Poverty Alleviation Project; National Research Foundation: briefing

Arts and Culture

07 May 2002
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ARTS, CULTURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE.
7 May 2002
POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROJECT; NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION: BRIEFING
 


Chairperson: Ms M Njobe (ANC)

DOCUMENTS HANDED OUT

Investing in Culture
Agro processing Programme
Cultural Industries (See Appendix 2)
Proposed NRF Board Members (See Appendix 1)

Summary
Department briefed the Committee on poverty relief programmes that would benefit local communities. Members felt that they needed to interact with their various study groups in order to contribute from informed positions.

Minutes
Mr Moagi, director in office of Director-General, gave a general background to the formation of the National Research foundation and mentioned that their present meeting was a result of a letter sent by the minister to the then Chairperson Mr Wally Serote. He said because the Foundation was a statutory body,according to the Act of Parliament the minister must have an input on the list of persons to be nominated, unlike a Constitutional body such as the Language Board where only the members of the portfolio committee can make an input in their nominations. He then presented the names of the potential members of the National Research Foundation to the Committee.

Please refer to Appendix for names of proposed NRF Board Members.

Discussion
The Chairperson said she was not sure if all members had an in-depth knowledge of the Act.

Mr S Opperman (DA) wanted some clarity on the composition and continuity of the Foundation.

Prof I J Mohammed (ANC) said the presenter said something about the ethnic composition of the list and asked if there were any 'coloured' members on the Foundation as they felt that they were being sidelined. When was the list going to be given to the minister?

Ms A Van Wyk (NNP) asked why was there no advertisement in the Afrikaans newspapers about the nomination of Foundation members.

Mr Moagi commented that on the issue of continuity there were six people who had put their names forward for consideration as reflected on the document. The life of the body ends during the month end but the minister could extend the date if deemed necessary. She also mentioned that there was a prominent Afrikaner Scientist on the list by the name of Professor Coetzee.



Mr Moagi stated that the intervention in poverty alleviation programmes was to enable developing communities to utilize resources at their disposal for the development of sustainable small and micro enterprises. He mentioned programmes such as Beekeeping Programme and Hand Paper Processing (now Phumani Hand Paper Making Programme). The Phumani Programme is now sixty percent complete.

Another project was the Enabling Processing Technology Programme which is spearheaded by CSIR and had 41 groups in seven provinces. The acquisition of superior indigenous cattle for genetic material or (Bulls Project) provided indigenous bulls of superior genetic quality to previously disadvantaged communities to improve the quality of their live stock. Seventy percent of the work of this project had been completed.

Please refer to the Agro-processing Programme report.

Poverty Alleviation Programme "investing in culture" April/May 2002
[email protected] for a more detailed listing)
Prof BD Reddy
Dr JL Job
Prof CC Mogale
Prof SS Abdool Karim
Dr T Mdaka
Prof SF Coetzee
Prof T Mdaka
Prof SF Coetzee
Prof PE Ngoepe
Prof CA Hamilton
Mrs B Radebe
Prof J van Zyl
Mr WW Cooper
Mr MM Nxumalo

Appendix 2
CULTURAL INDUSTRIES
Portfolio Committee: CULTURAL INDUSTRIES REPORT: May 2002
The Cultural Industries directorate received an additional grant of R20 million for the 2002/3 financial year.

Establishment of a craft export council
DACST has had discussions with Trade and Investment South Africa (TISA) on the issue of the establishment of a craft export council. TISA has indicated that they will match investment by the craft industry in order to set up a craft export council. TISA have worked out a programme for early 2002 for getting the role players and industry players to participate in the process.

It is envisaged that by mid-year 2002 a craft export council will have been set up. DACST will assist in the facilitation process of the establishment of both the craft and music export councils. This process had been delayed whilst TISA restructured their approach to export councils

SA Design Week
South African Design Week took place between the 10-17 September 2001. It generated significant media coverage and thereby assisted in increasing the profile and role that design plays in the economy.
DACST supported the Design Indaba in Cape Town in March 2002

An intergovernmental committee comprising of the Departments of Education, GCIS,
Water Affairs and Forestry, Minerals and Energy and DACST has been established.
It also includes the SABS Design Institute and the CSIR product Development
Centre. The DTI will be approached to join this committee and discussions are
currently taking place with all roleplayers on the programme for 20002-3

Strategy for financing craft financing and marketing
DACST called a workshop of role-players and stakeholders in the craft sector to input into a national craft development strategy for craft financing and marketing in July 2001. TurnStyle Media, Arts and Culture assisted in the facilitation of the workshop and produced a draft strategy document from the workshop inputs, which has been submitted to the Minister and a cabinet memorandum on the proposed strategy will be submitted to cabinet in the new year.

