | Budget Vote 14 | 2014-2015 The Repatriation Programme Troekurovo cemetery hall to pay tribute to the contribution made to the liberation struggle by the two icons and on 27 February, a special dinner was held in Moscow Countries around the world preserve their heritage by means of permanent to celebrate their lives. The final phase of the repatriation ceremony on Russian soil collections and the restoration and care of objects having political, religious, took place on 28 February 2015 at a military mortuary. A Russian military guard of cultural, scientific, archaeological or environmental significance. South Africa has honour accompanied the mortal remains to the airport with ceremonial trumpet established a repatriation programme, which seeks to restore parts of our history and song . that were displaced by the apartheid regime and/or colonisation. The Repatriation Programme also includes the repatriation of human remains, through which the On arrival in South Africa a welcoming ceremony was held at the Waterkloof Air country seeks to demonstrate the value and honour it attaches to the contribution Force Base, Pretoria. The ceremony was addressed by President Jacob Zuma made by heroes and heroines to the transformation of this country, leading to and attended by family members, and representatives of national and provincial freedom and democracy. government and various organisations. Moses Kotane and JB Marks were buried on 14 and 22 March 2015 at Pella and Ventersdorp, respectively. President Zuma During the year under review, Nat Nakasa’s remains declared their reburials as special official funerals. were successfully repatriated and brought back from New York on 19 August 2014. Accompanying this National Symbols Programme historic event were a number of educational programmes aimed at educating the youth about the The national identity of people comes from their sense of belonging to a country role of journalists during the liberation struggle in and being proud of its history, cultures, languages, landscapes and traditions. In South Africa. The Nat Nakasa Debate Competition, for our Constitution the people of South Africa agreed to create national symbols to example, took place at the Durban Natural Science promote core values like reconciliation and nation building. These national symbols Museum from 6-7 September 2014. This was a embody all that is proudly South African. collaborative initiative of the Department of Arts and The Department’s Flags in Every School Programme (FESP) seeks to instil pride Culture and the Department of Basic Education in in our national flag at an early stage of child development. Through FESP the which grade 10 and 11 students from the nine provinces participated. A Nat Nakasa Department has managed to distribute and hoist flags in 21 709 of the 25 826 Exhibition was also showcased at the Oral History Museum in Durban. schools in South Africa. Further, Minister Nathi Mthethwa led a South African delegation to Russia on 23 February 2015 for the repatriation of the remains of Moses Kotane and John Beaver (JB) Marks. Prior to the repatriation ceremony a number of activities were led by the Minister in Moscow to honour the lives of Kotane and Marks. These included a keynote address during the Memorial Lecture dedicated to the two stalwarts at Mgimo University on 25 February 2015, which was followed by the wreath-laying ceremony. On 26 February, a memorial service was held at 32 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE | ANNUAL REPORT | Budget Vote 14 | 2014-2015 The educational component of our national symbols programme narrates the During the Back-to-School Campaign the Deputy Minister, together with the history, meaning, significance and protocols/etiquettes of national symbols. To SA Express CEO, Mr Inati Ntshanga, also hoisted a national flag at Mehlareng this end, the Department developed and distributed a number of audio-visual Combined Farm School in Bapsfontein, Ekurhuleni on 20 February 2015. The school materials, including national identity/symbols booklets and national anthem audio- is among the needy schools supported by SA Express. visual materials. Moreover, the Department has forged partnerships with other The consistent message relayed by the Deputy Minister in all the ceremonies is government and non-governmental institutions in an effort to expand the reach that learners should take pride in singing the national anthem and learn about the and access of the national symbols programme. national symbols. The Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture leads the national symbols programme and has presided over a number of hoisting ceremonies of national flags across National Days Programme the country. Annually, South Africans observe seven national days that commemorate significant events in our country’s rich history. National days are an everlasting reminder for us, now and for future generations, of the key events that took place in our country. They are designed to evoke national pride; to commemorate the pain of the past and celebrate the victorious future of our country. 21 March: Human Rights Day The Department and the Department of Justice and Correctional Services hosted the annual Human Rights Day commemorations with the theme: “Celebrating the Freedom Charter, Enjoying Equal Human Rights for All”. The event was held on 21 March 2015 in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, and was aimed at reminding South African citizens about the sacrifices made in our struggle for democracy and freedom. It was also used to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Uitenhage Massacre that took place in Uitenhage on 21 March 1985. 27 April: Freedom Day This was the day in 1994 when the first democratic elections were held in South Africa. Freedom Day therefore celebrates freedom and commemorates the first post-apartheid elections. Deputy Minister and students hoisting the national flag in schools The 2014 Freedom Day coincided with the 20 years of democracy celebrations and was held at the south lawns of the Union Buildings. The keynote address was given by President Zuma. 33 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE | ANNUAL REPORT | Budget Vote 14 | 2014-2015 June 16: Youth Day In the year under review, the Department held a series of programmes to celebrate the life of the former president and 20 years of freedom and democracy. The In June 1976 students in Soweto rioted in protest against the introduction of Minister accompanied the President to the birthplace of Mr Nelson Mandela to Afrikaans as the language of instruction of half their school curriculum, sparking take part in the 67 minutes campaign. On the day, President Zuma unveiled a statue eight months of violent uprisings across the country.