Hansard: Appropriation Bill: Debate on Vote No 20 – Sport and Recreation / Debate on Vote No 14 – Arts and Culture
House: National Council of Provinces
Date of Meeting: 05 Jun 2013
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, June 6, 2013 Take: 279
START OF DAY
THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
_______________________
The Council met at 2pm.
The Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
NOTICES OF MOTION
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Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 279
START OF DAY
NOTICES OF MOTION
Mr D A WORTH: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House, I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the Council-
(1) notes that the University of Free State's Vice Chancellor and Rector, Prof Jonathan Jansen, will receive yet another major international accolade when he receives the Education Africa Lifetime Achievement Award for Africa;
(2) further notes that Prof Jansen will receive the award at a gala dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City in the United States;
(3) also notes that the glamorous event is cohosted by Education
Africa and Brand South Africa;
(4) acknowledges that the award is for his work to promote the education of poor or disadvantaged South Africans;
(5) further acknowledges that previous winners of the award include Sir Bob Geldof, Sir Richard Branson and Archbishop Desmond Tutu; and
(6) commends Prof Jansen for dedicating the award to the greater body of teachers of our country who, under difficult conditions, make our schools work for the children of the poor, and for being the real heroes of education.
Mr M J R DE VILLIERS
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 279
Mr D A WORTH
Afrikaans:
Mnr M J R DE VILLIERS: Voorsitter, ek sal by die volgende sitting van die Raad, namens die DA voorstel:
Dat die Raad-
(1) met groot teleurstelling en skok kennis neem van die onmenslike, drakoniese, afgryslike en onhigiëniese optrede van die ANC-jeugliga en alliansievennote tydens onwettige aksies in die Wes-Kaap;
(2) ook kennis neem dat die ANC-leierskap en die regering hierdie onmenslike optrede kondoneer deur hul stilswye ten opsigte van die wettelose en vernielsugtige optrede wat blykbaar vir politieke gewin is;
(3) voorts kennis neem die ANC-regering ook sê dat hulle die strooi van menslike ontlasting in openbare plekke en staatsgeboue verwelkom, veral as dit in provinsies en plaaslike regeringsgebiede plaasvind waar die ANC nie in beheer is nie;
(4) erken die ANC-alliansie is so behep daarmee om alles te regeer dat hulle vergeet dat die land oorheers word deur hul swakhede en foute, dat daar derduisende emmertoilette in die ander provinsies is en dat daar in die ander provinsies selfs skole is wat sonder toilette funksioneer;
(5) verder erken dat dié onaanvaarbare optrede ook in die ANC-beheerde provinsies kan kop uitsteek en dus nou in die kiem gesmoor moet word; en
(6) daarvan kennis neem dat sulke optrede nooit die ANC die geleentheid sal bied om die Wes-Kaap te verower nie.
Mr W F FABER
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NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 279
Mr M J R DE VILLIERS
Mr W F FABER: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House, I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the Council-
(1)congratulates our under-20 Junior Springboks on their first 2013 Junior Rugby World Cup match against the USA last night in France where the Baby Boks destroyed the USA team by
97-0;
(2)also congratulates Dawie Theron, the coach, for preparing this team so well for this Junior Rugby World Cup; and
(3)wishes them well for the remainder of this Junior Rugby World Cup series and hopes that they end on the same high note, and bring the World Cup back to South Africa, where it belongs.
Mr D JOSEPH
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NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 279
Mr W F FABER
Mr D JOSEPH: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House, I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the Council-
(1)notes that 1% of the global trade in diamonds is still being sold as conflict diamonds in support of armed conflicts or also called, blood diamonds;
(2)further notes that yesterday the Minister of Mineral Resources announced that conflict diamonds undermine legitimate governments on the African continent, and commended the UN for renewing the exemption from sanctions of the Ivory Coast for the purpose of securing rough diamonds for scientific research by the Kimberly Process; and
(3)also notes that profits should not be made at the expense of local citizens, when diamonds are produced in the diamond producing countries.
Mr M J R DE VILLIERS
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 279
Mr D JOSEPH
Afrikaans:
Mnr M J R DE VILLIERS: Voorsitter, ek sal by die volgende sitting, van die Raad, namens die DA voorstel:
Dat die Raad-
(1)kennis neem dat die Suid-Afrikaanse rugbyspan op 9 Junie 2013 Italië aandurf;
(2)verder kennis neem dat 'n hele klomp jong en nuwe spelers in die Suid-Afrikaanse rugbyspan opgeneem is, wat 'n uitdaging tot sukses verleen;
(3)glo dat hul met vlieënde vlaandels sal slaag;
(4)die volle span en die bestuur sukses toewens; en
(5)'n beroep doen op hulle om die Suid-Afrikaanse vlag hoog te laat wapper tydens dié geleentheid.
Mr T M H MOFOKENG
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 280
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP
CONSIDERATION OF PREVENTION AND COMBATING OF TORTURE OF PERSONS BILL AND OF REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON SECURITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mr T M H MOFOKENG: Hon Chairperson, the Prevention and Combating of Torture of Persons Bill aims to give effect to the Republic's obligations, in terms of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, to provide for the offence of torture of persons and other offences associated with the torture of persons, to prevent and combat the torture of persons within or across the borders of the Republic, and to provide for matters connected therewith.
The committee adopted the Bill without any amendments. Thank you.
Debate concluded.
Bill agreed to in accordance with section 75 of the Constitution.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 281
Mr T M H MOFOKENG
MINISTERS AND DEPUTY MINISTERS PRESENT IN THE COUNCIL
(Welcome)
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: I wish to welcome both Minister Mashatile and Minister Mbalula, and the Deputy Minister of Land Affairs. I see Deputy Minister Paahla there too. All MECs present are all welcome in this House. Thank you very much.
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 281
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP
APPROPRIATION BILLS
Debate on Vote No 20 – Sport and Recreation
Debate on Vote No 14 – Arts and Culture
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: Chairperson, Members of and delegates to the National Council of Provinces, the 2013 Comrades Marathon runners, led by Claude Moshiywa, are in the gallery to grace this important gathering for the 2013 Comrades Marathon winner. [Applause.] Also in the gallery are the table tennis players from University Sports SA, who will be travelling to Russia in July to participate in the World University Championships. [Applause.] All our representatives of the sports movements in our country are also in the gallery.
I would like to dedicate this speech to one of our own, Benni McCarthy, who is retiring from football this year. We wish him well in his future endeavours. Your work in sport has inspired many young people in South Africa, especially those from communities that have challenges of drug and substance abuse, as well as gangsterism. Well done! [Applause.]
On 27 April 2014, South Africa will mark 20 years of our nascent democracy and invaluable freedom. On this historic watershed day in the national calendar of our country, we will be celebrating our 20th birthday as a constitutional democracy in which institutions protecting democracy are respected by the citizenry. This includes the rule of law. During this year and in 2014, our country and the people will be engaged in activities that are aimed at searching for the purpose and meaning of democracy and freedom.
As government and members of the society, we are called upon to engage the youth of our country to talk about the benefits and the significance of democracy and, the meaning of freedom with its concomitant responsibility. These young people will be engaged to give an account of how democracy and freedom have changed their lives. This campaign that will keep South Africa talking will be targeting the 20-year-olds who were born in 1994. They will give account to the notion of what it is to be born in a democracy and a free society. This campaign is anchored on the giant pillars of social cohesion and nation-building. Given the significance of our two decades in the history of our struggle, we will create platforms for such reflections by utilising our National Youth Games and National Youth Camps, among others, for reflection and to escalate the debates.
It is for this reason, among others, that the sport and recreation movement, together with the Department of Arts and Culture, will be hosting a tribute to Nelson Mandela on 17 August 2013. It will coincide with the 95th birthday of Nelson Rolihlahla Madiba. On this day, all South Africans will be united in their diversity to celebrate the Mandela Magic, taking stock of the road we traversed in sport and recreation and in arts and culture as well, in our struggle and quest for reconciliation and national unity.
In partnership with our sister Department of Arts and Culture, on 17 August 2013, we will be celebrating the enormous contribution of this human colossus by hosting the One Nation, One Venue, One Ticket Music Festival and Sport Spectacular. This will be in collaboration with the SA Rugby Union, Saru, together with the SA Football Association, Safa. Long live Nelson Mandela!
The hon members and the House will recall that in November 2011, the Sport and Recreation SA, the SRSA, and the sports movement, in general, adopted the first ever National Sport and Recreation Plan in the history of our country. At the heart of the National Sport and Recreation Plan is our Vision 2030. We have indeed committed ourselves to have the playing fields levelled by sport and recreation by 2030, at least. The majority of our sports people should have equal access to sport and recreation facilities; our national and regional teams should be representative; our school sport programme should be optimally resourced and implemented; and the administration and management of sport and recreation should be enhanced to the extent that it achieves our goal of optimal performance and functional excellence.
We are pleased to report to this august House that the National Sport and Recreation Plan has been costed. We will present it to the Treasury and thereafter to Cabinet as a matter of urgency. Cabinet will have to budget an amount of approximately R10 billion towards the fulfilment of the objectives of the National Sport and Recreation Plan.
In the coming months, we will submit a Cabinet memorandum to canvass support for the budgeting and funding of the National Sport and Recreation Plan. We will do this promotion, in the main, the funding of the broader School Sport Programme while Cabinet is considering the cost of the National Sport and Recreation Plan. In the same vein, we intend to engage the Ministry of Trade and Industry with the intention to amend the National Lotteries Act with a view to opening a window of opportunity for the sport and recreation sector to independently access lottery funding and resources for sport and recreation service delivery.
Coupled with the above, is our longstanding intention to meet with the Ministry of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs to consolidate all matters related to the municipal infrastructure grant. We intend to host a joint Minmec meeting in order to discuss all the pertinent issues regarding this matter, including the national roll-out of outdoor gyms across the country.
We further intend to consolidate all the funding opportunities for the municipal infrastructure grant into a single coffer in the Department of Sport and Recreation, in order for the department to deliver on sport and recreation infrastructure. We will meet with our counterparts in the Department of Arts and Culture to receive advice about their funding for building libraries. We intend to leverage on their experience to present a case for building sport and recreation infrastructure.
We are indeed pleased to report to the House that since the approval of government's Programme of Action at the beginning of the term of the fourth democratic government and progressive Parliament, the SRSA has successfully implemented most of its strategic goals. There is still more work to be done and we should not be complacent.
During the tenure of this government and beyond, the SRSA has delivered and continues to deliver on two major areas, as mandated by Outcome 12, namely those of increasing opportunities for participation in sport and recreation, and facilitating intergovernmental co-operation in mega international events hosted in our country.
In the last instance, the people of South Africa and our government deserve a pat on the back and a round of applause for successfully hosting the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, Afcon, Championships here at home. We are looking forward to hosting the AfricaN Nations Championship, sometimes referred to as African Championship of Nations, Chan, in 2014. In order for us to succeed, we have to rely on the support and involvement of the South African people. The discussions about the host cities for Chan 2014 must now begin in earnest, and we expect the municipalities and provinces to actively participate in this process and guide us.
We have noted the tentative indication given by our President in Japan concerning our readiness to host the 2024 Olympic Games. We are indeed excited at the prospect of bringing the Olympics to Africa for the first time. We will engage all in the sports movement about this possibility, and call upon the MECs to have similar engagements within their provinces and municipalities, as well.
In the past, we have stated our intention to revive boxing and return it to its former glory. To give effect to this pronouncement, I have appointed the Deputy Minister to head a steering committee that will convene a boxing indaba at the end of July 2013. It is expected of Parliament and the provinces to play an active and pivotal role in the consultation processes towards the National Boxing Indaba. Local and provincial izindaba will assist in ensuring that the broadest possible consensus is reached on a number of critical issues prior to the national indaba. For us, at the heart of the indaba must be the interest of the athlete and the sustainability of Boxing South Africa. The Deputy Minister, Mr Gert Oosthuizen, is not here today with us due to our international commitments.
Sport and Recreation SA tabled its strategic plan for the fiscal years 2012-16 in the National Assembly in March 2012. We also presented the strategic plan in March 2013, as well as our annual performance plan for the 2013-14 financial year on 7 and 8 May 2013 in both Houses of Parliament.
These documents give the nation a clear picture of the planned programmes and activities of the SRSA for the next five years, and budget allocations and estimates for such years. The annual performance plan provides the activities and targets that are aimed at realising the stated objectives of our plans in the current year. Our plans are fully aligned to the National Sport and Recreation Plan and the National Development Plan.
The budget allocation for SRSA for the 2013-14 financial year amounts to R1,07 billion. Of this amount, 73%, or R815 million, will be transferred to provinces, municipalities and sports federations. The bulk of it will go to provincial conditional grants and the School Sport Programme, and only R258 million will be utilised by the national department for all its activities, including salaries. This confirms our submission that this year's allocation for the department remains very minimal in real terms.
We would like to take this opportunity to register our concerns about the utilisation of the conditional grant by provinces, which is funded through the Division of Revenue Act from the fiscus. The management of the mass participation and sport development conditional grant requires particular attention. Compliance from the provinces has generally been poor and the funding model applied has now been refined to address key areas of delivery aligned to our objectives. The monitoring of the grant needs to be improved and the general management of the grant tightened. An internal task team has been established to address these issues. We have agreed at Minmec to tighten, scale up, expedite and deliver according to our promises, especially at provincial level.
In order to fulfil the obligations of the National Sports Plan and the annual performance plan for 2013-14, SRSA, together with the Department of Basic Education, is continuing to implement the School Sports Programme in 2013. This programme rolls out the school sports leagues across the country. It will again culminate in the National School Sports Championships in December 2013.
As we adopted Vision 2030 in November 2011, we stand before you this afternoon to present our 2013-14 Budget Policy Statement. We present this Budget Policy Statement to this House today imbued with the spirit of exuberance and excitement due to the remarkable progress we have made since the adoption of the National Sport and Recreation Plan in 2011. This exuberance and excitement we display today is propelled by the strides we have made during the years 2011-12 and 2012-13, which influence our programme of action for the 2013-14 financial year.
It is against this background that our country will see SRSA setting the agenda for sport and recreation in South Africa. It is generally acknowledged that we can do better with limited resources at our disposal. To this end, SRSA is engaging all sports bodies, including the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, Sascoc, to review the delivery of sport programmes that are aimed at achieving excellence at development and high-performance levels.
As we announced last year in this House, our appointment of the Eminent Persons Group on Transformation one of the key components of the National Sport and Recreation Plan is the Transformation Charter and its Scorecard. The baseline of transformation in South African sport needs to be determined and the EPG's work has started in earnest with the co-operation of Sascoc and all national federations and sport bodies. Because of the importance of transformation for the future of South African sport, it is imperative that SRSA delivers on this focus area. Internal capacity will be provided for the work of the EPG to assist national federations to implement the charter and to accurately complete the scorecard. The national federations will be subjected to a transformation review to monitor progress in this regard.
Starting from this year, we will announce a transformation barometer on all federations' progress or lack of it on the transformation scorecard. We will publicly name, blame and shame all those noncompliant federations and sport bodies. This will include dealing viciously and decisively with corruption and maladministration in sport and recreation. We will withhold funding, and moral and political support from all federations and individuals who have exaggerated egos and a false sense of importance. We are saying to federations and sports administrators; Get off your high horses. We want change. We want transformation now. South Africa deserves better.
We will give incentives to all compliant federations and sport bodies. We are providing secretarial support to the EPG to fast-track its work to produce quarterly, consolidated National Federation Transformation Progress Reports based on their interactions with Sascoc. The national federations can play a co-ordinating role regarding transformation within other SRSA programmes.
These efforts will be supported by the work of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Recreation, which is leading our transformation agenda in the recreation sector of our society. This will include, amongst others, the resuscitation and development of rural sport. This programme will support a rural sport improvement programme in partnership with and with the guidance of the National House of Traditional Leaders. The programme will involve ministerial outreach to rural areas to distribute sports equipment and roll out outdoor gyms and other sport and recreation materials and facilities to many rural communities across the country. This will begin with one outdoor gym per province in 2013-14. Over the medium term, the department will develop a single governance framework for recreation to strengthen the delivery of recreation programmes. It is envisaged that these programmes will not be institutionalised, but will be community initiatives driven by educational and public promotional campaigns.
