Chairperson, hon Minister, director-general, hon members, distinguished guests, the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement of October 2009 clearly indicated that there would be a sustainable adjustment that would have to be made in order to meet the medium-term policy directives of the ANC for the five-year period which started in 2008. The 2009 Medium- Term Budget Policy Statement stated, "Our key short-term challenge is to support economic recovery and direct public spending towards key priorities. Our medium- and long-term objectives are to build a more labour- absorbing economy and to transform public service delivery to meet the aspirations of all South Africans."
The 2010 Budget is the first budget where noticeable shifts in line with the decisions taken at the 2007 ANC 52nd national conference become noticeable. The 2010 state of the nation address gave a broad overview of how ANC policy proposals are being translated into government programmes and how the budget should respond to these.
The ANC recognises that through arts and culture a sense of national identity and pride can be cultivated. Arts and culture are thus a potential unifying force. Thriving and thought-provoking artistic and cultural practices can contribute to a democratic and tolerant sociopolitical environment. Culture is an integral component of the processes of development in that it contributes to such processes, but also in that it can play a facilitative or destructive role in the unfolding of the developmental process.
Culture also seeks to inform and contribute to nation-building efforts. These processes are of the highest priority in our country at present, and culture has a central role to play in the successful unfolding of this.
ANC cultural policy redresses the imbalances inherent in our society in terms of race, class and gender. In particular, our rich and diverse artistic traditions in the fine arts, literature and music must be nurtured and promoted, as must alternative and under-represented traditions.
The ANC recognises the need for progressive labour and copyright laws that protect the rights of cultural workers. Together with a programme of public education, such laws will attempt to eliminate and/or monitor the breach of copyright, and in particular record piracy.
The ANC believes that a democratic state should allocate funds to the arts. This funding must be fairly and widely distributed, and be for the enrichment of the country, not merely for profit. Further funds for the arts should be raised from the private sector and taxes raised on local and overseas commercial exploitation of cultural products.
The ANC arts and culture policies affirm and promote the rich and diverse expression of South African culture. All people must be guaranteed the right to practise their culture, language, beliefs and customs, as well as to enjoy freedom of expression and creativity free from interference.
The state will ensure that the rich traditions and diversity of our country's music is promoted by promoting music as a national resource through, inter alia, lending support to the establishment of a music conservatory. Music must enhance socioeconomic development, promote social cohesion and nation-building, and nurture our sense of national identity through the development, preservation and promotion of arts, heritage and culture. Informed by our mandate, we always strive to make culture one of the drivers of reconstruction and development in our country.
During these past years, we have seen an expanding flow of rights and policies enshrined in the Constitution of our country. Central to the rights and policies are, among other things, the following main principles.
Firstly, culture is as vital to community life as social and economic concerns. Secondly, freedom of expression and artistic creation are key values in any society. Thirdly, like any other human right, culture is the right of all South Africans, as enshrined in the Constitution. Lastly, the development of national culture is a key issue that all players must work on, both the public and private sectors alike.
These statements are the foundation on which we adopted or forged new cultural development tools. We are deeply convinced that only when a state or government respects and promotes the principles of cultural diversity can all cultures survive and prosper.
We need to demystify the music business and take it into the empowerment mainstream so that everyone can participate in it on an equal basis. The music business cannot be for the rich elite, but must involve grass-roots participation.
Our intellectual property laws must be enforced to bridge the existing gaps, thus ensuring maximum protection and compliance. Of particular importance is the protection of traditional knowledge through the intellectual property system. Intellectual property development has become strategic beyond mere copyright protection. Intellectual property development is the creation of wealth in the new knowledge economy.
As regards production rights, public broadcast and public performance rights, and all other related rights of performers, the infringement of these rights through piracy and noncompliance is a major challenge that we all need to work together to address.
Indigenous knowledge must be protected. The economic value that is generated from indigenous knowledge does not flow to the original inventors and custodians of that knowledge, but only to those who commercially exploit it. The effective use of the regulations contained in the World Intellectual Property Organisation and Unesco documents is critical if we are to protect and promote indigenous cultural expression. Traditional cultural expressions are the foundation of who we are, our heritage and the gift left to us by our forebears and ancestors.
We need a holistic approach to protect the rights emanating from the copyright system, and the various arms of government and the private sector have to join hands to deal with this challenge. The ANC supports this Budget Vote. [Time expired.] [Applause.]