Question NW3879 to the Minister of Arts and Culture”
12 December 2017 - NW3879
Grootboom, Mr GA to ask the Minister of Arts and Culture”
With reference to the medium term expenditure framework 2015-17 and his department’s spending of R5,8 million, R5,1 million and R3,5 million towards public conversations and dialogues around the country, what (a) were the reasons for such financial expenditure on dialogues and (b) was the total breakdown of cost for each of these colloquia?
Reply:
(a). Community conversations provide a dialogic platform for people from diverse backgrounds to come together in a conversation about how to bridge persistent socio-historical divisions, mainly entrenched along racial, cultural and ethnic identities. The main assumption, which is part of the methodological approach, is the idea that levers for cohesion are located from within the communities themselves instead of from without. In other words, the remedies for cohesion can be superimposed from on high. Rather, they must come from communities themselves through an open, inclusive and honest dialogue. In the last two years, 33 conversations were held across all the 9 provinces. The intent is also to use the substance of the analysis in a way that better test the efficacy or otherwise of existing programmes on social cohesion. Furthermore, the analysis from the conversations is important as it must necessarily inform the development or conceptualisation of new strategic interventions for social cohesion and nation building.
The total budget, which is part of the Department’s contractual obligations with the service provider i.e. the National Institute for Community Development and Management (NICDAM), covering the three year period (2015/2016, 2016/2017 & 2017/2018) is R6 424 479.60.
(b). During the 2016/2017 financial year, the Department rolled out 33 community conversations in all nine ( 09) provinces, total expenditure on conversation only, amounting to R806 285
However, an additional expenditure of R1 071 679 was incurred with regards to, among others, project management costs, research, audit fees, provincial briefings and preparation of reports, as well as editing and production of video material.
|
PROVINCE |
NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS |
AMOUNT SPENT |
|
Mpumalanga |
3 |
72 766 |
|
Eastern Cape |
5 |
143 052 |
|
Free State |
3 |
67 917 |
|
Northern Cape |
4 |
85 296 |
|
Gauteng |
4 |
93 373 |
|
North West |
4 |
86 957 |
|
Limpopo |
2 |
55 774 |
|
Western Cape |
4 |
91 235 |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
4 |
109 915 |
|
TOTALS |
33 |
R806 285 |
The Department thus incurred, an expenditure totalling. R1 877, 964. for financial year 2016/2017