Our Ministerial School Sport Bursary scheme donates an amount of R100 000 towards the education of each identified learner who excels in sport and who is also academically deserving. It is a lifeline to many poor families who cannot afford to enrol their children in quality schools in our country. [Applause.]
The progress we have made in the four-and-a-half years bears testimony to the all-round work we have collectively undertaken with the MECs and our officials. Our flagship School Sports Programme, together with our National School Sports Championships 2012, gives us the motivation and assurance that we are on the right track. We are showing this through the force of commitment to change the face of sport in South Africa.
It is this courage and bravery that keeps some of us going. It is such commitment to the good of our people that gives purpose to our lives. It is through the commitment to work and the spirit of robustness that we are beginning to see change in the face of sport in South Africa today. We have been slowly changing the face of sport in schools since we came into sport and recreation. Schools will not be the same again in the history of the Republic of South Africa. Today in South Africa, schools are becoming centres of learning and play. Schools today in our country are becoming institutions of education, innovation and recreation. What we need to do going forward is to make physical education a stand-alone learning area in all public schools of the Republic.
In conclusion, as we complete this journey that began in 1912 by the great generation who travelled on horseback from Limpopo and other parts of Africa to grace the occasion of the birth of the ANC, the oldest liberation movement on the continent, we must soldier on as this current generation for the next 100 years to fulfil the wishes of our great-great generation – our parents – of Chief Commander Oliver Tambo and Albert Luthuli when it concluded that:
The fight for total freedom and independence must go on until it is won; until our country is free, happy and peaceful as part of the community of man. We cannot rest.
Lastly, I would like to convey my sincere gratitude to the Deputy Minister, the director-general and all the officials of the Department of Sport and Recreation. My special gratitude goes to all MECs and all committees of sport in our legislatures for their dedication and commitment to the work of sport in this country. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the ANC for affording us this opportunity to prove ourselves and to prove to others what we are made of and what the ANC made us to be. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 281
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION
SPORTS TEAMS AND 2013 COMRADES MARATHON WINNER
(Welcome)
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Thank you, Minister. Just before I continue, may I now officially acknowledge the Comrades Marathon runners and the table tennis players in the gallery. You are welcomed in the National Council of Provinces. [Applause.] I can see that there are people standing; our gallery is small. There are a few chairs on this side. You may come and sit on this side if you have no space up there, please.
Where is Claude? Is Claude here? Can you stand up? Let us see you. Thank you very much. Congratulations. On behalf of the Council, I wish to congratulate you. You have done us proud. Luckily, I was sitting in front of my television and watching you when you actually reached the finishing line.
Thank you very much. You have done us proud! [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF ARTS AND CULTURE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 282
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP
The MINISTER OF ARTS AND CULTURE: Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Minister Fikile Mbalula, Deputy Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, Deputy Minister, Letshesa Tshenoli, the hon chairperson of the select committee, delegates to the NCOP, MECs here present, government officials, ladies and gentlemen, we present our Budget Vote to this Council during Youth Month. The youths are an important stakeholder in our sector. For this reason, we have identified a number of initiatives to support them which include bursaries and internships that we continue to provide. They also include our programmes of youth mass participation in arts,
bringing back arts education in schools. In the coming months, we will issue a public call for proposals targeting the young people to participate in our public art programme nationwide.
Yesterday, in collaboration with the Department of Sport and Recreation, we donated music equipments to the young people of Nyanga and Mitchells Plain here in the Western Cape. [Applause.] These programmes will be expanded to cover all provinces and to reach more young people. This will ensure that we remove the young people from the streets where they are being lured to drugs.
Next year, our country will be celebrating 20 years of freedom and democracy. In preparation for this milestone, this week, we launched a mass mobilisation campaign, underpinned by build-up activities towards our 20 years of liberation. We will work with the provincial and local governments in filtering the messages and activities of the campaign to all corners of our country.
Our message is that the South Africa of today is far better than it was before 1994; as South Africans we have a shared future, as stated in the National Development Plan Vision 2030, that we must all work towards. Our build-up programme will include the recognition of unsung heroes and the documenting of untold stories of our liberation struggle. Plans are underway to distribute the preamble of our Constitution to all schools. This will be followed by the distribution of the entire copy of the Constitution to all schools. By 2014, we will ensure that all public schools will be flying the national flag of the Republic of South Africa. [Applause.]
As part of implementing our Plan of Action on Social Cohesion, we have appointed social cohesion advocates to drive our social cohesion programmes. Together with our social cohesion advocates we will walk the length and breadth of our country to roll out these programmes.
Of importance are our ongoing community conversations offering an opportunity to South Africans to dialogue among themselves on the kind of society we seek to build. We are delighted to report that in the Eastern Cape, a total of eight community conversations were held. In the Free Sate, seven community conversations were held with representatives from all the five districts of the province. In Limpopo, two conversations were held, 19 in Gauteng, 26 in KwaZulu-Natal, eight in Mpumalanga, seven in the Western Cape and North West respectively and five in the Northern Cape. More attention will be paid to provinces such as the Northern Cape, North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
In line with this commitment, we will this Friday have discussions with representatives of the Khoi and San communities in the Northern Cape, among other things, to integrate their heritage as part of our country's broader cultural heritage.
We have declared the year 2012 as the year of heritage. We are pleased to report that most of the heritage projects identified for implementation are either complete or at an advanced stage of implementation. Among these, is the opening of the //Hapo Museum in
Freedom Park in Gauteng, last month. In the Eastern Cape, we have completed the iconic Steve Biko Centre in Ginsberg, and the first phase of the project to refurbish the homestead of former ANC President, O.R Tambo, in Mbizana.
Work is also under way to build a monument commemorating the Pondo Revolt. Progress is being made towards building the Sarah Bartman memorial in the Eastern Cape. We are also implementing the John Langalibelele Dube Legacy Project and the Ncome Museum project in KwaZulu-Natal. A number of the graves of our struggle heroes and heroines were upgraded and declared as heritage sites in various provinces. Last year, we also renamed the Bloemfontein Airport as Bram Fischer Airport in honour of one of our struggle icons, Bram Fischer.
We are succeeding in repositioning the cultural and creative industries to open up opportunities for South Africans to benefit fully from what this sector has to offer. As part of implementing our Mzansi Golden Economy Strategy in provinces such as the Free State, work to recruit and place arts facilitators in public schools has begun.
Working with the Department of Basic Education, our goal is to place 3 000 arts facilitators in public schools throughout the country. Plans to establish a sourcing company and a touring venture are at an advanced stage. These will benefit artists, including those in rural provinces, by ensuring market access for their products.
We have supported the establishment of a cultural precinct in Gugulethu in the Western Cape as part of the Ray Alexander Centre where we donated R30 million last month. Cultural Precincts have also been identified in eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal, Johannesburg in Gauteng and Mangaung in the Free State. These precincts will be build-up and upscaled to ensure that they feature year-long cultural performances. We will continue to work with all provinces and local government to expose South Africans to opportunities that are available through the Mzansi Golden Economy.
In conclusion, let me take this opportunity to thank members of the select committee for their rigorous oversight on the work we are doing. I thank the Deputy Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, and also all the MECs and provincial Departments of Arts and Culture for the work that they are doing together with us, in building this nation and promoting social cohesion. I also thank the director-general, the managers and staff of the Department of Arts and Culture and its institutions for their hard work. Let me also join Minister Mbalula in welcoming Claude and all the athletes who are here with us today. Well done to all of you. [Applause.] It is my honour to present the 2013-14 Budget of the Department of Arts and Culture to the National Council of Provinces.
Ms M W MAKGATE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 283
The MINISTER OF ARTS AND CULTURE
Ms M W MAKGATE: Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers and hon Deputy Ministers present, hon Members of Parliament, our guests, dumelang, goeie middag. [Good day.] It was on 6 June 1913, when about 7 000 women, led by Charlotte Maxeke, marched to the Bloemfontein City Council during the antipass campaign. About 34 women were arrested and convicted for not having passes. This was one of the attempts by the apartheid government to control and restrict the movement of our people in their own country. Today our people have freedom of movement that is enshrined and guaranteed by the Constitution. Where is the heavy "dompas" today? It went down the drain. The ANC-led government has introduced the new identity card known as the smartcard. To me that is freedom; that is transformation and also service delivery.
This budget debate takes place during the Youth Month on our national calendar. This gives us an opportunity to look back and assess as to where we are as government and the nation at large in terms of dealing with matters that affect our young people. You will agree with me that while a lot has been done to improve the lives of our young people; a lot more still needs to be done. Some of the key challenges that our young democracy is still grappling with include: the high rate of youth unemployment; drug and alcohol abuse; and the many youths who are not in education or training. These are challenges for all of us as a nation.
Guided by this year's debate schedule, my focus in this debate will be on both arts and culture and, sports and recreation. The mandate of the Department of Arts and Culture is to develop and preserve the South African culture to ensure social cohesion and nation-building. The question is whether the Department of Arts and Culture is delivering on this mandate. My answer to that will be an honest, yes. This does not mean that there are no challenges that the department is still grappling with.
Some of the key achievements of the ANC-led government in the arts and culture sector include the following: Convening the Social Cohesion Colloquium held in October 2009; hoisting the national flag in every school campaign; convening the National Summit on Social Cohesion and Nation-Building, held in Kliptown in July 2012; and the successful implementation of the national legacy projects through which the following achievements were recorded.
Firstly, building the Sara Baartman Centre of Remembrance; secondly, building the Matola Raid Memorial Project in Mozambique; and finally, upgrading, restoring, declaring as national heritage sites the houses, homes and graves of struggle icons such as John Langalibalele Dube, Chief Albert Luthuli, Bertha Mkhize and Steve Biko, just to mention a few; the return of the remains of fellow South Africans, Troi and Klaas Pienaar from Australia; the roll-out of the Mzansi Golden Economy strategy as a response to the key priority of job creation; the renaming of Bloemfontein International Airport as Bram Fischer International Airport in recognition and honour of the contribution made by this struggle hero; free access to national heritage sites, public theatres, national archives and library services which was not the case in the apartheid era; and the successful hosting, every year, of international jazz festivals such as the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and the Mangaung African Cultural Festival, Macufe, which bring huge economic spin-offs for our economy and contributes to job creation.
Let me highlight some of the key challenges faced by the Department of Arts and Culture which include: the moral decay of our society; lack of respect for women; and the growing trends of rape of children, women and old women in our society, which is a clear indication of lack of morals, norms and values in our communities. The question is: Where is the moral and regeneration movement? For me, this movement is not visible at all. This has to change. It cannot be business as usual while morals and values are going down the drain.
Piracy in the music industry is another key challenge which has a negative economic impact on our artists. This is compounded by challenges that relate to the collection and distribution of royalties to our artists. It is for this reason that some of our artists die being very poor. A solution must be found and this problem must be addressed once and for all.
The delivery of community libraries, especially in deep rural and township areas is also a serious challenge. Poor communities, in particular learners, are crying for libraries that are well-resourced. And the Department of Arts and Culture has a responsibility to ensure that it delivers on this very important mandate, otherwise we will be doing injustice to our people. We call on the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Arts and Culture to work together in this regard.
The reported incidents at a certain primary school in the Free State province called Wilgehof primary school, where a teacher continues to use an old apartheid South African flag, calls black learners baboons and uses the k-word, is an insult to all of us and to the many people who died for our democracy. It is clear disrespect and disregard of the laws of this country and as the ANC-led government; we cannot allow that to happen. I want to call on the Minister of Basic Education, the Minister of Arts and Culture, the Premier of the Free State and the MEC for Education in that province to investigate this matter as a matter of urgency, and to ensure that the culprits are brought to book. I want to take this opportunity to thank Mr Craig Thiem and his children for standing up without any fear against this barbaric action.
With regard to sports and recreation, allow me to take this opportunity to add my congratulations to the 2013 Comrade Marathon winner, Mr Claude Moshiywa. It was a South African who won last year and again it is a South African who won this year. It is therefore in order to salute these sportsmen for flying the South African flag very high. Nelson Mandela once said: Sports has the power to change the world.
There is much evidence to suggest that worldwide there is increasing acknowledgement that sports and recreation indeed have the potential to promote social inclusion, prevent conflict and enhance peace within and among nations. The mandate of the Department of Sport and Recreation is to take overall responsibility for sports and recreation in South Africa, which includes the promotion and development of sports and recreation in the country. The key question is: How is the Department of Sport and Recreation doing in terms of delivering on this mandate? Over the past five years or so, the Department of Sport and Recreation has recorded some of the key achievements which deserve to be mentioned, and they are as follows: Firstly, is the holding of the National Sport and Recreation indaba in 2011, which gave birth to the National Sport and Recreation Plan. This plan provides detailed activities so as to give effect to the policy direction of sports in the country; secondly, is the costing of the National Sport and Recreation Plan; thirdly, is the launch of the school sport programme; and fourthly, is the introduction of the Ministerial School Sport Bursary Scheme, which seeks to support the academically deserving students from disadvantaged communities. The total amount given to a deserving student is R100 000 for education and sports requirements. That is a huge investment and the department must be commended for that.
The last one was the launch, by the Department of Sport and Recreation and the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sports Sector Education and Training Authority, Cathsseta, of the Postgraduate Bursary Scheme for postgraduate students to study towards degrees in sports and recreation. A total amount of R3 million has been invested in this project.
The introduction of the Transformation Charter is also a key achievement which must be commended because it seeks to transform our sporting sector in order to ensure that there is maximum access and fair representation of all races in our sporting codes.
In March this year, we took Parliament to the people of Gert Sibande District Municipality in Mpumalanga. Challenges of a lack of sporting facilities and equipment were amongst the chalenges that were raised. The Minister was there, he listened to the people and promised to go back to the district and address some of these challenges. On 17 May last month, the Minister and his department went back to the people of Gert Sibande District Municipality and delivered sporting equipment to schools. [Applause.] We are duty-bound to say to the Minister, good work and well done! [Applause.]
However, there are also challenges which the Department of Sport and Recreation needs to address. We are aware of the challenges with regard to the implementation of the school sports programme. As public representatives, we want to urge both the Department of Sport and Recreation and the Department of Basic Education to work together in the implementation of the school sports programme.
Approximately 73% of the budget of the department is transferred to provinces, municipalities and sports federations. This translates to about R815 million of the total budget of the department. This is a huge amount. However, the reluctance and failure to use the Municipal Infrastructure Grant, Mig, to build sporting facilities in most of the municipalities is a persistent challenge that must be addressed as a matter of urgency. Migs are ring-fenced grants and should be used specifically for what they are allocated for. Our children in deep rural areas cannot continue to be denied access to acceptable sporting facilities because of the failure to use the Migs. This has to change.
In conclusion, the former World Heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali once said, "Champions are not made in gyms. Champions are made from something that they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision". The ANC supports both Budget Votes. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr W F FABER
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 284
Ms M W MAKGATE
Afrikaans:
Mnr W F FABER: Agb Voorsitter, agb Minister, agb Lede van die NRVP sowel as alle gaste en sportmense wie hier sit, ek kan vandag oor biblioteke, museums en ander kultuur projekte praat, en hoe geld onder, sowel as onreëlmatig in die Departement van Kuns en Kultuur spandeer word, maar my kollegas in die Nasionale Raad het alreeds al die positiewe sowel as al die tekortkominge aan u in die debat uitgewys. Vandag moet ons besef dat nasiebou baie meer belangrik is en ek wil dus begin deur 'n paar saakies aan te raak.
Minister Dlamini van Sosiale Ontwikkeling het in haar begrotingsdebat beweer dat wit mense se voorvaders invaders [indringers] was. Dan het Mnr Nelson Mandela se kleinseun, Mandla Mandela, 'n wraakaanval op Mnr Athol Trollip se voorvaders, in sy begrotingsrede oor grondhervorming, gemaak. Dit is baie duidelik dat hierdie ANC regering, deur die jong Mnr Mandela, nie die reënboog beginsel van sy oupa uitleef nie. Wat 'n jammerte!
Hierdie Departement van Kuns en Kultuur sal hard moet werk om skade wat deur sy politieke leiers veroorsaak word, te laat versoen om sosiale kohesie te bevorder. Ons plig as publieke verteenwoordigers is om ons nasie te bou – the one rainbow nation [die een reënboog nasie] vir wat Tata Mandela so hard geveg het – en nie om dit af te breek tussen rasse-en taalgroepe soos huidiglik deur die ANC in areas bevorder word nie.
