Question NW2520 to the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture
13 December 2021 - NW2520
Mhlongo, Mr TW to ask the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture
a) What (i) are the reasons that the Liliesleaf Trust is the only heritage site that will be saved from closing down and (ii) (aa) other heritage sites are closing down, (bb) is their total number, (cc) are their names, (dd) is their location, (b) how did his department save the other heritage sites and (c) what plans does his department have to save all heritage sites from closing down?
Reply:
(a)(i). My Department has not received a request from the Liliesleaf management and Board of Trustees for assistance to prevent closure of the museum. The department will consider such a request when it is received.
(ii) (aa) The Department has not received notification of heritage sites closing down. It should be noted that Heritage sites in the country are managed at different spheres of Government while other heritage sites are managed as private heritage sites either through Trusts or foundations.
(bb). The Department is therefore not in a position to know the number of heritage sites that are closing down.
(cc) The Department is therefore not in a position to know the names of heritage sites that are closing down.
(dd) The Department is therefore not in a position to know the locations of heritage sites that are closing down.
b). The request for operational funding for the next three years by the Steve Biko Museum is being considered by the Department. The three requests received for operational funding through the Presidential Employment Stimulus Package has been funded.
c) The Department has been affected by budget cuts due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Some of the funds had to be redirected towards the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP), which is designed to support a spectrum of opportunities, focusing on job creation through public employment; on job retention in vulnerable sectors; on direct support to livelihood strategies; as well as on fast-tracking high-impact employment enablers. The PESP programme has already been implemented but the department will consider how best to assist heritage sites facing closure when such a request is received.