Question NW444 to the MINISTER OF SPORT, ARTS AND CULTURE

Reply:

Arts, Culture, and Arts Centres

(1). DSAC has developed the User Asset Management Plan, (UAMP) to facilitate the building, and refurbishment, and/or rehabilitation of Arts, and Culture infrastructure, and art centres. The UAMP is developed on a three (3) year cycle, which is updated annually. It comprises mainly the inputs and projects from the Arts, Culture, and Art Centres.

(2)(a). The financial Implications of the specified projects in the UAMP are outlined in the attached document. It must be noted that the UAMP is subject to the annual National Treasury Virement Process and Budget cuts and the figures shown in the attached document for the current 2023/24 financial are as per the approved virement process.

(b). The Projected Completion Dates which were submitted by the Implementing Agents, i.e. Public Entities, Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, Development Bank of South Africa, Provinces, and Service Providers, are outlined in the attached document.

Libraries

(1). DSAC in corporation with the Provincial Departments of Sport, Arts and Culture have developed plans to facilitate the building, refurbishment, and/or rehabilitation of libraries.  The plans are developed and approved by the Provincial Departments. The plans outline the project scope, cost, and timeframe. The details of the projects are outlined on the attached document below.

(2). The financial Implications of the specified projects are outlined in the attached document.

Sports Facilities

(1). The provision (Construction, refurbishment, and rehabilitation) including the maintenance of Sport and recreation facilities is the constitutional responsibility of Local Government through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) and the Metropolitan Municipalities through the Urban Settlement Development Grant (USDG). However annually since 2016, DSAC allocates municipalities, which are custodians of sport facilities, funding from ring-fenced MIG for upgrading, refurbishment and construction of sport facilities in line with requests submitted.

It is important to emphasise that maintenance and refurbishment of sport facilities, as per the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, is a mandate of these municipalities, and the funds DSAC recommends for allocation are municipal grants aligned to this mandate. Additional to this allocation, municipalities are required to use 5% of their baseline MIG allocations they receive from COGTA for, inter alia, refurbishment of sport facilities. To ensure this happens, DSAC is in a process to engage with COGTA to enforce use of 5% for sport facilities, especially for refurbishment purpose.

2(a). The List of 52 projects/municipalities that are recommended for the next financial year is attached, with details regarding the district, name of Local Municipality allocated, project name, scope of work and total amount allocated. It should be noted that all the 52 projects are already gazetted and letters from DSAC confirming funding has been sent. Currently DSAC assisting municipalities fast track the registration process through COGTA.

(b). The projects will only begin with implementation June 2024 which is the new financial year of the municipality. Municipalities are encouraged to complete the project the same year of allocation, we expect that the projects be completed July 2025, we do however acknowledge that due to delays either in registration or appointment of professional service providers and contractors or any other challenge the municipalities might experience during implementation some might be finalise September/October 2025.

Thank you