Madiba sal sy kop in skaamte sak oor uitlatings deur somige leiers. In aanloop na 2014 se verkiesing, wil ek 'n beroep maak op alle Suid-Afrikaners, deur vir hulle te vra om verantwoordelik op te tree in alle uitlatings en optredes, sodat werk soos gedoen was deur Nelson Mandela, nie ongedaan gemaak word nie.
Suid-Afrika behoort aan almal wat in hom woon, wit, bruin en indiër, en alle taal-en rassegroepe. Ons diversiteit maak ons uniek ten opsigte van ander lande in die wêreld. Die DA beklemtoon dat dit 'n inklusiewe benadering van insluiting vir almal nastreef, waar 'n ope-geleentheidsamelewing van nasies, nasiebou sal bevorder.
Ons stem almal saam dat sport 'n belangrike rol speel om nasiebou en 'n gesonde lewenstyl te handhaaf, en ek glo dat Minister Fikile en Adjunkminister Gert Oosthuizen dit nastreef en uitleef.
Ongelukkig word ons daagliks in die koerante herinner van beweringe van korrupsie, wanbestuur van staatsgeld en magsbeheptheid in ons verskeie sport departemente.
English:
The challenges facing our sports sector have adverse effects, not only on sportsmen and women, but on every South African citizen. We need to actively engage on these challenges in order to ensure that we progressively tackle these issues, so as to follow the smooth and efficient roll-out of the National Sport and Recreation Plan.
Unfortunately, the Department of Sport wants to spend R65 million on the Sport Awards, while our athletes complain about funding and our communities lack sporting and recreational infrastructure. Every day, we hear our communities crying out about the lack of sporting and recreational facilities in rural areas. Our youth could utilise more sporting and recreational facilities if more facilities were available to them. Generally, the response from the department is that there are budgetary constraints, hence the failure to provide communities with solid sporting and recreational infrastructure.
Then we read about the 2013 Sport Awards which has a planned budget of R65 million, R21 million of which has been allocated by the Department of Sport and Recreation while R44 million is to be sourced from partners and sponsorships. To spend R65 million on a sport awards event is ludicrous when our athletes complain about funding and our communities lack sporting and recreational infrastructure. Our DA shadow Minister in the National Assembly stated that we could provide 86 multipurpose sports fields at R750 000 each to the poor communities.
Afrikaans:
Met al hierdie behoeftes wil die Minister nog steeds met 'n spandabelrige partyjie aangaan. My groot kommer, soos ek ook aan die Minister in ons komitee genoem het, is dat die Olimpiese Spele in 2016 net om die draai is. Ja, glo dit of nie, oor net drie jaar is ons by 2016, en dan gaan al ons top sportmanne teen die beste in die wêreld meeding.
Ek glo tans dat die Olimpiese Spele een van die grootste gebeurtenisse te wêreld is en dat dit 'n magtige advertensie venster vir enige land is. Die Olimpiese Spele is sekerlik ook een van die grootste maniere om die nasie te bou en 'n gemeenskaplike trots by 'n volk in te boesem.
Minister, soos ons weet is dit lekker om te wen. Dan is ons almal gelukkig, ons spog almal oor ons atlete en ons is bly as Suid-Afrikaners. Maar as 'n span egter verloor, soos my Sharks rugbyspan die afgelope week en oor die afgelope paar weke in die Super 15-reeks, dan plaas dit 'n groot demper op 'n mens se gemoed. [Tussenwerpsels.]
Dit is dus belangrik vir ons as 'n nasie om opgewonde te wees oor ons land se top atlete wie oor drie jaar in die Olimpiese Spele gaan deelneem, om positiewe nasiebou te bevorder. Minister, ek is bevrees dat ons Olimpiese atlete nie die finansiële ondersteuning van die departement ontvang wat hulle gaan help om op die hoogste vlak te kan deelneen nie.
As 'n oud provinsiele fietsryer, weet ek dat 'n sportman wie op 'n hoë vlak kompeteer, absoluut geslyp moet wees. Voorbereiding begin nie net maande voor soos 'n kompetisie nie. Suid-Afrika soek medaljes en ons soek baie daarvan. Ons is 'n wen nasie – ons Springbok rugbyspan, ons Protea krieketspan, ons Bafana Bafana en veel meer. Die Minister weet dat Suid-Afrikaners wenners is. Hy het dieselfde gevoel as almal van ons. [Tussenwerpsels.]
... Ja, agb De Beer, die Griekwas ook. ... Kyk na lande soos Australië, die VSA en veel ander, wat goed in die vorige Olimpiese Spele presteer het. Hulle is reeds besig met hoë-verrigting oefenkampe om top atlete te slyp om weer 'n klomp medaljes vir hul lande te wen.
Ons het nie genoeg geld vir meer gespesialiseerde hoë-verrigting oefenkampe nie weens die enorme koste, maar geld vir groot partyjies moet daar wees! Geld is daarvoor genoeg en dit word daarvoor beskikbaar gestel! Ek sê nie die Sport Awards moet nie plaasvind nie, maar sekerlik moet ons prioriteite in plek en agtermekaar wees.
English:
For most of our athletes, the road to Rio is long and tough, and at the moment it would appear that Athletics SA, Asa – an organisation meant to support them – will be their greatest obstacle. The DA is very concerned and wants the way to be cleared for our athletes, to ensure that all those deserving athletes make it to the Olympics and bring back those most deserving medals.
Afrikaans:
Nou wil ek oor sportkodes in Suid-Afrika wat aan die agterspeen moet suig, en een van hulle is netbal, praat. Vandag wil ek ook 'n kort rukkie toewy aan ons dogters en vroue in die land wat netbal speel.
Verlede jaar op 14 Mei 2012, het die Minister aangekondig dat ...
English:
... South African netball is to turn professional by next year. The formation of a professional netball league is a project initiated by the Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula. We are delighted to announce that netball players in South Africa will, for the first time, have a professional league. They are going to be given professional contracts to help them focus on netball, said Mbalula.
Afrikaans:
Netbal is seker die mees getransformeerde sport in Suid-Afrika en ons skooldogters het na hierdie aankondiging drome begin droom oor professionele loopbane. Dit het 'n rippel effek veroorsaak. Ongelukkig het Amanda Mynhardt, ons Protea kaptein, na Nieu-Seeland teruggekeur om klub en provinsiele netbal te speel. Twee van ons nasionale spelers, Irene van Dyk en Leana du Bruin het na Nieu-Seeland gegaan en ons het hulle afgestaan. Hulle is altwee langer as 1,9m. Hulle kry groot geld en ons het hulle verloor.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon member, your speaking time has expired.
Mr W F FABER: Can I conclude my speech?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Yes, just conclude your speech.
Afrikaans:
Mr W F FABER: Minister, u het 'n jaar terug 'n belofte aan ons vroue netbalspelers gemaak. Probeer om nie gesig te verloor nie en hou by dit. Ek hoop dat u ten harte geneem het wat ons bespreek het, en dat u nie alles in 'n negatiewe lig sal sien nie maar dat ons werklik na ons sportsterre sal kyk. Ek dank u. [Applous.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! I want to ask the interpreters not to leave in the middle of a member's speech because members are missing out on a lot. We miss a lot in one paragraph or two sentences. Please continue interpreting right through. The next speaker is the hon Prince Zulu.
Prince M M M ZULU
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 285
Mr W F FABER
Prince M M M ZULU: Chairperson, Minister of Sport and Recreation, Minister of Arts and Culture, Minister of Rural Development of Land Reform, Deputy Ministers and heads of departments, the IFP supports both Budget Votes.
IsiZulu:
Sihlalo ohloniphekile ake ngisike elijikayo kuyo yomibili le minyango yahulumeni ngithi ezemidlalo yilapho thina zwe lakithi sazi ukuthi yiyona ndawo ehlanganisa abantu bezinhlanga ezehlukene. Ukubumbanisa kwakho zonke izinhlanga kuyinto ebalulekile futhi ebingakaze yenzeke ngaphambilini kuleli lizwe lakithi. Ngasho ngelinye ilanga ngenkathi iziNdlu zihlezi ngokuhlanganyela ngenkathi siphumelele ukusingatha imiDlalo yowezi-2010 yeNdebe yoMhlaba ukuthi kubo bonke oNgqongqoshe bentando yeningi abake baba khona, wena awusoze wakhohlakala ngenxa yomsebenzi owenzile kwezemidlalo zakuleli, wabeka izwe lethu ebalazweni, wenza umehluko ezimpilweni zabantu usebenzisa ezemidlalo. NjengeNkatha yeNkululeko sileseka ngaphandle kwemibandela namathizethize iVoti leSabiwomali lomnyango wakho.
Uma ngibuya ngiza kuNgqongqoshe wezobuCiko namaSiko ngithi ababhali nosomlando bangabantu ababaluleke kakhulu okufanele ukuthi kulesi Sabelomali sakho babhekeleleke. Uma ngibheka udaba lweMpi yaseNcome ngibona kufanele ababhali bethu babhekeleke ukuthi babhale kahle ngokwenziwa yiSilo saseMgungundlovu uDingani kuleya ndawo. Kubhalwe ngokucacile ukuthi ukhokho wethu iNkosi uCetshwayo wenzani ngempi yaseSandlwane ngenkathi ebhekene nabantu ababefuna ukuzosiqola ezweni lethu. Konke lokhu kuyizinto okufanele zibekwe eqhulwini.
Kanjalo nezilimi zethu zesintu – njengoba nalolu engilukhulumayo ngingeze ngaluyeka njengoba ngingomunye wabakhuseli balo. Kufanele izilimi zamaNguni zibonwe wumhlaba wonke jikelele, sibonakale siziqhayisa ngazo kubonakale ukuthi ziyalithola ithuba lokuba zikhunyulwe kuyo yonke iminyango yahulumeni. Ngqongqoshe kufuze ukuqikelele ukuthi bekungafanele abantu bakithi batolikelwe izilimi zakubo; bonke abantu bekufanele bakwazi ukuzifunda ngoba akusikho eYurophu noma eNgilande lapha; kuse-Afrika ngakho-ke kufanele kukhulunywe isiSuthu, isiXhosa nazo zonke izilimi zethu. Lezi zilimi kufanele zivikelwe ngumnyango wakho.
Ngqongqoshe ngicela ukuthi uphinde ubhekisise ukuthi laba baculi bethu abacula ngamaphimbo abo amahle kakhulu bayanakekelekwa ngokuthi kusungulwe isikhwama esithile sabo ukuze ekugcineni bangabi zimpabanga nje okuzothi noma sebedlula emhlabeni kuswelakale nokuthi bazofihlwa ngubani. Yithi la kuleli Phalamende okufanele sikwazi ukukhulumela abaculi bethu ukuze bakwazi ukuboneleleka ngokubekelwa imali baze bathi noma sebedlula emhlabeni bafihlwe ngesizotha nangenhlonipho.
KuNgqongqoshe wezemiDlalo ngiyafisa ukuba ngelinye ilanga uma eseMqanduli noma kwaNongoma asimeme phela sibuke ukuthi lezi zinto asuke ekhuluma ngazo ziyenzeka na. Phela ezinye izinto ngiye ngibe nongabazane kakhulu - yize noma ngilazi igalelo lakhe - kodwa nginokungabaza ukuthi zonke lezi zinto ezibekelwe ukuba zenzeke kule minyaka ebekiwe ziyenzeka ngempela na. Ngiyafisa ukuthi izindawo zasemakhaya njengezindawo ezazingenawo amathuba ngaphambilini ziqikelelwe ukuthi yizo eziseqhulwini. Ngiyabonga ukuthi ngenkathi iPhalamende lihlezi eMpumalanga wenza konke okusemandleni wasihlonipha kanjalo nalokho owakufeza siyabonga ukuthi wenze umehluko ezimpilweni zabantu bakuleya ndawo.
Singeze sakuphika-ke ukuthi zikhona izinselele njengoba nani ningawaphiki njengoNgqongqoshe, yizinto lezo okufanele nibhekane nazo. Uma ingane isineminyaka eyi-19 isuke isisesikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme seyenza unyaka wesibili, nathi-ke njengoba sineminyaka eyi-19 sibusa ake kubonakale kanjalo. Konke lokhu okuyizingqinamba nibambisane njengoba nibhekelele iminyango yaohulumeni niqikelele ukuthi abantu bakithi ababulawa yinkemane, zonke izinsiza bazithole kungabhekwa ukuthi bakumaphi amaqembu ezombusazwe kodwa nibanakekele njengezakhamuzi zezwe. Ngiyafisa ukuthi nomasipala ningabaqoneli uma niya kubo ngoba phela nabo bangohulumeni basekhaya, kabekho ezingeni lokuba nezinsiza eniziphethe kodwa kufanele nisizane nabo ningababukeli phansi. Ngiyabonga. [Ihlombe.]
Ms M L MOSHODI
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 286
Prince B Z ZULU
Ms M L MOSHODI: Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers, Mr Fikile Mbalula, Deputy Ministers, Mr Tshenoli, MECs, Mr Khothule ...
Sesotho:
... ha ke le hlomphe baetapele ba ka, ho tswa mane Profensing ya Freistata.
English:
There is a saying that "a healthy mind, in a healthy body." This means that if one exercises regularly, one is likely to remain healthy, both physically and mentally. Sport is the most popular activity that people participate in to keep themselves healthy. We should not loose sight of the fact that sport has been used as a political tool in the phases of the struggle for the liberation of the oppressed masses during the apartheid administration.
As we debate this budget after the centenary of the people's movement, we should not forget that the issue of discrimination and apartheid in sport was first raised during the Indian Passive Resistance campaign of 1946 and 1948. George Singh, a football star, was amongst the leaders of the campaign. The Verwoerd administration started interfering in sport in 1965. Sport fans were not allowed to mix. They were separated by a high fence and provided with separated abolition facilities.
One of the famous incidents was when an Indian cuddy was made to receive a trophy that he had won, of the Natal Open Gold Championships in 1960, in a pouring rain outside the golf club. As such, Sam Ramsamy actively campaigned against apartheid in sport in the 1960s and 70s. The apartheid regime used to divide the nation. It is the ANC liberation organisation that marshalled the frustration of the sports federation worldwide to isolate the apartheid South Africa from participating in sport globally.
In 1994, we were set to revise a damage that was done by the former administration in sport under the leadership of the ANC. Sport and Recreation South Africa has and continues to unite and galvanise South Africa as an active and a winning nation.
We proudly remember the Madiba Magic that saw us lift a 1996 Rugby World Cup trophy. It was soon followed by the CAF Cup trophy as Bafana Bafana proved that "working together, we can do more."
There has been many achievements since then that have seen South Africans from all walks of life and across the colour line celebrate as one and attesting to the ANC's conviction that "South Africa belongs to all who live in it - black and white."
At the ANC National Conference in Mangaung, we resolved that in order to fully release the implementation of the vision of building a competitive sporting nation, you must resource sport in the country from the public focus at all levels.
We further resolved that we will continue fighting any forms of discrimination which are threats to social cohesion and nation building; thus, taking into consideration that sport has played an important role in social cohesion in the past 19 years of democracy. As the ANC, we fully support this Budget Vote, and by so doing, implement the resolution that I have just referred to above.
As stated in the strategic plan, the aim of the sport department is to maximise access, development and excellence at all levels of participating in sport and recreation to improve social cohesion, nation building and the quality of life of all South Africans. The budget allocation of just over a billion to the department seeks to ensure that the strategy is implemented.
There is no doubt that this department will have done more with the little that it has in this financial year. The five programmes will try to ensure that South Africa occupies its rightful place in the sport arena internationally. Some of the key projects to be implemented by the department during the current financial year are: the SA School National Championships; National Indigenous Games; Netball Premier League; and National Basketball League.
Hon Minister, your effort in advocating for school sport in our rural communities is welcomed. It is through school sport that young talent in any sport code can be identified and nurtured. We need to start preparing and training our future athletes and Olympiads early in life if we are to succeed in bringing more medals into the country.
We cannot overemphasise the fact that transformation in sport needs to be implemented at school level so as to ensure social cohesion at an early stage. I believe that this will eventually lead to the process of doing away with quotas in sport. We must continue to use school sport as the bedrock for sport development and excellence. Thus, the ANC conference resolution, ensuring that sport becomes compulsory at schools.
