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Statement by MEC
Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Barbara Creecy
12 November 2008
It's only appropriate that one begins today's briefing by paying tribute to the late Miriam Makeba who passed on in the early hours of Monday morning doing what she loved most: using her beautiful voice to make South Africa and the world around her a better place.
Mama Africa's distinctive style combined jazz, folk and township rhythm, helped to place South African music on the international stage and ensured she was the first African woman to win a Grammy award. In 1963 she appeared before the UN Special Committee on Apartheid to call for an international boycott of South Africa , an act that resulted in a thirty one year exile from her home country.
We pay tribute to her today for her legendary contribution to South Africa 's creative industries and her dedicated lifelong struggle for democracy and social justice.
2010 Legacy Programmes
In previous press briefings the Gauteng Provincial Government has reported on the province's state of readiness to host Fifa's 2010 World Cup with particular reference to the infrastructure programmes. Today we would like to report on the work we are doing to ensure that 2010 leaves a lasting legacy for our people.
One of our current priorities is to prepare public viewing sites in each of the major townships and formalised informal settlements across the province. Together with SAFA, the SABC and the private sector, the Department is identifying public viewing sites and developing a model which can be rolled out across the province. We expect to pilot our approach during the Confederations Cup in June 2009 (14-28 June 2009).
One of the concerns shared by government, communities and sporting federations alike is how we ensure hosting Fifa's 2010 World Cup will assist us with our transformation agenda in sport .
In particular we are all anxious that this tournament should improve the access local communities have to participate in sport at both an amateur and professional level.
In this regard the Department believes that the establishment of proper sporting structures throughout the province is of central importance. Under the leadership of our Department, a Sports Indaba was held in 2006. At this workshop than more than four hundred stakeholders representing different structures agreed to adopt a transformation scorecard to guide resource allocation by government and sporting bodies; to establish a Provincial Sport Council where sport structures can address common Provincial related sport responsibilities; and to support the development of an overall sport strategy encompassing the national commitments around good governance, equity, ethos, and
equitable resourcing.
By the end of this term the first fully fledged Gauteng Provincial Sport Council will be elected to drive transformation in all sporting codes. Local Sports Councils have already been elected in Sedibeng and Johannesburg last Saturday and elections are planned for similar structures in West Rand , Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni by the end of November. These structures will be tasked with building ward based sports structures and assisting government with the roll out of local clubs and school sport.
The Department will also make available two types of Grants in Aid to LSC's. The first is fore for core funding - towards the cost of employing local sports officers, developing the partnerships and innovative local initiatives. The second will be for programme funding - towards specific, high priority, targeted initiatives identified and promoted by the LSP. Through these initiatives the capacity of civil society to run sport is strengthened, ensuring more holistic and integrated sports development in the Province.
The Departmental programme to develop local sports clubs in communities is now based in 22 areas across the province including: Sicelo, Ratanda, Tsakane, Etwtawa, Hekpoort, Mohlakeng in Metsweding at Kungwini and Rethabile, Orange Farm, Alexandria, Odi (formerly in North West), Roodepoort, Cosmo City, Lenasia, Soutpan, Soshanguve, Westonaria, Kagiso, Boksburg, Bosmont, and Rus-ter-val. The ultimate objective is to develop viable and sustainable clubs in communities offering a range of sporting codes. At present emphasis is on athletics, football and netball.
Since 2004, the Department's Grants-in Aid programme has made huge strides in how funding is allocated to various organisations in the sport and recreation sector. In 2007 the Sport Grant-in-Aid policy was finalised and this ensured the implementation of better systems and procedures so that the funding of organisations progressed from an ad hoc process to one which is completely aligned to the Sport Development Policy Framework.
This year 38 organisations were funded, and 13 % of the budget allocation went to organisations implementing programmes for people with disabilities. Work is already going ahead to prepare for the 2009/10 financial year with a total of 16 community based road shows currently underway. The roadshows explain to local organisations how to apply for government funding for both sports and arts and culture programmes. 12 of these roadshows have been completed and another 4 will be held before the end of November.
The Siyadladla Programme is aimed at promoting mass participation in selected sport and physical activities, as well as arts and culture, in the most disadvantaged communities across the province. This programme is supported by a conditional grant from national treasury which has steadily increased over the last three years. The numbers of hubs have been increased to 50 this year with new hubs established in Westonaria, Magaliesberg, Protea, Eldorado Park , Eden Park , Kwa-Thema, Mabopane, Winterveld, Rus-ter-val and Bantu-Bonke. 250 volunteer activity coordinators have been employed from the surrounding communities to assist in implementing sport, arts and culture programmes.
Assignment of Library Services
In 2004, the Department commited itself to assigning the power to deliver library services to Municipalities. This commitment was to deal with the anomaly that the constitutional power to deal with this function rests with provinces while the actual provision of library services is carried out by municipalities. Following a lengthly study we now know that of the 11 municipalities in the Province seven have the capacity to accept assignment by agreement. The other four namely Mogale, Lesedi, Nokeng and Randfontein will require further assistance from the Provincial government before assignment can take place. This process will be assisted by the conditional grant of R30million per annum for the recapitalisation of libraries.
The roll-out of the Recapitalising of library Services Programme is on track with the completion of the Mobile Home Libraries for Ekangala Ward 10 and Steve Biko Ville. The 108 informal settlements in Ekurhuleni received a second mobile library bus The new library in Sicelo is also nearing completion. Other projects include: the purchasing of educational resource material, providing modern ICT in libraries, appointment of staff to improve service delivery and upgrading of library facilities.
Soccerex
Soccerex 2008 takes place from 23rd to 26th November at the Sandton Convention centre and promises to be bigger and better than last year. The Soccerex legacy projects will see the injection of over R50 million by Soccerex and various partners in the Diambars and Soccerex Park development programmes.
We are happy to announce today that the Department will be launching the Gauteng Jazz Orchestra during Soccerex 2008. We are pleased to be initiating this project which will continue to strengthen Gauteng 's position as the Home of Jazz. The best jazz graduates across the province will be recruited into the Orchestra and work with Gauteng 's best jazz muso's in growing the Orchestra. Working initially with the South Africa 's esteemed trumpeter, Johny Mekoa, the Orchestra will provide a stepping stone for young and aspiring jazz graduates into the industry. This is an exciting venture for the Department and the sector, and we shall continue to work with industry players to ensure the success and relevance of the Orchestra.
For more information contact:
Nomazwe Ntlokwana (011) 355 2578
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