Note to Editors: Please find below an extract of the speech delivered by CJ Steyl MPL during the Budget Vote Debate on ACSR in the North West Legislature on 30 July 2024.
Note to Broadcasters: Please find linked soundbites in English and Afrikaans by CJ Steyl MPL.
Honourable Speaker,
Many might think that the Department of Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation is akin to what we may refer to as a back-bencher department.
That should not be the case.
This department has a massive mandate to identify, unlock and support talent within the arts and sport fields, to preserve and elevate our culture and heritage in the province and showcase all of these.
Sadly, the R772 million budgeted is by far not enough. Agreed.
However, MEC Maine, we cannot motivate for more funding under the current circumstances.
A mere R186 million is allocated towards sport development.
Questions in committee were raised about the department’s initiatives to bring high-profile sporting events to the province in a bid to generate revenue and bring residents closer to prominent sporting events.
With respect, considering the state of the provincial sport facilities, just 3 kilometres down the road from here, the Mmabatho Stadium is falling apart.
The pavilions are rusting away, the pitch is not up to sporting code standard, and the facilities are dilapidated.
Mmabatho Stadium could be a great facility, but years of neglect, we fear, makes it almost impossible to rehabilitate, especially with the minimal funding available.
This is unfortunately the case with all provincial sporting facilities in North West.
It does not have to be this way.
There is money in sport!
A lot of money. But to access private funding, this department needs to show that it is serious about sport.
MEC Maine, you should clean out this department from lazy and unimaginative officials, ensure that persons competent in the sport and arts fields are appointed, so that every cent can be effectively spent.
Only then will this department be well placed to engage in big-ticket sponsorships, which would augment funding towards advancing sporting initiatives, especially at school and district level.
We could have a home for the Leopards Rugby Team that we can be proud of akin to that of the Moses Mabida or Loftus stadia. Likewise for the Platinum Stars FC and the North West Dragons Cricket teams.
This brings me to the Mmabana Arts Foundation.
This entity must be cancelled.
It gets a R122 million to develop the arts in our province, but it consumes 67%, that is R71 million, of its budget on salaries.
Only 31% of funding is spent on goods and services and 1% on buildings and machinery and equipment each.
It consumes more in salaries than working towards supporting its mandate.
The entity presented in committee that it supports academic programmes accredited by SETA.
When questions were asked about the how many students have graduated in Clothing and Manufacturing Processes, the entity replied that only 16 graduated in 2018.
That is 16 people in 2018! What a disappointment!
Only 137 people were capacitated with sewing skills.
But sadly, the entity does not know what became of these beneficiaries.
It shows that there is no sustainable support to support these individuals into economic activity.
Honourable Speaker,
We are concerned that 67% are being spent on salaries of staff, but when we look at the staff appointed, we find that mid-management, instructors, and other skilled positions have incumbents that do not hold the necessary qualifications.
The Office Manager holds a Grade 11. But earns at a scale of level 12.
The HR Manager only has a matric. There is a unit manager employed on Level 10 that has a matric and a black belt in karate.
An Artistic Manager holds a matric, while there is a Tutor with Grade 10 qualification.
The list of unqualified staff is quite extensive, but I will stop here.
The Mmabane Arts Foundation, as it stands, is a money laundering scheme.
It must be dissolved.
The R122 million can go a long way towards real and tangible support towards advancing the arts and supporting artists and creatives in the province that will not only elevate exposure to our rich heritage, but also meaningfully support the development of talent.
We are encouraged by MEC Maine’s admission in committee that there are serious problems within the department and that he will begin to address them.
We give MEC Maine the benefit of the doubt and will closely monitor his leadership to steer this department towards one that is effectively managed towards realising its mandate.
MEC Maine, we want to support a budget and Annual Performance Plan that inspires. We ask that over the next year, you bring the changes in this department so that next year, we can gladly support your budget.
But as is the case currently, the DA cannot, in good conscience, support this budget.