I would also like to commend the Minister and the whole department for the quick response to the people of Mpumalanga, in Carolina particularly, by providing them with sport facilities just a few months after the NCOP programme of Taking Parliament to the People. We also take note of the work of the Minister and the department which they are doing in Khayelitsha, in the Western Cape.
We will urge the MEC for sports in the Free State province to complement the work of the department in building Future Starts in the province. We will further urge the Minister to visit the outlying rural areas to see the conditions under which learners and rural youth in general practise or play.
Though we are aware that the department cannot meet every community needs in sport infrastructure, I will appeal that rural areas be prioritised as this will not only improve their morale and bring dignity to these communities but will also create jobs, even though they are not permanent.
It was disappointing to hear that the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, Sascoc, does not include our Olympic silver medallist, Caster Semenya, in the team that will be representing the country in Russia in the coming few weeks. Sascoc should have made certain the circumstances that led to the dropping of the athlete before it took that decision as she is now disputing it.
In conclusion, there is a saying that, "where there is a will, there is a way." Though the task of the department appears to be many times over the resources it has, I have no doubt that it will execute its mandate as required. Social cohesion, social economy and development are key for driving democracy in South Africa. The ANC supports the Budget Vote. Ke a leboha ntate. [Thank you, sir]. [Applause.]
Mr J J GUNDA
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 287
Ms M L MOSHODI
Mr J J GUNDA: Hon Chair, hon Ministers, Deputy Ministers, colleagues, all protocol observed, ladies and gentlemen, sport plays an important role in promoting nation building, sociocohesion and a healthy lifestyle. We need to invest more thoughtfully in programmes for the betterment of our nation.
Hon Minister of Sport, indeed you've got a very big challenge in developing sportsmen and sportswomen in South Africa. It's not an easy task. When we look at your budget, it seems as if it's not sufficient to fulfil the strategic plans of the department.
Excellence is the antidote to South Africa's self-esteem. If you want to overcome our low self-esteem and the decades of degrading treatment imposed on the majority of South Africans, we need to embrace excellence. We need to believe that we can be the best and then do it to set the standard and exceed it. Can there be any better answer to self-esteem? Low self-esteem is the greater source of self-confidence.
We are a very great nation and we are proud to be South Africans, capable of great things. This is how we are going to dispel our doubts and realise our dreams.
Hon Minister, it is unacceptable that sporting facilities at schools are in very poor conditions. I hear what you are saying that the plans are there, but at some schools they do not exit. I will keep on talking about the poor schools in the Northern Cape. I'll keep on talking about the schools in the small towns of the Kalahari where there is not even a soccer field; schools where the children cannot dream of becoming neither a Bafana Bafana nor Springbok rugby player. It is the challenge that we are facing in this country.
Some of our children are forced to play certain sport codes because not all sports codes are practiced at school. This is not only the problem of the Department of Sport, but also of the Department of Education. It's an intergovernmental problem. We need to see to it that these things must happen in our schools. I will keep on saying this. I will not apologise if the Minister of Sport or the Minister of Basic Education were to come and allocate R1 billion to our previously disadvantaged schools. I will not apologise. Why should money be a problem when it comes to developing our own children? The future of our children is more important than money. We must stop arguing about the value and talk about how the department must budget for the community that it needs to serve. That is important. The budget should be about the communities that it must serve - the South African people - especially the poor of the poorest. That is important.
I heard the Minister of Arts and Culture saying that they have started with Khayelitsha and all that. Stop starting with the cities, rather start with the rural areas and small towns. That is very important because these people dream but their dreams are never fulfilled.
Hon Minister of Arts and Culture let me say one thing. I believe that a child in sport is a child out of court. We can prevent crime if we develop our children. Go around to all the schools and do not let your department tell you which schools are fine. There are schools which do not have even existing libraries right now. I can name these schools in my constituency. It is important that we must invest in our children. If they could read, their minds would develop. This is how we can invest in our children.
I want to reiterate what I said the last time in this House that our children will not remember us for the good things we have given them, but they will remember us for how much we care about them, how much we loved them and how much we taught them the right things in order for them to become the leaders of tomorrow. That is important.
I believe that we must have quality libraries in our schools where children can read books. We can make an example of children who can read thick books today; why, because they are disciplined. I will not accept the notion that we cannot go further. I want to repeat this again that as the black people of South Africa, we were born intelligent and we will die being brilliant because of who we are and not because who some people made us. I thank you, Chair. [Applause.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF ARTS AND CULTURE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 288
Mr J J GUNDA
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF ARTS AND CULTURE: Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, Minister of Arts and Culture, Minister Mashatile, Minister Mbalula, Minister Kwinti, Deputy Minister Lechesa Tsenoli, Free State MEC Kgothule, chairperson of the Select Committee for Education, Arts and Culture, members of the select committee, Members of the NCOP, our officials, directors-general, heads of our various institutions present here, members in the gallery, ladies and gentlemen, this week, on Monday 3 June, together with the Presidency and the National Youth Development Agency, the NYDA, we launched the national youth month under the theme: "Working together for Youth Development and a Drug Free South Africa" at the Hector Peterson Memorial in Soweto.
As we commemorate youth month, we are reminded of the words of the founding father of our nation, President Nelson Mandela, when he said, and I quote: "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."
The commemoration of this year's national Youth Day will be hosted in Newcastle, in KwaZulu-Natal, on 16 June.
The Department of Arts and Culture will also host a number of activities including "My education history tours", in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Gauteng to highlight the historic and heritage importance of the Youth Day on 16 June. An Arts, Culture, Heritage Youth Imbizo will also be convened in the Free State province together with the MEC and the provincial government.
As a department, we will continue to invest in the development of our young people in the arts and culture sector. This we will be doing as part of ensuring the sustainability of the sector and taking our young people away from social ills such as drugs and alcohol abuse.
On social cohesion, in pursuit of our strategic goal of building an inclusive society, our department continues to popularise national symbols. In particular, this year, the Bureau of Heraldry will focus on the promotion of the National anthem in institutions of higher learning. This project will be launched during this course of June as we celebrate youth month. Last week, the Bureau of Heraldry marked its 50th-year of existence. There are quite a number of highlights that occurred during the existence of our Bureau of Heraldry, including, the design of our very popular national flag and the transformation of a number of other national symbols including some of the symbols in our Parliament.
The National Cabinet took a decision that all national days will be co-ordinated under the Department of Arts and Culture. This was in line with the understanding that national days are a critical component of our ongoing efforts to promote patriotism, national unity, social cohesion and national healing. We are in the process of reviewing the way we celebrate our national days. It is envisaged that the outcome of this process will be national days that will be celebrated in a manner that is inclusive of all South Africans.
This year, we successfully hosted the Freedom Day and Human Rights Day. On 18 July, as it has already been mentioned by Minister Mashatile and Minister Mbalula, we will host the Nelson Mandela Day in Umtata, in the Eastern Cape, as we will be celebrating the 95th birthday of President Madiba Mandela.
The National Heritage Day, which will be celebrated on 24 September, will also be held in the Eastern Cape this year. The Day of Reconciliation, which is on 16 December, will be celebrated together with the centenary of the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Following our National Summit on Social Cohesion in July this year, we will intensify our hosting of community conversations and dialogues around the country which Minister Mashatile has already alluded to. These conversations will be part of our mobilisation campaign as we mobilise towards celebrating the 20th anniversary of freedom and democracy on 27 April 2014.
With regards to the Mzansi Golden Economy Strategy, we wish to reassert that arts, culture and creative industries have been part and parcel of human economic activity for trade from time immemorial.
It is today an undisputed fact that many centuries ago, our forebearers traded in various fine art forms across the oceans. Nothing illustrates this better than the immaculate beads and other jewellery found at Mapungubwe and also, of course, the golden rhino. How else would diamonds and gold dominate the world trade for centuries if it was not due to the importance of arts?
Other forms of art such as paintings, crafts, photos, music, film, drama, dance, and so on, have been identified with various countries throughout history. Unfortunately, the exposure of various role-players on the world stage has often reflected the political and economic dominance of the nations of the world.
The Mzansi Golden Economy Strategy is a form through which we endeavour to reclaim the place of the cultural industries as a contributor to the national economy and even as an exporter of services to other parts of the world.
We are pleased to announce that we are making a lot of progress in the establishment of institutions such as the Art Bank whose purpose will be to purchase arts from various artists including those from rural areas and make sure that they are properly exposed to the rest of the nation.
We continue to provide support to major events throughout the country, including the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz in Gauteng, Mapungubwe Arts Festival in Limpopo, Buyel' Ekhaya Pan African Music Festival in the Eastern Cape, Mangaung Cultural Festival, Macufe, in the Free State, Cape Town International Jazz Festival here in Cape Town - I hope members received some tickets - Mpumalanga Jazz Comes Alive and SA Music Awards, Sama.
These events are estimated to have created a total of over 25 000 job opportunities over the last three years. We are making a lot of progress also in the implementation of the Public Art Development programme. This includes, amongst other things, innovative work such as public murals, installations, storytelling and street theatre.
In the area of visual arts, during the course of last year, we hosted the Visual Arts Indaba to discuss recommendations to grow this particular sector. These recommendations will be put into action this year through the appointment of the visual arts task team. The department will once again this year strive to partner with visual arts organisations to train more visual arts practitioners in all provinces.
The other area of our focus is in the design area. We have identified it as an industry which can play a very strategic role in supporting economic growth. The design industry has the potential to create meaningful jobs. During the course of this year, we will focus on policy formulation in as far as the design industry is concerned.
Also in the various areas including KwaZulu-Natal, the provincial government will be establishing a fashion hub which will also be rolled out to a number of other provinces.
In the area of libraries, and I am sure hon Gunda will be pleased to hear that we are continuing to roll out libraries in improving literacy levels and knowledge development, creation and sharing of knowledge through the building of community libraries. Over the next Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, the MTEF, we have been allocated an additional R1,1 billion, over and above the baseline to increase and roll out this programme.
Since the inception of the community library conditional grant which started in 2007, over R200 million has been injected. More than 900 people have been employed, 41 new libraries have been built and 244 existing buildings have been upgraded. During the course of 2013-14 we will build 16 new libraries and also upgrade 40 existing libraries.
In the area of heritage, we will continue to focus on projects such as the historic schools project, the refurbishment of Adams College in KwaZulu-Natal as part of its 160 years anniversary, support the University of Fort Hare as it will be celebrating its 100 years of existence in 2016.
As I conclude, let me spell out our focus as provided by the National Development Plan provides, and I quote:
In 2030, South Africans will be more conscious of the things they have in common than their differences. Their lived experiences will progressively undermine and cut across the divisions of race, gender, race and class. The nation will be more accepting of people's multiple identities.
It is this vision that continues to inspire us in our work in the Department of Arts and Culture.
I also wish to take this opportunity to thank the members of the committee, the chairperson and the members of the select committee, MECs, all our officials and Minister Mashatile. Indeed, we are making a lot of progress in making sure that we achieve the goals that have been set for us for 2030 by the National Development Plan.
I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr B V MNCUBE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 289
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF ARTS AND CULTURE
Ms B V MNCUBE: Mutshamaxitulu [Chairperson], oNgqongqoshe bonke abakhona [All Ministers present here.], amalungu ahloniphekile [Hon members.] ladies and gentlemen up there, i nhlekanhi, molweni, dumelang, sanibonani, ndi masiari [Greetings.], we are meeting here today during an important calendar month in the evolution of our struggle for liberation in South Africa. As the representative of the ANC in this debate, I wish to dedicate my speech - which will be focused mainly on Budget 14 - to all those unsung heroes and heroines who paid the supreme sacrifice in pursuit of a better South Africa.
We are just 10 days way from celebrating the 37th anniversary of what is officially known as the Youth Day. June 16 was a watershed moment and a turning point. Within 18 years from that day, we have held the first of all inclusive national democratic elections. Again on 26 June this year, we shall be marking the 58th anniversary since the adoption of the historic document – the Freedom Charter – at the congress of the people in Kliptown.
These are the two events, amongst a host of others, which stand out during this month as a reminder of where we come from as a country, but more importantly directs us never to go back to the previous situation again. Let us all remember that, as we stand here, we stand on the shoulders of those giants of our liberation struggle. These sacrifices were all in the name of creating a better society as encapsulated in the Freedom Charter.
I highlight these historic moments not because this discussion is taking place in this month, but because in my view these departments are at the centre of the overarching historic mission of the ANC to make sure that we arrive at the destination of a national democratic society whilst at the same time dealing with the backlogs due to the apartheid legacy.
As the ANC, we have noted that a lot of work has been done to build an inclusive society as highlighted by the hon Minister in his budget speech in the National Assembly. Indeed, our country has become more cohesive as we are now able to celebrate our achievements in both sports activities and in the area of arts and culture as a collective.
We are fully behind the initiatives such as the Summit on Social Cohesion and ongoing community conversations. We are also looking forward to the successful completion of the social cohesion projects as outlined by His Excellency President Zuma in his state of the nation address in 2012. Hon Minister, please make sure that when those projects would be done and completed, skills transfer would take place because our upcoming artists will struggle to tender for such work.
In our strategy and tactics documents as adopted by the ANC in Mangaung, we have acknowledged that given the nature of the political settlement and despite the major achievements, there will be successes and setbacks in the process of working on social transformation.
It is in this context that we need to understand the recent events that took place at the Wilgenhof Primary School in Bloemfontein where the old South African flag was hoisted and the "k" word used. We must commend the learners for complaining to their parents about this. They are, indeed, patriots in the making. Again, in Mpumalanga, in Middleburg, learners at a high school were divided along racial lines around the staging of the matric dance.
Although unwelcome, the fact is that such incidents are few and in between confirms that much good work has been done by the ANC government. These are the vestiges of apartheid colonialism we spoke about in Mangaung. I suspect hon Minister; this will be one of the issues which will preoccupy our eminent social cohesion advocates.
It is encouraging to see the slogan of "Working together we can do more" in practice being implemented through this initiative of having social cohesion advocates who have been drawn from a variety of sectors. I wish we had more time to engage the Minister around the developments at Kleinfontein in Pretoria, in the context of building an inclusive society and building a sustainable livelihood.
Our Constitution declares in its preamble that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity. Section 18 of the Bill of Rights provides for freedom of association and section 31 provides for rights to cultural, religious and linguistic communities. Section 36 however provides for the specific limitations to such rights.
I have noted the stance taken by the Executive Mayor of Tshwane who said what they are doing there is not to infringe on the rights of others. How does this existence of such communities assist us in our work towards nation building and social cohesion? Does this help in promoting the shared values of a national democratic society based on the principles of ubuntu, nonracialism, nontribalism, nonsexism, human rights and equality? All these challenges are an indication that, indeed, yinde le ndlela [The road is long.]
This year marks the 50th year anniversary of the raid in Liliesleaf Farm, the escape from Marshall Square and the start of the Rivonia Trial. These together with other initiatives highlighted in your presentation in the National Assembly, represent the rich liberation culture.
We are still fortunate that amongst us in Parliament, we are blessed with the presence of isithwalandwe [The dignitary.], hon Andrew Mlangeni, a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly, who has lived through those difficult times. We wish to comment the ANC-led government in recognising these important events through a commemoration which will be held in July.
Hon Minister, as a former teacher, we congratulate your department as your 2013-14 budget reflects that you intend to place at least 150 arts practitioners at schools to ensure that the arts and culture learning area or subject is taught by qualified arts practitioners who will also be role models to the learners.
Another sore point which remains not totally resolved is the issue of nonpayment of royalties to artists. The department should do more to co-ordinate all stakeholders like the SABC, Southern African Music Rights Organisation, Samro, the Department of Trade and Industry and the artists in order to have a better mechanism of resolving this matter. The site of artists being buried as paupers and struggling to make ends meet whilst their monies are held up somewhere leaves much to be desired.
We hope that the 16 new community libraries that the Deputy Minister has just spoken about will be built and that communities will regard them as valuable assets that should be protected against vandalism. These will be built in rural areas - I think - in the townships and in informal settlements for all those who do not have access to libraries, for instance, my area Freedom Park, Joe Slovo Park, Naturena, Lusikisiki and Tzaneen.
I now wish to raise a matter that was debated recently in the National Assembly that pertains to the issue of initiation. I wish to add the voice of the ANC in the NCOP and say that the abduction of boys for the purpose of initiation is a cause for concern in some parts of Gauteng, for example, in Orange Farm.
