Draft Cultural Policy: Workshops in the Rural Areas

• This process sets outs to review existing policies on Arts, Culture and Heritage presently being utilized by the Provincial Government of the Western Cape, Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport.
• The national White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage has been utilized by the Provincial Government of the Western Cape, Department of Cultural Affairs as the guide to practice.
• Ten years after the dawn of our new democracy we need to re-assess our progress, learn from the lessons of the past ten years. This policy provides a new vision and policy direction for the Provincial Government of the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport and its statutory bodies.

It was decided at the Western Cape Provincial Cabinet Lekgotla that Mr Chris Stali, MEC for Cultural Affairs, Sport and Recreation, should host a Cultural Transformation for most of the stakeholders in the arts, culture and heritage sphere in the Western Cape at the Sport and Science Institute in Newlands.

Invitations were extended to the National Minister of Arts and Culture, the Premier and all the Members of the Provincial Cabinet and Provincial Parliament, Members of the National Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture, Heads of Provincial Departments, role players from National Departments, Municipal Managers and traditional leaders to attend the Indaba on 20 and 21 August 2004 at the Sport and Science Institute of South Africa in Newlands. The guest list also included Members of the Public Entities of the Department: Language Committee, Cultural Commission and Heritage Council as well as representatives from Museums Services. Over and above general stakeholders of Cultural Affairs (from the four components at Heritage Resource Management. Cultural, Language and Museum Services) the top management and relevant officials of the Department were also invited.

The purpose of the indaba was to provide a platform for interactive debate in order to develop transformed policies that aid efficient and effective service delivery in the arts, culture and heritage field in line with the vision of Cabinet to “make the Western Cape a home for all” in order to transform and guide service delivery and direct policies.

The main objectives of the Indaba were:

• To consider the needs and expectations of the community served by Cultural Affairs
• To ensure that Western Cape Arts and Culture is representative and inclusive
• Service delivery at Cultural Affairs to be in line with the developmental strategy of the Western Cape Ikapa elihlumayo
• To come up with a framework for transformation that will guide service delivery in the Arts and Culture field for the next 10 years.

The foundation and guideline documentation were the 2004 State of the Nation Address by President Mbeki, 2004 State of the Province Address by Premier Ebrahim Rasool, 2004/5 National Budget Address by Minister Pallo Jordan, 2004/5 Provincial Budget Address by Minister Chris Stali, Ikapa Elihlumayo principles and the White Paper for Arts and Culture.

The programme of the Indaba was divided into 5 sessions, namely

• Policy indicators
• Transformation and Service delivery
• Social and economic change and image enhancing
• Funding and related issues and Institutional arrangements
• The way forward

The Indaba kicked off with the vibrant Khayelitsha Choral Singers doing the National Anthem and after a warm welcome by Adv Rod Solomons the opening address by Minister Chris Stali on the 10 year plan of the Cabinet to improve service delivery was followed by an address by Premier Ebrahim Rasool on the importance of culture and social change with reference to the 100 day plan of the Cabinet and nation building.

Introductory remarks on Session 2 on Transformation and Service Delivery were made by Adv Rod Solomons, which was followed by a plenary directive, break away group discussions for Cultural Services, Language, Heritage and Museums and a report back session.

The Cafda Dancers welcomed the delegates back at the Auditorium after lunch and during Session 3 on Social & Economic Change and Image Enhancing various case studies were presented by Mark van Graan (Image Enhancing through Culture), Valmont Layne (Social change and national Building - District 6 Museum) David Piedt (Economic impact of Culture – KKNK) and Yasmine Colley (Examples of local community initiatives in the arts and culture field). Break away group discussions by the various groups were followed by a report back session by the group leaders and a consolidation of all the issues discussed during the day.

During the evening the diversity of the culture of the Province was showcased at a cocktail reception with a chamber orchestra, Jazzart dancers, a group of Marimba players and a performance by traditional healers.

On the second day the Youth Ministrels got the delegates in the right mood to listen to Abdool Assim, CEO of Finance who did a presentation on responsible spending of Government Funds with an explanation of the Public Finance Management Act of 1999 and its directives.

Session 4 dealt with funding and related issues and after a breakaway group discussion into 4 groups a very active and lively feedback session followed on this criteria. Kgereshi Mokwena, Director for Culture and Heritage touched on Institutional Arrangements and various questioned were raised and answered on this issue.

The Khayelitsha Choral Singers entertained delegates during lunch time which was followed by a presentation by Hannetjie du Preez, Chief Director for Cultural Affairs on Session 5: The Way forward.

This presentation was divided into the following 8 phases:

PHASE 1:

• A consolidated report on the Indaba will be provided by the Facilitators
• The deliberations of the Indaba will be taken into account by the Department in the development of its Strategic Plan 2005-6-2007/8

PHASE 2:

• A reference group (maximum of 5 people) to be appointed by the Department to assist in the drafting of the policy
• Sectorial Task Teams to be established to represent the various sectors in arts and culture, heritage resource, museums, language, funding and institutional arrangements and the social and economic impact to provide input in the drafting of a new policy.

PHASE 3:

• One day workshops of various sectorial Task Teams to meet in September and October 2004 to make inputs into the drafting of the policy and also to make inputs into a proposed Western Cape Cultural Transformation Charter.

PHASE 4:

• Draft policy to be available in November 2004

PHASE 5:

• Cultural Impact Conference to be held in Cape Town in November 2004 at the Cape Town Convention Center
• One day Indaba on the day prior to the Cultural Impact Conference to be held to report on and discuss the draft policy

PHASE 6:

• Follow up Indaba on the Cultural Transformation Indaba to discuss and ratify the draft policy and Cultural Transformation Charter

PHASE 7:

• In the Department a parallel process will run to review current policy and legislation and develop new legislation but it will and must be influenced by the new policy that is being developed.

PHASE 8:

• A 2010 Culture Task Team to be appointed in September 2004.

At the end of the Indaba, Matimu Heritage Solutions (who was facilitating the Indaba) highlighted key issues and consolidated the discussions with an agreement to supply the Department with a report as soon as possible and the closing remarks and thanks were done by Adv Rod Solomons.

The Head of Department of the Provincial Government for Cultural Affairs and Sport, in collaboration with members of his department selected 10 members of civil society to serve on a Cultural Transformation Reference Group whose mandate it was to take the process of policy development and formulation to its conclusion.

A provisional draft policy are to be presented at five workshops outside of the metropolitan area. This strategy sought to ensure the inclusion of rural constituencies in the policy formulation process.

In true partnership and in the healthiest spirit of co-operation, civil society representatives and members of the department of Cultural Affairs developed this draft policy document.

Cultural Affairs re-affirms the value and importance of arts and culture to democracy and effective government service delivery. An effective arts and culture strategy has the power to promote social cohesion, create economic sustainability and develop livelihoods, build healthy and empowered communities and imbue citizens with a sense of confidence and pride in their historic, cultural and linguistic heritage. Effective strategies create a citizenry at ease with itself and its identity and one that will be eminently capable of contributing to a healthy nation.