ANNUAL REPORT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ARTS AND CULTURE

MARCH – NOVEMBER 2006

 

 

 

Name of Committee: Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture

 

Acting Chairperson: Mr M R Sonto and Mrs P Tshwete

 

Committee Secretary: Mrs Tamara Cawe

 

The vision of the Committee:

 

·         To perform our monitoring and oversight role vigorously

 

The mission of the Committee

 

                                 i.            To constantly perform a monitoring and oversight role by engaging the department and various stakeholders in their progress and development.

                               ii.            To establish a good working relationship between the Ministry, Departments and Stakeholders of Arts and Culture.

                              iii.            To promote our rich African, diverse arts, culture and heritage.

                              iv.            To support arts and cultural development in various ways.

                                v.            To campaign and promote national dialogue social and moral regeneration 

 

Chairperson’s overview:

 

 

Departments reporting to the Committee:

 

·         Department of Arts and Culture

 

Entities reporting to the Committee:

 

 

                                 i)      South African Heritage Resource Heritage Agency (SAHRA) – It is established the South African Heritage Resource Agency, which together with its Council coordinates and promotes the management of Heritage resources at national level.

 

                               ii)      Arts Institutions – They assist in creating a sustainable performing arts industry based on access, excellence, diversity and redress. They encourage the development of the full range of performing arts.

 

                              iii)      Business Arts South Africa (BASA) – it aims at encouraging sponsorship of the arts by the business sector through the introduction of a matching grant scheme.

 

                              iv)      National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) – it provides and encourages the provision of opportunities for persons from disadvantaged communities to participate in the industry. The Foundation also promotes local film and video products, supports the development of and access to the industry, and addresses historical imbalances in infrastructure, skills and resources in the industry.

 

                                v)      National Arts Council – The Council also promotes general application of the arts in the community, fosters the expression of a national identity by means of the arts, and promotes freedom in the practice of the arts, and gives historically disadvantaged people greater acce3ss to the arts.

 

                              vi)      National Archives Commission – The Commission assists the National Archivist in carrying out functions of the National Archives, promotes the coordination of archival policy at national and provincial levels, approves the appraisal policy of the National Archives and monitors its implementation.

 

                             vii)      Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB) – The Board actively promotes an awareness of multilingualism as national resources, and supports the previously marginalized languages by developing, administering, and monitoring access, information and implementation.

 

                           viii)      Africa Institute of South Africa – It carries out in-depth analysis of Africa’s current affairs and addresses issues of the future of the continent, the African Renaissance and change in general.

 

                             ix)      National Laser Centre (NLC) – The NLC was created from laser competencies at both the CSIR and the extension Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa. Its goal is to promote South African competitiveness in the area of lasers, particularly with regard to application in the manufacturing, communication, health, safety and security, industries.

 

 

                               x)      Libraries – They preserve and promote awareness of the national documentary heritage, and provide for matters connected therewith.

 

Number of Committee meetings held:

 

17 Meetings were held

2 Meetings were cancelled

 

 

Date

 

Purpose / Agenda

 

Date of Adoption Minutes

 

7 Mar 2006

·   Consideration and adoption of Committee’s Annual Report;

·   Prepare for Budget Hearings.

The Committee considered the report but due to lack of quorum was unable to adopt the report.

 

8 Mar 2006
  • Meeting cancelled

The meeting was cancelled because the Committee felt that three days for hearings were enough

9 Mar 2006
  • Briefing on Strategic Plan of the DAC for 1 April 2006 to 31 Marchn 2009
  • Briefing by the Department of Arts and Culture on Budget Vote no. 14

Report included on the Budget Hearings

15 Mar 2006

Hearings on Budget Vote No.14

  • National Film and Video Foundation
  • National Arts Council
  • National Libraries
  • Freedom Park

Report included on the Budget Hearings

16 Mar 2006

Hearings on Budget Vote No. 14

  • Cape Town Arts-Cape

Report included on the Budget Hearings

 

29 Mar 2006

 

Hearings on Budget Vote No. 14

  • KZN Playhouse

Report included on the Budget Hearings

 

16 May 2006
  • Meeting Cancelled

Meeting was cancelled due to changes in the parliamentary programme

 

23 May 2006

Adoption of Budget Vote Process

The Committee did not adopt the report, members requested to be given more time

 

30 May 2006

·   Discussions on SA State theatre annual report and financial statements;

·   Briefing by the Association  of Prof orchestras of SA on improving the environment in which orchestras operate, the future of musicians and orchestras in SA

Minutes were adopted

 

06 June 2006

 

 

·         Adoption of the Budget Hearings Report

·         Discussing Committee Programme for: July – December 2006-06-29

·         Adoption of minutes

Report was adopted

Programme was adopted with amendments

Minutes were not adopted

13 June 2006

·         Briefing by the Minister of Arts and Culture on Budget Vote No. 14, developments in the Department and on implications of the State of the Nation Address

·         Meeting with the DAC and the NFVF on outstanding areas of concern

·         Adoption of minutes

The Committee accepted the budget which they voted for already in the house

The Committee advised the two to arrange the meeting and they agreed

Minutes were adopted

 

20 June 2006

·         Briefing by the National Heritage Trust for  South Africa on the promotion and preserving environmental and cultural Heritage

·         Adoption of minutes

Minutes were adopted

 

15 August 2006

·         Briefing by the Department of Arts and Culture on the progress made on Implementation of Community Arts Centres

The DAC should provide the Committee with the case studies where the centres are successful

29 August 2006

·         Briefing by Medical Research Council measures in place for the Intellectual Property rights for traditional healers and Indigenous practitioners;

·         Adoption of Minutes; and

·         Announcements

 

The Committee agreed that all  P.C meetings should start at 09:00

Due to time constraint the minutes were not adopted. 