Whereas the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa in section 31 of the Bill of Rights recognises and protects groups to practice their culture on a voluntary basis, it is however something else to abduct children under the pretext of promoting culture. Young boys are no longer able to move freely in their localities. We hope that you can also enter the ongoing engagements with traditional leaders and communities. Parents are put under severe stress and are forced to borrow money for ceremonies and clothes that they have not budgeted for.
We are also looking forward to the finalisation of the Cultural Laws Amendment Bill which will eliminate duplication and overlaps of elements of culture within the Arts and Culture department and other sister departments.
When the Mzansi Golden Economy was launched, it created a great hype and raised hopes of arts and culture activists and the rest of the creative industry as a beacon of hope. I would appeal for a rigorous marketing and a more accessible way of advertising it in the rural areas, informal settlements and townships so that more citizens can benefit.
Hon Gunda, in Gauteng we have townships and lots of informal settlements. We are victims of the legacy of apartheid. Therefore, the budget can still go to Gauteng and not only in the rural areas.
As I conclude, I want this House to acknowledge that the kind of work that ought to be done by this department cuts across all government departments and, more often than not, it is not easy to touch it. It is outcomes but you can certainly feel it. The ANC supports Budget Votes 14 and 20.
Ha khensa. Ke a leboga. Ngiyabonga. [Thank you.] [Applause.]
Mr D V BLOEM
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 290
Ms B V MNCUBE
Mr D V BLOEM: Chairperson, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MECs, and hon members, sports people on the gallery, I want to greet you in the name of the COPE. [Laughter.]
Cope views sports as the most powerful weapon in bringing the nation together. If you can rewind and consider what has happened in 1996, during the Rugby World Cup, the former President Nelson Mandela brought the whole country together behind the Boks, Springboks. That picture of ... [Interjections]
Mr F ADAMS: Where was Cope? [Interjections.]
Mr D V BLOEM: You were in the NP at that time. [Laughter.] And I was still in the ANC at that time. [Laughter.] The picture of Madiba, in a green and gold jersey, going to the pitch will go into the history of our country. That was a turning point in the sports of this country. I must confess that I have never followed rugby before that moment but since that match in 1996, I am now a blood supporter of the Cheetahs of the Free State. [Interjections.]
Mr F ADAMS: The Cheetahs and Celtics. [Interjections.]
Mr D V BLOEM: Well, Bloemfontein Celtics and Free State Stars are my number one. But, let me come to Claude and all those who have run these comrades marathons. I must say to them: Claude when you look at that medal, you must always think that it did not come on a silver platter. Many people sacrificed for you and others to participate in the sport that was not for black people.
Many people in this country went to prison, into exile and some were banned, Dr Beyers Naudé, for instance, was isolated from his people for a simple reason of saying to people that everybody should participate in sports together. They called him a terrorist and said he could not let these people play together. So, I am pleading with you and giving you some advice that everyday when you look at that medal, you must say that people sacrificed for it. [Interjections.]
Mr F ADAMS: Thank Cope!
AN HON MEMBER: Thank the ANC!
Mr D V BLOEM: Mr, you were NP by then. You were one of the people who tortured me for what I am saying now. [Laughter.] Now, all of a sudden, you are more of an ANC than any of the other people! You must know where you came from! [Laughter.] I am teaching people now. [Interjections.] [Laughter.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! Order, hon Bloem! Don't be distracted, continue with your speech.
Mr D V BLOEM: No, no, no, Chairperson. You see, I am busy with history now here!
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Yes, continue.
Mr D V BLOEM: It is part and parcel of our history. You must never take it for granted! [Laughter.] Razzmatazz, sports comes a very long way, and we must teach our people. [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! Order! Hon Mncube?
Ms B V MNCUBE: Is it parliamentary for the hon member to call the hon Minister, Razzmatazz? [Laughter.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: No, all members are called hon members. Can you withdraw that Mr Bloem. [Laughter.]
Mr D V BLOEM: Well, hon Razzmatazz ... [Laughter.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: No, hon member ... [Laughter.]
Mr D V BLOEM: Hon member, Razzmatazz ... [Laughter.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon member ... [Laughter.]
Mr D V BLOEM: Hon member.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Yes.
Mr D V BLOEM: Yes, Chairperson. Hon Minister, you see, I have a prepared a speech but I am not going to read it; you will see it in the Hansard. However, let me go to schools sports.
Hon Minister, if we want to produce more and more sports people in this country, we must really ... [Interjections.]
Mr M P JACOBS: Chair, is it parliamentary for the hon Bloem to take an overdose? [Laughter.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: No, that is not a point of order. Continue hon Bloem. [Laughter.]
Mr D V BLOEM: Well, the Minister is here and I can go for a test. [Laughter.] Hon Minister, I am busy with schools sports. You know, when I grew up in Kroonstad and attending Brentpark School, there was sport every week. We were excited to go and play football, Brentpark against Bodibeng High or Dikubung. Nowadays children are not participating in schools' sports. That is why there are rapes committed by small children of 13 years. The reason is that they are not kept busy. After school, the parents are not there and there is chaos in the house. That is why small children are having babies today. What I am saying is hon Minister, let us introduce and implement sport.
With regard to arts and culture, Minister, there is an old women's prison in Kroonstad. Can the Minister please declare it a national site? We must never forget that our women in this country were also in the forefront of our struggle. They have matched and have shown us the way; which is why we are here today.
Please, Minister, consider declaring that old women's prison in Kroonstad a national site. [Time expired.] Thank you. [Laughter.] [Applause.]
Mr D KGOTHULE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 291
Mr D V BLOEM
Mr D KGOTHULE: Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Mahlangu, Minister Mbalula, Minister Mashatile, Minister Nkwinti, Deputy Minister Tsenoli, Deputy Minister Phaahla, chairperson of the select committee, hon members of the House, the current champions and the prospective champions of our beloved South African sports, leaders of the sports movement, ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed an honour and privilege for me to address the NCOP, in contributing to the Minister's Budget Vote and further advancing the struggle through working with the youth towards advancing the socioeconomic freedom and reflecting on the progress made for the development of young people in the footsteps of the youth of 1976.
The youth of today suffer much due to the challenges they are exposed to, which lead them to vulnerability and diseases, substance abuse and an exposure to conflicts and violence. The young people need mentorship, support and guidance to face these challenges. It is through the government's skills development programmes that mentorship, support and guidance can be provided for young people.
I am pleased to announce that the 23 people who were involved in an internship programme in my department in 2012, have all been absorbed and appointed permanently, and one has gone back to school to further her studies. In relation to this, the department also hosted several social cohesion dialogues with communities in several towns of the Free State. They were extremely and highly attended and supported by our communities. This is indeed a case in terms of social transformation.
Is there a case for sport in the implementation of the National Sport and Recreation Plan Vision 2013? I can unequivocally stand here today and say yes, there is more than a case. But to underline my conviction, I would like to point out some of the basic goals of Vision 2013.
In developing a winning nation, it is important to improve international sport successes by supporting athletes at all levels of participation. This is done by doing the following: Identifying and developing talented athletes through the implementation of a structured system; improving the performances of athletes and coaches by providing them with access to a comprehensive range of support programmes; developing talented athletes by providing them with opportunities to participate and excel in domestic competitions; and acknowledging the achievements of individuals and teams within the South African sport and recreation sector through the establishment of a recognition system that include the South African sport awards.
We have rolled out infrastructure development programmes and staged various sporting events through the sport and recreation programme to ensure mass participation which leads to competitive events.
We have in the past pointed out that, where it is not feasible to build stadiums, we will roll out a programme of building multipurpose sport courts and community gyms. We have also been building the local talent development centres and district high performance centres in a quest to make sports science services accessible to all communities.
In this regard, this financial year, we built a local talent development centre and district high performance centre in the dusty township of Botshabelo - where Minister Mbalula comes from - and the last one we built in the Xhariep District.
In addition to the multipurpose sport courts that we have built across the province, additional courts were built in areas that are rural which include Marquard. Currently, we are building another two in Dasville and Hertzogville. And these two will make up a total of 14 such facilities that we have built.
The precincts at the Free State Sport Science Institute are undergoing an enormous transformation with the construction of a high performance training centre for netball, table tennis and badminton. These facilities will provide opportunities for the residential programme for netball, table tennis and badminton, including boxing when the facility would be completed.
The elite athlete and coaching programme for boxing, judo or karate, table tennis and badminton has been implemented.
I would like to take this opportunity to also congratulate the Free State table tennis team which is currently the reigning champions of the country in the junior categories. [Applause.] I would also like to take this opportunity to particularly congratulate the 16 elite athletes of Free State Karate who have qualified for the Africa zone six championships that will be held in Namibia from the 28 to 29 June 2013. These athletes are products of the Free State Karate High Performance Centre, which is located in the precincts of the Free State Sports Science Institute.
In running the competition of season number two, the two athletes who are part of this group, Balungile Nchofe and Sandile Makwali, attended the international open championships in Gaborone, Botswana, on 9 March 2013. We congratulate them because they surprised a very strong Botswana contention by winning silver and bronze. [Applause.]
In October and November 2012, the Free State Karate and coaches participated in the two national tournaments. These groups of 20 athletes collectively won no less than 71 medals in these two tournaments. Of the 71 medals 34 were gold, 26 were silver and 11 bronze. [Applause.]
I just want to emphasise that we are at the right path by providing sports science services to people who traditionally, were not allowed to do them. You will remember that even during the zone six games, Free State was the only province that delivered a boxer who was the only athlete that won gold for South Africa in boxing. So, we can see that these local talent development centres and the high performance centres we are establishing are bearing fruits.
The department was able to successfully deliver the following flagship programmes: services and activities; sport and recreation equipment and attire to schools and the community clubs; the construction of multipurpose fields in poor communities and schools; and the rolling out of the School Sport programmes.
In the Free State, schools' sport is alive. There is no such story that there is no sport that is being played in the Free State.
Regarding the National Schools Sport Championship 2012, we supported our Olympians and Paralympians before, during and after the 2012 London games.
We revived netball and supported the Netball Diamond Challenge. We supported them before, during and after the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. We were also proudly supporters of the SA Sports Awards, which we are also looking forward to. The 2012 Declaration on Social Cohesion and Nation-building indaba reiterated the importance of a nonracial, nonsexist and free society that we all strive for.
And in line with the declaration, we, as a province, have also taken major strides in promoting social cohesion and nation-building. We have hosted a very successful reconciliation challenge, which will be an annual event, promoting social cohesion and nation-building by having a first-class soccer and rugby matches on the same field on the same day.
In this year's event, Bloemfontein Celtics hosted Super Sport United and the Toyota Cheetahs beat the DHL Stormers at the very same event. It was notable to see traditional soccer supporters cheering the Cheetahs and traditional rugby supporters getting behind the Celtics. This event could be summarised in one photograph published in almost all the papers afterwards, where Celtics supporters chanting and singing as only they can, waving the Cheetahs' flag and a Cheetahs' supporter family sitting in the stands wearing the green and white of Celtics.
In relation to this, the department also hosted several social cohesion dialogues with communities in several towns of the Free State and it was extremely supported by our communities.
The Free State Provincial Geographical Names Committee has been very active in 2012 and, since its inception, has so far worked on changing several names, such as Kroonstad changed to Maokeng, Petrus Steyn to Mamafubedu, University Hospital to Albertina Sisulu Academic Hospital, Bloemfontein International Airport to Bram Fischer International Airport, Trompsburg Hospital to Alfred Nzula Hospital. The committee also assisted Mangaung metro to change the names of Maitland Street to Charlotte Maxeke Street. [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon MEC, your speaking time has expired; take one minute to finish up.
Mr D KGOTHULE: Well, I also just want to take this particular opportunity to say that in arts and culture, we are still doing very well with our arts in schools programmes. We have been given the right to take our matric set work to all schools by Mr John Kani with his book that is titled: Nothing But the Truth. We are very busy with our programme in arts in prisons and it is very successful. But I would like to conclude by quoting Marcus Garvey when he said: "A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." [Time expired.]
Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Mr T L MAKUNYANE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 292
Mr D KGOTHULE
Mr T L MAKUNYANE: Hon Chair, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, hon members and distinguished guests, it is an honour to be given this opportunity to be part of the debate on sports and recreation and arts and culture. These issues are usually misunderstood and their importance usually underestimated. Thomas Gray wrote the words:
Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
When he wrote the words, he was looking at a grave of a young child and wondering what would have become of him or her if he or she were given a chance to grow and develop to his or her full potential - another Cromwell or Mandela, Beethoven or Hugh Masekela or Le Clos? If only they had been discovered, identified nurtured and supported.
MEC Kgothule was just telling us about their successes in the Free State because they have managed to achieve the above. Identifying spotting talent, nurturing it and giving it support is one of the common themes that run through both the Department of Sport and Recreation and the Department of Arts and Culture. It is important perhaps to note that in the past these sectors were used to divide and oppress our people. At the same time, they were turned by the liberation movement in highly contested terrains of struggle. Today, they have to be turned into a theatre of transformation, reconstruction and development.
The arts, culture and heritage sector also has the potential to contribute towards economic growth, job creation and building sustainable livelihoods. In this era of unbridled cultural imperialism, commercialisation and the promotion of morally corrosive crass materialism, the potential of this sector to protect our cultural integrity, heal our nation and promote social cohesion should never be underestimated.
The department fully understands these issues and thus aims to embark on systematic programmes to develop audiences and stimulate demand. The strategy adopted by the Department of Arts and Culture also aims at bringing back arts education in schools to establish a national skills academy for cultural and creative industries, develop a public arts programme and also focus on our rich heritage and history of liberation.
The idea of developing cultural precincts in all provinces has to be commended seriously since it will bring South Africa's cultural diversity to every corner of our beautiful country. It will also expose our youth to art forms of all kinds. The departments' plans supported by the necessary resources promise to contribute in a profound way to the transformation of our country and to build a better life for all.
The National Development Plan also recognised the potential of sports and recreation to play an important role in building social cohesion and promoting good health and wellness. It is a scientifically proven fact that recreational sports are beneficial to both physical and psychological wellbeing. They are also effective in promoting social inclusion and national cohesion.
The programmes of the Department of Sports and Recreation thus seek first to promote mass participation in sports and recreation. As a follow-up on the NDP proposal, the department also seeks to encourage all South Africans to walk, run, cycle or play team games at least twice a month. This will be a way of promoting healthy lifestyles but also a way of building healthy communities at social level.
Access to sports facilities become a major issue thus the need for partnership with local government. Another way of promoting mass participation in sport and recreation is through the School Sports programme where the programme becomes an integrated part of the holistic development of learners, talents are spotted and career choices are made.
Besides the mass participation in sports, the department has another responsibility of identifying, nurturing, sharpening and refining talent at the highest level of our country's participation in international sports. This will help to showcase our country and to promote its presence and leadership in strategic issues. It is a way of projecting soft power in international relations. To this end, the department will be working in close partnership with the SA Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee, Sascoc, to embark on programmes specifically aimed at excellence and high performance in different codes.
Maybe we should take this opportunity to express our most profound concern about the shabby treatment that was meted out to our national team, Bafana Bafana in some African countries. On their current visit to play the Central African Republic in Cameroon, they were pushed from pillar to post and endlessly delayed in Douala on their way to Yaoundé. The likelihood was that because of this delay, they arrived at their final destination being tired, drained and were unable to play at their best.
Hon Minister, through the hon Chair, we suggest that, to avoid this type of treatment in future, you should join hands with the SA Football Association, Safa, to consider chartering special air transport for our country's pride and joy. In future, winning the Rugby world Championship [Laughter.] or the Africa Cup of Nations should not be an accident.
As we send our athletes onto the international arena, we should do so with the full knowledge that we are winners. The aim of this department is maximising access, development and excellence at all levels of participation in sports and recreation so as to improve social cohesion, nation-building, and the quality of life of all South Africans. We believe that with the programmes the Minister has, he deserves the full support of all those who want to see our country transform and prosper.
The ANC fully supports the budgets of both the Department of Sports and Recreation and that of the Department of Arts and Culture.