National Craft Imbizo - WSSD
Dacst will host the craft Imbizo at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in
August and September 2002. The DTI, NAC and the Dept of Water Affairs and
Forestry (Working for Water) will assist in this event.

Support the NationaI Film & Video Foundation
Programmes and budgets have been set aside to support and capacitate the NFVF to undertake programmes in the coming year. The programmes include strengthening film offices that will address the promotion of SA as a film location and provide information and facilitating of services in various aspects of the business.

Other areas that will be looked at are co-production treaties, skills training and development , the feasibility of setting up a national film school and the establishment of the Film Fund to finance feature film production. The NFVF will be represented on the National Lottery distribution agency for Arts, Culture and Heritage.

Skills Development Strategy
A skills development training strategy has been developed in partnership with the Department of Labour for the craft, film, design and music sectors. The strategy will be implemented through the mechanism of the MAPPPSETA. The Department of Labour has committed Ri 18 million for the next three years for strategic skills development in cultural industries. DACST will oversee this expenditure. The first learnerships will be identified in the coming weeks.

Implementation of the MITT recommendations
In 1999 Dr Ben Ngubane, appointed the Music Industry Task Team (MITT) to investigate problems pertaining to the music industry and to advise him on how to address these problems. The MITT was tabled in Cabinet and DACST has contacted the Department of Labour, State Treasury, Department of Home Affairs and the DTI to take up on issues such as Status of musicians with regard to LRA, blank-tape levy, work permits and banderole/piracy. DACST is planning to have a Music Industry Imbizo this year. The aim is to evaluate the progress made so far and to develop new strategies for the implementation of the MITT recommendation. The Imbizo will comprise concerned government departments and key role players in the music industry. The Imbizo will serve as an advisory platform for the development of the South African music industry.

South African Music Week (SAMW)
Apart from DACST support, the event was also sponsored by the National Arts Council, South African Music Rights Organisation, Music Development Trust,

Sonnenberg, Murphy, Leo and Burnett. The project received support from a number of radio stations, television and print media.
SAMW 2002 will be from 24 August - 31 August. DACST will support this initiative for over a three-year period.

Legal Aid for Musicians
The Legal Aid Board had discussions with the Music Union of South Africa (MUSA).
It was agreed that Wits University (Law Clinic) will be used to launch this project in
2002. The Legal Aid Board has approved the budget for the project. A satellite office
will be opened in Newtown cultural precinct very soon.

Implementing copyright amendments with DTI
Amendments to two' bills have been tabled to parliament by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - Copyright Amendment Bill and Performers' Protection Amendment Bill. The first secures broadcast rights for musicians who will have the right to be paid when their music is broadcast or performed live. The second broadens the definition of 'performer' to protect 'unscripted' performances that make use of folklore and oral tradition. The Portfolio committee on Trade and Industry conducted public hearings and broadcasters raised a number of objections. The bill has been sent to the President for ratification. The NAB and the NFVF continue to lobby for further discussions on the proposed amendments

Books and Publishing
The Print Industries Cluster Council (PICC) in association with the Centre for the Book in Cape Town have submitted a business plan for the development of books, print media policy, a national book Imbizo and the establishment of a national writers organisation. It is proposed to draft a national book and print media policy and submit this to Cabinet later in the year,

International Network on Cultural Policy (INCP)
The Minister of DACST will host the meeting of Cultural Ministers of the INCP in October 2002 in Cape Town. DACST has commissioned research into the impact of the proposed instrument on Cultural Diversity for developing countries. Issues relating to culture and trade are central to this discussion and DACST has had meetings with officials at DTI, Nedlac and UNClAD. The HSRC, the Africa Institute and the NFVF are all being consulted and the HSRC is providing the overall facilitation of the research.

Data and statistics
Dacst commissioned the HSRC to begin preparing a GIS map or the creative industries in South Africa, A first map has been prepared with information obtained from the Provinces. Dacst will discuss with the HSRC the best way of making this information available to the public.

DACST will discuss with the DII and Statistics SA a strategy for obtaining statistics on the growth and changes occurring in the Cultural Industries. At present KPMG publish an annual music industry report and the NFVF collate data for the film and TV industry. The Craft sector is not adequately reported on at present.


 

Mr Steven Sack, Chief Director of Cultural Development and Institutional Governance, said the strategy was built on assets that communities already had in partnership with provinces and NGOs. Their approach was to help communities to become self-sufficient by acquiring skills. They also want to convert poverty programmes to learnerships and they would interact with SETA in this regard.

Please refer to Investing in Culture Report

Discussion
Mr Dithebe said as far as the projects were concerned, it is the view of the department that projects were more successful if they involved Provinces.

Ms Tsheole said the money that started the projects did not go to the people and people were not able to feed their families. Who is actually the owner of the projects what happened to the proceeds?