12 September 2006

·         Briefing by the Windybrow theatre on its Annual Report and Financial Statement for 2005/06

·         Adoption of Minutes;

·         Discussion of the programme for the 4th term

 The Committee observed that the report of the Entity is unqualified but the theatre should work on the matters of emphasis. Three sets of minutes were adopted

07 October 2006

·         Briefing by the National Lottery Board on the profile on allocation of funds – criteria used to allocate funds in relation to Arts and Culture projects

The Committee resolved to undertake a site visit to Freedom Park Trust and Voortrekker Monument

24 October 2006

·         Briefing by the Department of Arts and Culture on its Annual Report;

·         Briefing by the Business Arts South Africa on its Annual Report and Financial Statement

·         Briefing by the National Archives Commission on its Annual Report.

The Committee suggested that the DAC should emphasise to entities of a quarterly report

31 October 2006

·         Briefing by the Pan South African Language Board on its Annual Report and Financial Statement

·         Meeting with the Women Parliamentarians from Southern Sudan

The Committee observed that the Pansalb has waited for to long to receive reports for their language units.  There are no mechanism in place for the units on reporting to Pansalb

07 November 2006

·         Briefing by the Department of Arts and Culture on the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expression;

·         Discussion on the policy and the legislative review on Arts and Culture;

·         Discussion on the policy and the legislative review on Heritage, Archives and Libraries;

·         Discussions on the above issues

The Committee welcomed the presentation from the DAC and agreed that it will answer all the outstanding questions about the duplication of the entities

14 November 2006

·         Discussion and adoption of the Convention on protection and Promotion of the diversity of Cultural Expressions;

·         Evaluate the nominations for the appointment of the National Council for Library and information Services;

·         Discussion and adoption of the Eastern Cape study tour report;

·         Discussion and adoption of the Freedom Park and Voortrekker Monument study tour reports.

·         Discussion and adoption of the Annual Report of the Committee;

·         Adoption of Minutes

The Committee adopted the Conversion.  The Committee adopted the  study tour reports to Eastern Cape and Gauteng

 

 

Legislation referred to committee NONE

  

8. Oversight (Local) visits

 

Study tour visit to Eastern Cape

 

OBJECTIVES OF THE VISIT

 

  • To interact  with provincial counterparts in the province that are working with Arts and Culture
  • To visit Arts and Culture infrastructure in the province
  • To access the progress made in the implementation and celebration the “Living Heritage” three year theme
  • To access projects of Arts and Culture that are funded by the National Department of Arts and Culture
  • To monitor and evaluate the progress made in implementation of the Community Arts Centres
  • To evaluate the level of Community on awareness and transformation  in Libraries and Museums

 

Dates: 09-11 October 2006

 

DELEGATION

 

1.       Mr M R Sonto ANC( Acting Chairperson and leader of the delegation)

2.       Mr PH Maluleka  (ANC)

3.       Mr JJ Maake (ANC)

4.       Ms ND Mbombo (ANC)

5.       Ms P Tshwete (ANC)

6.       Ms M Mdlalose ( NADECO)

7.       Ms T Cawe (Committee Secretary)

8.       Ms C Adams (Committee Assistant)

 

 

PLACES VISITED

 

1.       East London Museums

2.       Gompo Art Centre

3.       Mdantsane Library

4.       Mdantsane Art Centre

5.       Zwelitsha Sosebenza Women Club

6.       Peddie Community Arts Centre

7.       Grahamstown Library for the Blind

8.       Masikhanye Hand Craft

9.       Albany Museum

10.   Sahra Baartman memorial grave

11.   Heroes Acre in Red Location

12.   Museum Bankworld

13.   New Brighton library

 

REPORT: Adopted on the 14 November 2006

Oversight visits:

 

Freedom Park Trust and Voortrekker Monument

 

Objectives of the Study tour

 

  • To evaluate the  progress made in Freedom Park Trust as far as the construction of phase two
  • To have a briefing on the annual report and financial statements of Freedom Park Trust and Voortrekker Monument
  • To have a site tour of the two institutions

 

Dates: 01 November 2006

 

DELEGATION:

 

9.       Mr M R Sonto ANC( Acting Chairperson and leader of the delegation)

10.   Mr G Lekgetho (ANC)

11.   Ms ND Mbombo (ANC)

12.   Mr HM Matlala (ANC)

13.   Ms P Tshwete (ANC)

14.   Price BZ Zulu (ANC)

15.   Dr CP Mulder (FFP)

16.   Ms M Mdlalose ( NADECO)

17.   Ms T Cawe (Committee Secretary)

18.   Ms C Adams (Committee Assistant)

 

·         Province Gauteng

·         Places visited Freedom Park and Voortrekker Monument