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 293
Mr T L MAKUNYANE
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: Chairperson, hon members, just to say in my life as a Minister of Sports, I have seen and met champions, young people who are patriotic about this country like nobody else. I have seen them crying, toiling, competing and defeated. I was there to lift them up and show them the way. I am proud to have met great people as athletes and administrators in sports. To me, the performance of an athlete is not a theory; it is something that I practice. I have finished 104km of cycling and know enduring the pain of becoming a champion. That is why I don't praise mediocrity; I praise excellence. I don't do that as a second guess thought because I know what it means to being a champion.
Those who rest in their laurels and in their towers, who don't know what it means to being a champion, would always become people who shout on the roof tops without the essence of understanding what it means to being a champion. That is why we celebrate these athletes. And we are not going to compromise about that, and we don't mince words about it.
It was the first time that we held sports awards in this country. We have been having music awards to celebrate artists. You never knew about Chad le Clos until he came to the stage of the sports awards - that is excellence. [Applause.] It is only the sports awards and the Premier Soccer League, the PSL, awards where athletes get rewards for winning. [Interjections.] If you come here and shine and whine because an election is coming to misinform South Africa - do that because here in the Western Cape you have sports awards.
Besides having the sports awards, we wanted to bring Manchester United with the taxpayer's money of over R10 million and allow them to play here, but you do not even support Chippa United and Ajax Cape Town. [Applause.] You recently wanted to bring Liverpool and PSL refused. Why can you not support Chippa United and Ajax Cape Town? You support golf days with amounts of money. I spent the money with the athletes and that is where I use it. That is what is important. You are invited to the razzmatazz and the humdinger of the sports awards.[Applause.] You are jealous because those are the black giant's events.
When we walk at the sports awards, you must look at us; our shoes are polished well and these are people of integrity that make you celebrate. Why should we celebrate them in a cheap way? I will never do that. Manchester United is my team, but I will never bring them to South Africa for R10 million.
I want to report to this House that our team Bafana Bafana has arrived in Yaounde after been delayed in Gabon for seven hours. When they arrived there, they were told that there was no flight and had to take a bus that would drive for seven hours.
We would tell our youth and players that champions are the made from hard work and sweat. They will win even against those who wanted to bring them down. I am confident that our team with the stress that they've endured they will win for South Africa.
We support netball, and we are still going to support them. The netball league is coming. I don't want to make a makeshift arrangement that would fizzle out after two weeks. It is still our commitment that you are going to see a netball league in South Africa for the first time. [Applause.] There is no going back about that.
We want to ensure that the Municipal Infrastructure Grant, the MIG, is allocated to us so that we are able to support infrastructure development in the rural areas.
Hon Gunda, this year in October, the department together with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, the GIZ, will launch and open a comprehensive outdoor gym and a children's play park that will also be accompanied by sports facilities in Kenhardt, De Aar and Kimberly. I invite you to come with us on that journey.
In the NCOP, when you invited us to Carolina, we did what we were supposed to do. The ANC walks the talk, we don't pay leap service. We have delivered and we have got the facility, and we are going to turn around the stadium there and ensure that it becomes ...I am not talking theory; I am talking what we did. That is important. You were not there because you do not attend parliamentary sessions; and that is the problem. [Laughter.]
I am happy to stand here after having delivered in the rural community - we continue to actually deliver. To us excellence is not negotiable; it must be supported. Excellence to us is not about race; it is about building a South Africa. That is why all our teams must be black and white, not only black, but they must be black, white and purple to reflect the rainbow nation. That is what will happen in rugby. That is what is going to happen in cricket and in football. It is not negotiable. Transformation is not negotiable.
IsiZulu:
Sikhathele ukuthi izingane zethu sihlale ebhentshini.
English:
We are enough. Our children are selected in the team and thereafter warm the bench. No player was born to warm the bench. They should be given a chance and thereafter dropped if they do not perform. They should not be put on the bench on the basis of the skin colour. Full stop to that! Thank you. [Interjections.] [Applause.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order, Order! Hon members, I can confirm that I was there in Mpumalanga when the Minister went to deliver; he invited me and on your behalf I went there. I was there. [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF ARTS AND CULTURE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 293
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION
The MINISTER OF ARTS AND CULTURE: You know hon Minister Mbalula's other name is Vutha [Laughter.] Now you will agree with me that to follow behind Vutha is a very difficult task. Hon members, firstly, I want to once again thank all of you for supporting both Budgets. I have heard your cry; most of you are talking about rural areas. Let me assure you we are already there. I think we just need to increase our visibility. The good news as well is that for this Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, the Treasury has given us an additional R1,3 billion for libraries and we have agreed with the director-general together with the MECS we are going to try and prioritise libraries for rural areas .
Working jointly with the Department of Education we want to ensure that in communities...because some of the schools don't have libraries. When we do community libraries we must take into account the use by the students and the community in the way we locate libraries – that's what we going to do. Of course, we need to look at other infrastructure Minister Mbalula has talked about the Municipal Infrastructure Grant, MIG, funding. We will in the coming period try to look at whether we can get additional funding for infrastructure like art centres, etc. One of the things we must do is to remove the children from the streets. We have stared this programme now. I said earlier on, yesterday that we were in Nyanga with Minister Mbalula. We gave students there sports equipments, music equipments and we also went to Mitchells Plain.
Now, this programme is going to be rolled out throughout the country to say to students that they have an option from drugs. They have an option to be away from the streets. They must come and sing, dance, and play football. That's the programme that we want to use. The theme for this year's youth day is "working together for youth development and a drug free South Africa". I think we must do it practically. [Applause.] We must make sure we remove the children from the streets where they are loitering. The druglords are there and they must not find them because they have something else to do, something very constructive.
Chairperson, thank you very much. All the issues have been noted about the rural areas, what we need to do including supporting our historians and authors. We have all those on our programme.
Isixhosa:
Siyabulela [Kwaqhwatywa.]
The MINISTER OF ARTS AND CULTURE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 294
The MINISTER OF ARTS AND CULTURE
Appropriation Bill
(Policy debate)
Budget Vote No 33 - Rural Development and Land Reform:
The MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: Hon Chairperson, hon members of the House, colleagues from the executive, traditional leaders present here today, ladies and gentlemen, inspired by the Freedom Charter and the Reconstruction and Development Programme, the 52nd National Conference of the ANC in 2007 decided that rural development and land reform should rank among the top five national priorities.
The 52nd National Conference recognised that the 1913 Natives Land Act which left lasting scars and a painful legacy on rural communities must be reversed as part of addressing the national question. Consequently, the post 2009 election administration, led by His Excellency President Zuma, established the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. Weeks later, the department unveiled its Agrarian Transformation Strategy, supported by the Comprehensive Rural Development programme, the CRDP. I am pleased to report that the CRDP is working; it is gaining momentum and is effective, and is becoming a way of life. After four years of hard work and an investment of almost R2,2 billion, all indications are that a winning formula is evolving, namely the CRDP.
The department has footprints in all provinces across the country. In Masia and Mesilla in the Limpopo province, we have major projects including information and communications technology, the construction of a multipurpose centre, houses and libraries. That is what we are doing in partnership with Minister Mashatile. We are building an amphitheatre in Masia. Minister Mashatile is going to join us in the building of a library in Masia since he is one of our partners.
We have a footprint in Muyexe. It is known that Muyexe is providing a wonderful experience both in terms of good and bad lessons. We learnt that it was meant to be a pilot at first. For example, we bought a brick-making machine for women at a cost of half a million rands, but two weeks later the machine was stolen and until now it hasn't been recovered. We have built a precinct which has various departments. The latest is that Minister Motswaledi built a state-of-the-art clinic that is open for 24 hours a day in the precinct. The Minister of Communications constructed a post office and Minister Mbalula weighed in with a beautiful sports field that is clearly visible when you drive into Muyexe.
There are also challenges in Muyexe with water being the big challenge, the roads another challenge. There has been a lot of talk regarding water and roads in Muyexe. We have trained 50 youngsters, who are going to pave internal roads. This financial year we have budgeted an amount R50 million for that project to proceed.
In the Eastern Cape, on 18 July we are going to hand over the 141 metres-long bridge, named after iNkosi Dalibunga Nelson Mandela, to the communities of Ludondolo and Mvezo. The bridge is going to cut the time travelled between villages that are beyond the Mbashi River on the other side of Mvezo and Dutjwa towns by more than 45 minutes. This is going to save people a lot of money. We are told that when using the main route, people pay R57 for transport. These travelling costs will be cut down by more than R30. This is going to make an impact on the lives of the people.
We also have footprints in the Western Cape. We have guests sitting in the gallery from Mamre, a small settlement in Ward 29 of the Western Cape and also guests from District Six. As part of our programme this year, District Six will improve very soon because we are going to construct additional houses. The existing houses will be allocated to rightful owners in co-operation with the people in the gallery. Our guests in the gallery are the representatives of the beneficiaries.
In Witzenburg, Western Cape, we are working with 30 young people in building a high-walk way. When I visited them a couple of months ago, I found only two remaining. Since these young people are skilled individuals, some went to join the National Rural Youth Service Core, the NRYSC, and others found new jobs elsewhere. Those remaining wanted to continue and we are looking for other young people in order to proceed with the construction of the second phase of the project which includes a swimming pool. We have footprints everywhere.
In Devon, Gauteng, we also have footprints. Members who come from Gauteng will probably know of an area called Kalkfontein where young people in the National Youth Service Core, led by Wendy Tsotetsi, formed a co-operative. They started developing a wonderful enterprise in that area.
We have transformed Riemvasmaak in the Northern Cape by bringing from the Orange River which is 37km away. Hon members from the Northern Cape have probably seen this project and the massive change it brought in the lives of the people. There is an irrigation scheme in Riemvasmaak, but of course, we have also constructed clinics, sport facilities, etc. We are, of course, still going to do more.
Hon members from Msinga can attest to the fact have done lots of things in KwaZulu-Natal. One of the recent marvellous incidents that occurred either in January or February is that, for the first time, we had an auction of indigenous goats where the rural community sold 575 goats and made a lot of money.
We are also reviving the Tugela Ferry which is a big irrigation scheme. We have three or four companies now, however, when we were there in March we had three that were working. When I asked Chief Mthembu about the number of people who live in that village he said, "I don't know, but all of them work here."
In KwaNxamalala, we have a wonderful project on both sides of the Mooi River, and we are doing well. Working with the provincial government, we have put up a bulk infrastructure for 904 houses. That that place is muddy but it has now been developed, and people were moved in and have settled in 904 beautiful well-built houses.
Diyatalawa in the Free State is the first semi-green village in the country. After visiting this area, youngsters from Sikhame came back and said to us, "Please bring to us, as well, those street lights and the solar lighting that you did in Diyatalawa." But, of course, we are also doing more elsewhere.
In Emansomini, KwaZulu-Natal, there is a wonderful experience of implementing the Comprehensive Rural Development programme. Chiefs and community members are working together with one purpose, both the young and the old are well organised. Looking at them, you can see for yourself that, yes, it can be done. When we discussed the concept with them, they said that it is what they have been doing before. As a result Engen got encouraged and reopened a filling station that was closed a long time ago and it is now operating again. The small stores are back in operation. People are working - selling sugarcanes and vegetables.
We have a good partnership with Sugar SA in Emansomini. Probably hon members who know this can talk much better than what I am able to articulate in terms of what Sugar SA is actually doing for the people, unlike other strategic partners. Sugar SA made an economic decision to provide free training.
In the Free State, there are two interesting households that received land from us. We revitalised their lands, and they are making a lot of money out of it. They are now making their way into the value chain. Another interesting example, is that of a family in Port Elizabeth which decided to go back home immediately after their parents got the land. The whole family, some from Gauteng Province -just boom! - went back home to work on the land. We want to boast about that move because this is kind of a move represents something that we thought cannot happen, that people can move from urban areas back to the rural areas. However, they can if they see economic opportunities. Those two instances demonstrate that such as move is possible.
The people in Diyatalawa are doing something interesting. They have leased out 400 of their 2000 hectors of land at R400 per hector per annum. They are beginning to look at business opportunities and so forth. The provincial government, working with us, has built boarding facilities there. Now that this place has been renewed, Nestlé bought dairy cows, and we built a dairy parlour which is now in operation.
We have employed young people in Diyatalawa to reconstruct the road using paving bricks instead of tare. These are the kinds of footprints that we have made in that area.
I would like to boast about the Mokhatshana family which decided to open its own butchery in Virginia because of the Recapitalisation and Development programme. This programme is one of the 11 pilots of recapitalising farms. All this shows that Land Reform and Rural Development programmes are working.
In Mpumalanga we could have started the first sustainable rural community development programme in Mayflower. Hon members coming from Mpumalanga should actually take note that leadership is very important and needed. That is why we are starting to build low water bridges and to pave the roads. When I went there with the company of young people, who said they wanted to build shopping malls and so on, we then said to them we should build this idea and turn it around, because Mayflower has a beautiful layout for both agriculture and for building such social infrastructures, etc. Hon members coming from Mpumalanga should take note of this and decide on how all of us could work together in order to assist.
The Dabulamanzi farm lies closely to the boundary between the Free State and the North West. When I met MECs from two provinces last week, they both claimed this farm. However, it is on the side of the North West province. Dabulamanzi is a wonderful recapitalisation farm, which has employed 300 people. The farm is already moving into the value chain. These are some of the small experiences that are happening there.
In so far as youth development is concerned, footprints are visible across all provinces. About 12 881 mixed youngsters are in the National Rural Youth Service Corp except for the fact that we had only nine young white South Africans. But we actually want all of them to be involved.
I wish that hon members could take time off and go either to Saldanha or to the Army Base in Kimberly, just to observe the discipline shown by these youngsters. Members should see how these youngsters were when they joined the defence force, army base or the naval base. They should have seen them when they were still raw from home, they appeared worthless. Members should look at them now, four months later. When they conducted a passing out parade, they looked awesome! They are the South African youngsters.
We will invite hon members in August when we will be sending another group to Saldahna, which will graduate in December. Members will be notified. Again, another group will be sent to Kimberly in July. These are the young kids that come from rural areas and villages etc. They are the youngsters that will be trained in order to entrench in them discipline so that they can, in turn, help to build their own communities.
Moving forward, in this financial year, we want to invest in the following things: Two hundred and forty million rand in the irrigation schemes on which we are focusing; five hundred hectors of land in Vaalharts in Taung; five schemes in Umkhanyakude, uThungulu and Mzinyathi in Zululand district in KwaZulu-Natal; in three schemes in the Eastern Cape; and approximately R220 million, in animal feed management. This is a very important programme because it also responds to the negative impacts of the 1913 Native Land Act, namely deforestation - the destruction of the environment. The Act did not only have an impact on social lives but also on the natural environment.
Approximately R70 million will be spent on building bridges in Pniel, Wupperthal in the Western Cape and in Diyatalawa. In the agriculture value chain, we want to invest R60 million in poultry farming, R32 million in dairy farming, R100 million in the fruit and vegetable industry and R300 million in grains. We want to spread our wings a little bit.
We have learnt a lot through the pilot sites that we have embarked upon. This year we are going to embark on four major projects. The first one is the Zuurberg tourism corridor in the Eastern Cape; the Taung Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme in the Northern Cape; Gongongo, Dingamanzi and Vaalmansdal in Gauteng. Working together with the Tshwane Municipality, the human settlements and others we can build a new dam. We are inviting hon members to a walk tour at the Cape Town Convention International Convention Centre on 20 and 21 June. On the morning of 20 June, we will graphically demonstrate in a dramatic form the impact of the 1913 Native Land Act, and in the evening the President will deliver a speech. On 21 June there will be guests coming from outside Parliament and from the community. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Mrs A N D QIKANI
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 295
The MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM
Mrs A N D QIKANI: Hon House Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members, special delegates, ladies and gentlemen, this afternoon I partake in the Budget Vote debate on Rural Development and Land Reform having mixed emotions. As we mark the centenary of the Natives Land Act, land dispossession, through the notorious piece of legislation in South Africa, produced negative consequences such as the confinement of the majority of our people for the most unproductive land; inequitable distribution of land ownership, largely in favour of the minority racial group; and the dislocation of the social and economic systems of our people.
As the ANC, we acknowledge the fact that colonialism and apartheid systematically undermined African agriculture when the white farmers, through substantial state subsidies and the availability of cheap black labour, developed a model of large-scale commercial farming in South Africa. This has led to two forms of agriculture in South Africa; substance farming in the communal areas and white commercial farming, with the extent of the dispossession of the land of the indigenous people, resulting in many converting into wage workers. This subjected our people to poverty and unemployment.