Mr Opperman asked who was responsible for initiating the projects

Mr Sack said the initiation issue depended on capacity. They were trying to involve the local authorities but mostly work with the Provinces as Provinces were also signatories to contracts. In terms of who initiated projects, he said in the first year as they received the money late they initiated projects themselves. In the second year it had been done with their provincial counterparts. They were also working with the department of Environmental Affairs because of the overlap in their work. He also mentioned the fact that they were examining the issue of exploitation of crafters which was an enormous problem. He said that Proudly South Africa has developed a system whereby manufactures register and use the logo of the organisation. They were also training crafters on costing.

Mr Maogi said the department provided a stipend of R400.00 per month for each participant during the training period for transport and to provide for their families. Projects were replicated throughout the province and communities were encouraged to form their own projects, a Trust had also been set up which involved the affected communities. Vulnerable producers were discouraged from selling directly to the public.

Dr Njamela a director from DACTS Science and Technology Directorate said on the initiation of projects, communities were invited to a workshop, for instance in Welkom where unemployment was rife because of the withdrawal of mining industries. He mentioned the fact that provinces funded projects such as the Beekeeping project in the Eastern Cape. Communities were asked which model they prefer in order to run the projects more efficiently. Models such as Close Corporations, Trusts or Associations were mentioned. A mentorship programme of three years was envisaged.

Ms van Wyk asked about the total expenditure of the department for poverty relief projects and if the Lottery Fund was the source. She further commented that old cinemas could be revived in many cities and towns.

Ms N Mbombo (ANC) said on the agricultural issue she was partly covered and asked if DACTS had some accommodation for rural areas who depended on the Chiefs for major decisions in their communities which is not sufficient.

Ms H Mpaka (ANC) said given the fact that there were orders expected from companies what was the department's position on digitalisation of South African products and who was negotiating the prices. Had the department made any analysis of resources?

Mr Sack said they were working on a relatively small budget which they were adequately spending. On the digitalisation of crafts, he said that there was a problem of copyright, they made sure that the producers received benefits as early as possible. In conclusion he mentioned that expenditure was monitored on a monthly basis and reported to the Treasury every three months.

Mr Moagi said indigenous foods were utilised for the families only but now they are engaging Technikon students who are studying food Technology to look at the recipes.

Cultural Industries Report
Deputy Director Temba Wakashe mentioned that the directorate had received an additional grant of R20 million for 2002/3 financial year. They were presently engaged in discussion with Trade and Investment South Africa for the establishment of crafts export Council. They had also supported the Design Indaba held in CapeTown. A national craft development strategy for crafts financing and marketing had been embarked upon. A budget had been set aside for the National Film and Video Foundation. The Department of Labour had also set aside R118 million for the next three years for skills development. Legal Aid for musicians was being considered and the implementation of the Copyright Amendment and the Performer's Protection Bill with Department of Trade and Industry is in the pipeline. A draft policy on a national book and print media would be submitted to Cabinet later this year.

Please refer to Cultural Industries report.

Discussion
Ms Van Wyk commented that book and publishing industries could prosper if there were tax incentives for the industry according to the Florence Convention of which South Africa is a signatory.

Ms Mpaka asked about the benefits of films being shot in communities.

Ms Tsheole enquired what the committee had done in terms of interaction with Universities in relation to the Legal Aid issue.

Dr Sack said the Treasury had a uniform tax procedure, he commented that in Norway a book written by a citizen is tax free.

Mr T Wakashe said the promotion of local content is important. It is really not a South African problem only but an international phenomenon. South African Universities had no strong background in teaching entertainment law. Regarding the benefits for films shot in communities, foreign exchange and massive injection into the local economy were some of the spin-offs.

The meeting was adjourned.

Appendix 1
NRF Board Members
(e-mail
Ms Van Wyk interjected that they need to advertise in Afrikaans.

The Chief Director said they did advertise in the Afrikaans newspapers.

Mr S L Dithebe(ANC) asked about the breakdown of membership of the Foundation into racial categories. Was it for demographic purposes only or was it to show that transformation is taking place? Could the department tell them what criteria they had used in compiling the list. On the issue of language all eleven languages are official but were not given the same treatment and this had to be rectified.

Ms T J Tshivase (ANC) enquired if the department had looked at people with disabilities. She felt that they could be taking the language issue out of proportion and suggested that they should take the list to their study groups to scrutinize.

Ms N M Tsheole (ANC) suggested that they must also revisit the Act.

The Chairperson said the letter that the department was referring to was addressed to the former Chairperson long ago. Members should go back to their study groups and look at the names and give an input on the kind of work the NRFneeded to do.

Mr Maogi said business representation skills was considered a strong factor. There was also a shift from the composition of the previous board where they had brought on board people with IT background. He said the emphasis had shifted a little towards business orientation.

Poverty Relief Programme: Agro Processing Programme

 

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