Hon Chairperson, firstly, I would like to congratulate the new Minister, the hon Nathi Mthethwa, on his new appointment in this department. I realise that this is a budget debate for the Ministry of Arts and Culture, but I do have some genuine concerns for this department considering that the hon Mthethwa left his previous Ministry in shambles. [Interjections.] In the space of five years over R150 million was accumulated in irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure alone. Let me be clear: we will not stand for that in this portfolio either.
Hon Minister, arts and culture forms part of the backbone of our rainbow nation through which the world gets to know and understand our country. South Africa is brimming with talented artists in all fields and we have bountiful cultural values to offer the world. It is highly unfortunate then that the dismal budget management of this department is a reflection of government's outlook regarding South African artists who could play a vital role in establishing our country as a cultural capital in Africa and the world.
It is the duty of this department to nurture, guide and protect emerging artists and musicians to stimulate and support the arts in South Africa. The appalling state of the Windybrow Theatre and the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State are still plagued by mismanagement, as was revealed by the Mail & Guardian. These entities are also governed by the Cultural Institutions Act over which this department has oversight.
What are you doing to ensure that there is sound management of our arts facilities in the country? In 20 years of our democracy, we have seen emerging musicians struggling to make it to the top because of who they associate with. It is in this regard where the Bill of Rights needs to be emphasised and practised by all South Africans. We need to practise what we preach and allow our artists to grow through their performances, as we all know that practice makes perfect.
We have also seen during the elections how certain political parties were bullying artists and intimidating them not to perform at rallies of other parties. This is not just unacceptable, but also undemocratic. [Interjections.]
In 1996, the government adopted the White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage and its purpose was to create an environment conducive to promoting, protecting and realising the full potential of South African cultural and creative industries. The Bill was supported and welcomed by all. The ensuing 18 years following the adoption of the 1996 White Paper has seen far too many amendments to the composition and role of this piece of legislation. For instance, the SA Heritage Resources Agency, Sahra, often overlaps with and duplicates the mandate of the National Heritage Council, NHC.
With the White Paper constantly being revised, how can any government incentives be carried out for arts and culture in our country? This department needs to focus on solid, well-thought-out legislation in order to carry out this department's mandate. The sheer raw talent in South Africa can often be found in the most remote parts of our country. Budding artists often never get the opportunity to study their craft and develop into renowned artists owing to poverty and financial constraints.
This department needs to do more to fund artists who are impoverished. More arts centres need to be set up in rural areas to give our children an opportunity to use their talents of expression. We could even create more jobs in South Africa for artists by funding these initiatives, instead of leaving people disheartened.
Indeed, this department can, and is expected to, contribute to alleviating unemployment in South Africa. What is the department doing about this? This department said that it would create 150 000 jobs. How is this being done when Ministers drag their feet and when the budget for the Department of Arts and Culture is underspent by 2%? Where is this money going?
This department also has a responsibility to stimulate literacy in our country. South Africa's economy is one of the largest on the continent, yet we place only third in the literacy rate behind Zimbabwe. Libraries are another major challenge in this department, specifically in rural provinces where there are many young and old people who were, and have been, equally disadvantaged in the past. They need to have access to resources if we are to improve the literacy rate and encourage reading in our communities.
Young readers need to be provided with well-stocked libraries around the country and specifically in rural areas for children to be provided with books. They need to read, learn and be exposed to ideas, cultures and opinions. South Africa is a country of many literary heroes, including our own Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. So, we should be supporting the promotion of interest in literature in our country. We desperately need more public libraries.
For this department to fulfil all its obligations, all vacant posts must be filled, because the purpose of creating these posts was obviously to enable the department to carry out its mandate expeditiously. It is also clear that there is still confusion about whether municipalities are responsible for arts and culture, or whether the responsibility lies in the hands of the provincial governments.
South Africa has a rich heritage in theatre, music, dance, visual arts, crafts, film, literature and other forms of artistic expression, which are manifestations of the human need to create, be it individually or as part of a group. Art can help to build appreciation for different perspectives of our country and deepen understanding of the different experiences of being South African.
Therefore, to promote the arts and artistic expression in South Africa, the DA will do the following: encourage every province to establish its own regional arts festival and commit to financially supporting at least one flagship event per province; maintain a platform for interaction for arts festival directors to promote collaboration and the sharing of best practice; offer national arts rewards and establish an annual national arts awards ceremony with the aim of encouraging new audiences and developing the stature of all artists in our society; make public funding available for exhibitions, with a specific focus on exhibitions that promote engagement across different cultures and artistic mediums; support the establishment of a national art bank that will be responsible for procuring and curating artworks from established and emerging artists in public buildings and South African embassies; prioritise investment in the performing arts, where performance itself can be an act of social cohesion, for example in choral traditions, orchestral music and group dance; continue to provide support for national theatres and facilitate private- sector investment in their programmes and initiatives; improve the efficiency of community art centres and promote community participation in the arts through arts representatives at Mass participation; Opportunity and access; Development and growth - MOD - centres; encourage local government to support arts and culture from the office of the Mayor.
Chairperson, this is what is necessary to create an open- opportunity society for all. I thank you. [Applause.]