It is for this reason that in the resolutions of the 52nd ANC National Conference that was held in December 2007, the ANC reaffirmed its acute awareness and sensitivity to the centrality of land question, as a fundamental element in the resolution of the race, gender and class contradictions in South Africa. We want to congratulate the hon Minister Nkwinti and his predecessors for their decisive leadership to ensure that we continue in our national path to ensure the realisation of the constitutional injection that, and I quote: "The state must take reasonable legislative and other measures within its available resources to foster conditions which enable citizens to gain access to land on an equitable basis."
As the select committee, we support all your department's initiatives to ensure that our policy options, including the institutional, legal and administrative structures as well as spheres' agency, address the land question. We support all your department's initiatives of giving true meaning to section 25 of the Constitution. The section obliges our government to remove all forms of obstacles that may impact on the state when putting legislative and other measures in place to achieve land, water and related reforms. This would be in order to redress the results of past racial discriminations which provided that any departure from the provisions of this section would be in accordance with the provision of section 36(1).
In February this year, President Jacob Zuma took a bold and decisive step by aligning the fundamental principle that underpins the restitution process with the Constitution, by stating that restitution and redress will be done in a just and equitable way. Allow me to convey our profound appreciation to President Zuma for the courageous move to ensure that our people have access to fertile land, food security and prosperity amongst our rural constituency.
The process of restitution of land to the masses that were dispossessed was always going to be a necessary, but long and painful process. In this centenary of the Native Land Act, which was the foundation of apartheid and segregation, we need to stop and evaluate the progress we have made in achieving the targets we have set for ourselves.
We support the reopening of the restitution process to include the communities that were excluded from the process, the first time around. In terms of this, we actually await the restitution of land rights amending Bill, following the important discussions with stakeholders that have happened already.
Minister, what the select committee will be tracking is whether the department has the capacity and the budget to deal with the land claim backlog, including the new claims that are envisaged with the reopening of the process. By restoring land, we are restoring dignity and identity to our people. So far, the process has yielded some success stories, but there are many out there that are still left wanting or who have unproductive farms.
The Recapitalisation and Development programme that was initiated by the department to address the failing land reform project needs to be carefully monitored. The need for more assistance to our beneficiaries is supported. However, the intervention designed needs to be project-specific and visible.
The recapitalisation of 730 land reform farms, as stipulated in the Annual Performance Plan for this year, will be closely monitored. Since this is a double expenditure to the state, we want to work in partnership with your department to ensure that we investigate the reasons for the failure of this project in order to draw lessons that will assist our nation in the future.
As the select committee, we have agreed that the department needs to undertake a full visible study and ensure that we hold those responsible for failures accountable. The new service providers needed to be carefully selected in order to make an impact and a success of these projects. To have too many beneficiaries to a project in order to secure grants is also the main cause for failure.
Research conducted by the institute for poverty, land and agrarian studies indicates that the young labour components of our economy want to farm the land and prefer doing that on small plots of one hectare or less. This implies that the smallholder farming sector is gaining momentum in the country. The state must provide the necessary tools to support and facilitate this process. By merely promoting smallholder farms into semicommercial and commercial ventures is not the answer. This group of smallholders want land to ensure food security at household level.
I would like to share with you some of the figures allocated to the land reform programme, specifically for the land reform subprograms grants. A total of R745 million has been set aside for the recapitalisation and development of distressed farms. The initiative is supported.
When we conducted our oversight, we discovered many land reform projects that were failing due to lack of funding, planning or with too many beneficiaries. However, the department needed to clarify areas and provinces where these farms are located, and the criteria that is being used to prioritise these projects. Due to lack of planning and the implementation of proper project plans, or conflicts amongst beneficiaries, we will find ourselves still bailing out our farms.
There is a Comprehensive Rural Development programme that was piloted in 2009, which is a flagship programme of this department.
As the select committee, we have visited Muyexe and discovered that some projects were functional whereas others were not. Poor quality, the scarcity of water and the proposed pipeline that is still to be finalised are the major constraints in that area. We acknowledge that the area is drought-stricken, but we need to look at alternatives for those communities that are living in harsh environments that are vulnerable to climate change. Our intervention need to suit the environment so that the marginalised rural communities can have opportunities to develop themselves. Generally, it seems that the Comprehensive Rural Development programme, the CRDP, is working since the department has a footprint in all provinces. The CRDP was and still is a vehicle to develop the rural areas, sustainably. It is for this reason that we have committed ourselves to ensuring that the projects that the department initiate in the financial year, are sustainable and customised to suit the needs of the people in the areas they are implemented. The CRDP is an important programme for our government to show its investment and commitment to the rural people of South Africa.
For this financial year, the majority of the budget, which is an amount of almost R509 million of the rural development programmes is allocated to the National Youth Service Corps. This signifies a clear shift to invest in the rural youth and our future generation as opposed to rural development programmes.
This investment in our youth is supported but we also need to be strategic about where this investment is made. The Select Committee on Land and Environment Affairs will be interested in tracking these initiatives. The project of the National Youth Service Corps needs to be relevant. In addition, the appointed service providers need to be held accountable for the budget that they have spent.
The department and Minister Nkwinti have an unviable task of creating sustainable and vibrant rural communities. We are indeed humbled that Minister Nkwinti has moved with outmost determination to tackle the mammoth challenge imposed - of addressing one of the profound features of the legacy of apartheid in our society. We wish you well in this endeavour and pledge your support in the processing the legislation that your department has drafted to address these legacies.
The budget that you have proposed addresses the main priorities of this administration. As the select committee, we will be tracking the projects in our various provinces, especially the revitalisation of the irrigation schemes. This is aligned with the call made in the National Development Plan and it will be the way to ensure that communities can be more food-secured and productive. The ANC supports the Budget Vote for the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. I thank you. [Applause.]
Cllr H O MAFEFE (Salga)
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 296
Mrs A N D QIKANI
Cllr H O MAFEFE (Salga): Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, the hon Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, the Deputy Minister, hon members of the NCOP, special guests, ladies and gentlemen, let me indicate that the SA Local Government Association, Salga, has participated in some major policy reform initiatives that have a bearing on the local government sector as outlined by the hon Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform.
Whilst we acknowledge the challenges associated with the initiatives to reverse the legacy of underdevelopment that were created by the apartheid system, we strongly believe that the success of these initiatives will largely depend on the local government sector playing a key role throughout the value chain. Collaboration with municipalities and strengthening the capacity of the local government sector should therefore find resonance in all the initiatives that were outlined by the hon Minister.
In terms of the Comprehensive Rural Development programme, the CRDP, the various rural development initiatives outlined by the hon Minister are noted with appreciation. However, to sustain these initiatives will largely depend on an improved and an increased role of municipalities, given that these programmes are being implemented in municipal spaces. The sphere of government that is closest to the people to build municipal capacity to sustainably manage some of these developmental initiatives, should in our view find a way in all the programmes that seek to address rural poverty.
In terms of institutional reforms and transformation in advancing the CRDP, the hon Minister indicated progress on a number of institutional reforms and transformation initiatives that are aimed at advancing the CRDP for which Salga is looking forward to meaningfully participate in. It is also important to note that Salga has already provided input in some of the policies and legislative initiatives that the hon Minister has alluded to.
With reference to legislation and policy, which includes spatial planning and land use management, Salga has made constructive inputs at every opportunity in order to influence the final Bill as it will have significant impact on the local government sector. The successful implementation of the new Act will require a concerted effort by both the national and provincial spheres of government in order to ensure that municipalities are capacitated enough to implement the new legislation.
In conclusion, I want to indicate that there are still some unresolved key issues that were raised by Salga. And we would want to meaningfully participate in the regulatory impact assessment of the new legislation in order to ensure that the implications of the local government sector are adequately articulated.
I want to indicate to this House that it would be unfair for me to leave here without attesting that what the hon Minister indicated here earlier on is true. I am part of the statistics that moved from the suburbs to a rural residence because of the eminent changes that are experienced through rural development and land reform. [Applause.] And, we really do appreciate. We also express our appreciation for all the efforts made in putting together the budgets and the time allocated to Salga to take part in the debates, hence we welcome Budget Vote 33 on Rural Development and Land Reform. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mrs N W MAGADLA
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 297
CLLR H O MAFEFE (SALGA)
Mrs N W MAGADLA: Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers present, hon Deputy Minister present, hon acting Chief Whip, special and permanent delegates of the NCOP and distinguished guests, this year marks the 100 year anniversary of the 1913 Land Act. This Act robbed black Africans of their land and turned them into refugees in their land of birth. It further locked them in a perpetual sea of poverty in the periphery of economic activity with limited or no food security.
This historic dispossession of the indigenous black majority turned millions into beggars in their country of origin.
The year 2013 marks four years of hard work since the administration of President Jacob Zuma took office in 2009, following the elections' results which culminated in the majority of the South Africans and mandated the ANC to govern this country. In providing leadership to the country, President Jacob Zuma has during his state of the nation address in 2010, characterised correctly the character and the nature of his administration as follows: "The defining features of this administration will be that it knows where people live, understands their needs and responds faster."
This is leadership at its best as it provides to position and mandate government, and particularly the Department of Rural Development and Land Affairs, to respond faster to the needs of the people of the rural community. As we are aware that rural development and land reform is one of the key five priorities, we believe that it should be seen as a proactive measure in dealing with the developmental challenges that manifest themselves in our rural communities.
The ANC should be commended for returning huge chunks of land to the descendants of the previous indigenous owners through the land restitution policy. As members of the NCOP, who are entrusted with a constitutional responsibility to exercise oversight functions over the executive, we are content with the progressive performance of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform of striving to accelerate rural development programmes and of implementing meaningful land reform systems.
It is worth mentioning that during the follow-up visit of the NCOP in 2012 to Free State province, we observed that the Diyatalawa Rural Development Pilot project which is located in the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality has borne positive fruits for the rural community of Diyatalawa and neighbouring areas. I agree with the Minister that Diyatalawa is progressing well, and that is true.
We have no doubt that the Comprehensive Rural Development programme, the CRDP, has indeed changed the plight of our people. We urge the department to expand this programme to other rural areas, which are adversely affected by the triple challenges facing our society in an effort to improve the quality of life of our people.
As the select committee, we have received briefings from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform on its policy and Budget Vote No 33. We supported, amongst others, the key objective of the department; that of working very hard in achieving vibrant and sustainable rural communities.
During this meeting, we informed the department that the committee has been monitoring the implementation of the CRDP since it was introduced in 2009. We believe that the CRPD is one of the key strategic programmes of the department. Therefore, it should address the agrarian challenges, which include, but not limited to the improvement of economic infrastructure - I think the chairperson of the committee has already mentioned that.
The mandate given to the ANC by the electorate relates to the question of rural development. As members of the select committee, we have emphasised to the department that we will support the sustainable and vibrant rural communities with all the amenities which are necessary to support the quality of life in a rural area.
We believe that land reform must represent a radical and rapid break from the past without significantly disrupting agricultural production and food security. A Comprehensive Rural Development programme should be completed and supported with dedicated funding for social, economic, agricultural and nonagricultural infrastructure, together with a spatial development component.
Of course, we are the first to admit and accept that regrettably, the current pace of land redistribution is slow and will result in us not meeting the target of land ownership through the redistribution of 30% of agricultural land before 2014.
It is against this background that the ANC in its 53rd National Conference resolutions reaffirmed and made it clear that rural development is a central pillar of our struggle against unemployment, poverty and inequality, and that gender equality must be a critical ingredient and an important outcome of our programme of rural development, land reform and agrarian change.
To correct the injustices of the past, women are required to increasingly become the beneficiaries in respect of strategies to overcome poverty in rural areas. The developmental state has a central role to play in leading and sustaining rural development, and seeing to the current and future appropriations in responding to such demands.
Our movement has long realised that no meaningful freedom can be achieved without the genuine emancipation of women. For us as Parliament to be able to advance, defend and deepen our democratic gains, we must work hard to place, at the centre of our developmental agenda, the aspirations of our people, particularly those from rural areas. This will assist in combating the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment as correctly stated by President Jacob Zuma.
IsiXhosa:
Halala, KwiSebe loPhuhliso lwezaMaphandle noHlengahleniso lwezoMhlaba, halala! Tshotsho ufike usiphucule nathi bahlali basezilalini. Sithi huntshu, kwiSebe loPhuhliso lwezaMaphandle noHlengahleniso lwezoMhlaba,huntshu!
English:
We support the Budget Vote of the department. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr D A WORTH
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 298
Mrs N W MAGADLA
Mr D A WORTH: Hon Chairperson, Hon Minister Nkwinti, hon Deputy Minister Tsenoli, who I know is a big Cheetah supporter in the Free State, hon members and visitors in the gallery, firstly, I would like to thank the department for their presentation to our committee. Let me remind you that today is 6 June, 06-06, which we commemorate as D-day, the Allied invasion of Europe and its liberation during World War II and a reminder of all South Africans who were dispossessed of their land under the Native Land Acts of 1913 and 1936.
The budget for the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform for 2012-2013, Budget Vote 33, is approximately R9,46 billion Rand which has increased by 5,4% in nominal terms, while in real terms has decreased by 0,18%. This minor reduction reflects the decrease under the Administration and Geospatial and Cadastral Services programmes in 2013-2014.
The largest share of the department's budget will be spent under the Restitution and Land Reform programmes, together accounting for 71% of the department's allocation for 2013-2014. This indicates that they are priority programmes as these are responsible for the finalisation of restitution claims and land acquisition to speed up the land reform process and the implementation of the Recapitalisation and Development programme, which are priorities of the department over the medium-term period.
There has been much debate around the speed of the land reform process in South Africa. This has been an extremely emotive and challenging process and recent data suggests that the target of transferring 30% of white owned agricultural land to claimants has been a slow process. According to the department, the redistribution process has resulted in the transfer of only 7,5% to land claimants by the end of 2012.
Since 1995, 2,6 million hectares or 2,1% of all land has been handed to black persons via the restitution programme. In addition, more than R5 billion has been paid out to restitution claimants who accepted cash instead of having land returned to them. It is estimated in certain quarters that some 32,5% of land in South Africa, including the so-called former homelands, belongs to black farmers and not the 13% often cited by government officials.
Virtually, all the productive farms which were handed over to black beneficiaries under the government's restitution programme have failed, mostly due to the government's lack of financial training and the lack of will to farm in certain instances by the beneficiaries. The Minister admitted that 90% of the department's land reform programmes have failed! This land has been lost to South Africa's overall farm production.
A once thriving Kwa-Zulu Natal farm which produced more than 400 tons of bananas a year is in ruins. Although R3,2 million rand was paid for the farm, the government is planning to allocate more money in the form of recapitalisation.
Post-settlement support has also been a significant problem in the land reform process. The recapitalisation and development programme, the RADP, was launched during the 2009-2010 financial year in an attempt to improve post-settlement support. An amount of 969 farms have been recapitalised in 2010 at a cost of R1,8 billion rand.
Research conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry clearly indicates that there is a significant risk of failure when co-operatives are established to manage projects or are beneficiaries of government assistance. For instance, instead of allocating small farming units to individuals or families, a commercial farm-sized area is typically allocated to a large number of beneficiaries organised into a co-operative. This form of communal economic activity has been found to be highly ineffective with the failure rates of co-operatives being around 88% or more. Research has found that 12% of individuals desiring land wanted it for purposes other than food production.
The National Treasury states that the aim of the department's land reform programmes are, and I quote:"To acquire strategically located land and to ensure 100% productivity of all redistributed farms by 2016". Since 2011-2012, the department has spent R20,7 billion rand in the restitution and land reform programmes, yet it is very doubtful whether there will ever be 100% productivity at the end of the process.
South Africa is not blessed with a massive amount of fertile and irrigable land. A large portion of previous homeland surface is badly degraded as a result of past land use patterns and a large portion of current commercial agricultural land is suffering from the effects of decades of intensive production, erosion of sensitive soils, and variable and changing rainfall patterns. The contribution of agriculture to the GDP has decreased from 9,1% in 1955 to less than 2% in 2012. The number of commercial farmers have decreased from over 100 000 to 36 000 in 15 years.
Despite the significant increase in staffing and consultant expenditure, the land claims process has not been completed, some 15 years after the deadline for claims submissions have lapsed. In 2011-2012 the department only achieved 55% of its targeted programmes. The latest total outstanding claims in respect of the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces is 5 263 as at 31 March 2013.
In the 2012-2013 financial year, 218 claims were settled and 20 were dismissed. However, the land claims process which closed 14 years ago is being reopened with a new deadline for claims by 2018. The department has also stated that the new process would also allow claims for dispossessions from before 1913. The pre-1913 claims are expected to be mainly from the Khoi and San people.
The department told the press that it was expecting "an avalanche" of new claims. I thank you. [Applause.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 299
Mr D A WORTH
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: Hon Chairperson, hon members and guests, the resources that we are speaking about here today is the Budget Vote that we request you to support in the coming years because the indications of what is going come in the following years and so on, will not mend the damage done a century ago or more than three centuries ago. It is also important and interesting to point that out.
My homeboy from the Free State spoke about the damage to the environment because a century ago, one of the things that happened was not only the damage to peoples' relationships with the land. It was also damage to the environment that resulted from overcrowded people in areas that were already barren because of having chosen prime land for themselves and so on. They did not only damage peoples' relationships with the land but damaged the environment as well.
One of the resources that this money would go to - what we are going to be expending - is towards the rehabilitation of the soil and peoples' relationships with the land. There is no way that resources are going to be adequate for that purposes. We do want to point it out because we underestimated the magnitude of the problem. Another thing that I think should be exposed as nonsensical is the assumption that all farms that were handed over were all productive; some of them were not.
For example, in Kwazulu-Natal which you have mentioned, of the 12 farms which some community got back, only three of them were in a good state. The rest are being rehabilitated by the new owners, the new claimants who fortunately include people that are experienced in environmental production and regeneration. They are the ones who are actually introducing both indigenous knowledge and the ways of handling land-related issues. They are also using new ways of implementing the National Environmental Management Act as well.
It is not true that all of them were in prime good condition. You cite those that are dramatic and sensational for that purpose. What will make big news, of course, are those that have been dramatic and sensational because of the problem of relations with the land.
The recapitalisation and development problem emerged precisely because, in recognition, we needed to improve the quality of support that we are giving to people.
And please, this 90% that you have quoted about the Minister having mentioned it, you are conveniently not stating that this was soon after the Minister took over. In fact, even that figure that the Minister spoke about was the figure from the then director-general who has not done his homework appropriately. The reality of the matter is that the level of failure that you are pointing out is a dangerous one. I think we should systematically provide you with information regularly, which we are doing now.
We are increasing the amount of information that we are providing for people to recognise the impact of the resources that we have. Let us also point out something that is also very useful as part of this debate.
Ownership of land is also in the hands of the churches which we are speaking about. Many of the lands that we are speaking about that you refer to as being fallow, are farms and places that are owned by the churches in which some of you are congregants; I know you.
Even though you made mention of the fallow lands, you never you never raised this as an issue. Fortunately, there are very active members of the ANC who are very sensitive to this issue of land and have noticed that the records that are provided as reports, and presented in church meetings and so on, involve land. Let us go and do something about this issue.
We are very happy because many of the clergies themselves, the leading ones included, are calling for something to be done about the land. They do have a say. Also most importantly, members and people who live on those lands do have your say. Have you noticed that some of you are not doing anything on the lands? You are not being exemplary by doing something about them.
The stake that we have for peace in this country on land-related issues includes some of you who do have vast tracks of lands, lots of properties and do not think carefully about what they mean for peace in this country. As someone who has 19 or 20 properties and land in your name, and are quite when people are talking about the ownership, control, management, use, and so on of land; think about what you can do.
We do not see any of you moving hardly an inch in providing initiatives to give leadership to this serious matter. We have no questions on this serious matter and we are working with nongovernmental organisations, some of them in the land-related field, to debate and talk about this issues.
One of the things that we have clearly seen is improving the quality of support that we are giving to people who get the land back. That is what we are working on internally in government and also with others outside of government. As we have said earlier on, we need to work with them in order to improve and also give them training on how to work on the land to produce the best benefits.
Land reform land-related issues are not only about agriculture; please let us remember that. The most important thing that we must state is that there are 1208 communal property associations in the country. It means communities who live together and have since got back their land. It is an important political delivery. In other words, for some of those people, some settlement has been arrived at. So what need to be done are the next steps - quality support that we provide to them. But let us talk about the other part of the story - the Free State where I come from.
Of the 48 communal property associations that existed, there are now 31 left because others have sold the land. We state this to point because of the complexities of the problems that we are dealing with. We would like to move at the greatest possible pace. It is not just the quantum of money that we will have even if we are to finish the claims that we have now.
Roughly speaking, there are 8500 lands that are left and most of them are in rural areas and the reason we are unable to unravel them is not just money, it is because there are conflicting claims on those lands by different traditional leaders. I do want to state it here that some of the people who are traditional leaders were not traditional leaders or chiefs before, they were imposed. They were thus given land that does not belong to them. Now we are caught in the middle of a conflict about who actually owns these lands and so on. So this is why it cannot be resolved.
The other important issue is that once the matter goes to court, it means delays. We are also looking at the capacity of the courts that are handling these matters that are delayed. Once it goes to court, why does it take a long time to resolve? We do expect that as our interventions improve, we will be able to speed-up the issues, reduce the amount of conflict amongst beneficiaries themselves and also reduce the condensations that often lead beneficiaries to court. There will be no delay on the resolution of the claims of those who are still fighting. We hope they will come to the conclusion that we can hand over the land that they rightly deserve. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr J J GUNDA
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 300
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM
Mr J J GUNDA: Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers, hon Deputy Minister and colleagues, the challenge we have to debate about rural development is not an easy task. It is a very difficult task, just for the mere fact that we debate something that we don't need to debate because our people do not have this land which they previously owned. That is a challenge!
Hon Minister, you also have got one of the biggest challenges in this country. With the land claims, distribution and restitution, you are faced with a big challenge. Yet, this very government must pay these people and rectify the mistakes of the past.
My only plea today in this debate is that rural growth takes place in a spatial dimension. The major bottleneck to economic growth in the rural areas is the lack of basic infrastructure which the very same department must struggle to bring to the rural areas, and the creation of economic growth points and/or rural towns.
The overall goal of the integrated rural development is to transform rural areas into socially, politically and economically viable enclaves. These enclaves will contribute positively and significantly to the reduction of poverty and overall, the sustainable development of South Africa.
The improvement of food security incomes of the rural households and also the improvement of access to quality social and economic infrastructure is not only essential but imperative if the goal of rural development is to be attained. That is a big challenge! It is something that this department needs to do.
The next challenge that this department needs to ... I see that the chairperson of finance and the chairperson of probations are here. I want to lobby you as the committee to give this department more money, speak to Treasury. These people have a huge challenge and the budget that they even have today is not sufficient for them; they know it and are trying to do something with it. So, Treasury must also come and assist them and give them more money to do a proper and efficient job. The only time we can judge them is when you have given them enough resources. Then we can judge them.
I do not believe in judging people if you do not give them enough. Judge them when you have given them enough. This is the problem that we are facing.
Hon Minister, the other thing is the land claims – you know exactly what I am talking about. The people are suffering because it takes so long to settle claims not only because the department does not have money, but ... [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mr M W MAKHUBELA
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 300
Mr J J GUNDA
Mr M W MAKHUBELA: Hon Chairperson, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, the book of Exodus has one amazing scene. It has the burning bushes which talk; the sea that gets divided by a command; and flats in which manna dropped in the morning. [Interjections.] The Exodus book is a great rescue to us!
Due to freedom from slavery, blood was spilled by foreign heroes and heroines. I can mention names here like that of Stanza Bopape who was, Vusi Mini, Solomon Mahlangu and Chris Hani who were killed just because of land. There are people who were incarcerated in Robben Island because of land. They are former President Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Gauta Mokgoro, Themba Makonyane, Dan Manzini and Mr Mlangeni. These people were jailed just because of land. [Interjections.]
Now, God says the following, "I have heard your pain ... I am coming down to relieve you; to lead you to your land" – a beautiful land of South Africa. [Interjections.] [Applause.] This is where you come from! Joshua was given a task and God said, "You must be strong and brave! You must lead these people so that they can take their land." Minister Nkwinti has been given a task to accomplish. If we do not do this, it will be a problem.
If I may say, it is a mistake that the government is still talking about 30% regarding everything that concerns the land. The land was taken for free when the Land Act was implemented from 1913 to 1914. This is disappointing. We cannot allow that. Minister, remember that you have been quoted in the committee business saying that the budget is there, the strategy is there, and money is there but we are going for the third year without progress. It should not be happening this way. I know that it is a problem but we must stand together.
If we talk about this land issue, opposition political parties must take note that I would die for this issue. Let us team together to reclaim this land of ours.
It pains when I look at the hon Mzizi and the hon Gauta. We cannot stand in front of them and talk because that is pricking them. They have suffered - they were there. They have seen these things - breaking stones for nothing because you had claimed your land back. That is the issue! Ladies and gentlemen, we must definitely get this issue going. Thank you.
Mr G G MOKGORO
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 301
Mr M W MAKHUBELA
Mr G G MOKGORO: Hon Chair, hon Minister, hon Deputy Ministers, MECs that were here - I do not know if they are still here, directors-generals and distinguished guests in the gallery ...
Setswana:
... e re ke lo reye jaana, sa ntlha ke batla go bua ka ngangisano ya Tlhopho ya Tekanyetsokabo 33, e e buang ka tlhabololo ya dinagamagae le tlhabololo ya molao wa mafatshe, mme bogolo thata, ke batla go bua ka se lefapha le se dirileng mo ngwageng tse nne tse di fetileng.
English:
The 52nd National Conference of the ANC in 2007 resolved that the rural areas and land reform should be amongst the top five priorities. It recognised the lasting scars left on the rural communities by the Natives Land Act of 1913. The post-2009 administration led by His Excellency President Jacob Zuma, established the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.
In the 2013 state of the nation address, President Zuma highlighted the initiatives that will be undertaken by the department as being the following: Firstly, the National Rural Youth Service Corps; secondly, pursuing the just and equitable principle of compensation to fast-track land reform process; thirdly, the reopening of land claims; and fourthly, the provision of adequate post settlement support to new land owners.
The vision of the National Development Plan with regard to rural development is as follows: There should be integrated rural communities; residents should be economically active; they should have food security; and should have basic service, health care and quality education.
The department contributes to the National Development Plan through the Comprehensive Rural Development programme, the CRDP. District land reform committees will be established as proposed in the National Development Plan to contribute to the acceleration of the sustainable land reform. The CRDP was launched in Muyexe in the Limpopo Province in August 2009. It is being rolled out to other rural wards, especially the 23 prioritised poor districts. In the first year, it was rolled out in 29 wards and has since been rolled out to over 60 wards.
The key focus of the CRDP is infrastructure building and job creation. Through infrastructure building, specific needs of rural communities such as running water, sanitation, electricity, housing and others are addressed. Since the inception of the CRDP in August 2009, 15 336 jobs were created by the end of 2011-12 financial year, impacting positively on 650 000 households. It should be noted that in the 2011-12 financial year, the department exceeded its targets. The budget allocation for rural development has increased from R1,04 billion in the 2012-13 financial year to R1,22 billion in the 2013-14 financial year.
Regarding youth development, the 52nd ANC National Conference held in Polokwane gave a directive on job and skills creation amongst the youth. The response of the department to this directive is the National Rural Youth Services Corps, Narysec. There are 13 000 participants as development agents in the Narysec programme at various stages of other training.
The department has to date invested over R631 million in programmes to train and deploy the rural youth. This programme is done in partnership with the National Treasury, Department of Defence and Military Veterans, and over 40 further education and training colleges, under the Department of Higher Education and Training.
Land reform entails redistribution, restitution, development and tenure reform. The restitution programme is responsible for settling land claims in accordance with the provision of the Restitution of Land Rights Act 22 of 1994. It also provides settlement support to beneficiaries. The Commission on the Restitution of Land Rights estimated 18 927 approved but not finalised claims.
The budget for the restitution programme has increased from R2,96 billion in the 2012-13 financial year to R3,39 billion in the 2013-14 financial year, representing an increase of 8,33%. To date, 696 farms have been recapitalised and developed, 384 of which were purchased through the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy, Plas, and 307 under the land reform grants. Six thousand nine hundred and seventy-one hectares of land have been acquired to date. The land reform budget has increased from R3,24 billion in the 2012-13 financial year to R3,4 billion in the 2013-14 financial year.
Transfers to the Agricultural Land Holding Account still account for the largest share of the programme budget which is 65,34% in 2013-14 financial year. This means that proactive land acquisition to speed up the land reform process and the need to recapitalise more distressed farms, is still top priority. The expenditure on acquisition of productive land is expected to increase from R318,7 million in the 2012-13 financial year to R402,5 million in the 2013-14 financial year.
The President, during the 2013 state of the nation address, announced the reopening of the lodgement of land claims. This was done to assist those who did not claim during the first window opportunity. There were two aspects to this announcement. The first being the reopening of the lodgement process itself, and the second being the creation of exceptions to the cut-off date for claims relating to the Native Land Act of 1913, especially for heritage sites, historic landmarks, and opportunities for descendants of the Khoi and San to claim. In the 2012 state of the nation address, President Zuma alluded to the fact that the willing-buyer, willing-seller model is not the best option in addressing the land question.
In conclusion, Chair, the need to review the willing-buyer, willing-seller model was raised at the National Land Summit in 2005. In the 2013 state of the nation address, President Zuma promised that government is going to use the just and equitable principle of compensation as set out in the Constitution. The ANC supports the Budget Vote. Thank you, Chair.
The MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFOR
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Thursday, 6 June 2013 Take: 302
Mr G G MOKGORO
The MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: Hon Chair, let me take this opportunity to thank the hon members for participating in this debate. They drew a lot of insights into the contributions they all made. Thank you very much.
Firstly, the department has set aside R68 million to assist municipalities with spatial plans this financial year. I am sure the SA Local Government Association, Salga, will be happy with that. I would like to thank this House as well for processing the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Bill.
Secondly, hon members must just remember that the recap budget is 25% of land reform budget, and it is not the money that comes directly from Treasury as an add-on. We deduct it from the land reform budget. It reduces the amount of money that we have to buy more land with, but it helps us deal with the problem which all the hon members raise all the time and which says, "You have farms that have been given to people but they are lying fallow."
Thirdly, hon members, part of the problem on restitution is that, we assume that everybody wants land and that is actually not correct. Only 5 800 people approximately, applied for land. Seventy one thousand two hundred and ninety two people applied for financial compensation. We paid R10 billion for land and R6 billion for financial compensation. People are living in townships and so we must not assume that everybody wants land.
Fourthly, on reopening, yes of course, there will be a manual on citizen's claim for people in all the official languages and languages of the Khoi and the San, so that people can understand what is expected of them. We hope that hon members will help their constituencies understand what is expected of them, using that manual.
In terms of the exceptions, we are working and consulting with South Africans. Hopefully, soon after the hon members have come back from the mid-year recess, we will deal with the matter because it is an important one. Also, hon members should realise that when we talk of land claims, we are not just talking about land claims all the time because some of the exceptions do not require land claims at all. They will require negotiations and use other instruments like redistribution. We buy the land from those who own it. We will have to debate this matter very vigorously so that all of us understand. The big challenge with some of these exceptions like heritage sites and historical landmarks is that most of them are within the 87% of the land. So, we have to gear ourselves for this kind of engagement across the spectrum.
Just as an equitable principle, with the amendment to the Restitution of Land Rights Act which is now out for public comment, there is a law which establishes the Office the Valuer-General. This office will be substituting the willing-buyer, willing-seller model, where the state or public interest is involved, and not where two individuals are selling each other land. The market does not get disorganised by that, but it does get disorganised when the state enters the market.
We will be very happy if hon members could start to look at that and help us pass the amendment during this financial year, if it is possible. This is one instrument which we think will assist us to, amongst others; acquire land easier than it has been the case up to now. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
THE TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr F ADAMS): Thank you Hon Minister and Deputy Minister. On behalf of the Chamber, the House Chair, Mrs Magadla and the Acting Chief Whip Borotho, and the members, we want to thank you for the debate and we wish you well in your future endeavors in getting the land right and to the people.
Debate concluded.
The Council adjourned at 17:47.
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