Minister Marais' adjusted estimate budget speech

Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais

Adjusted estimate budget speech

Thursday, 09 December 2021

Good morning, goeiemôre, molweni nonke,

Speaker, na ’n ongekende 2020 is dit al weer amper die einde van ‘n beperkende 2021. Hierdie jaar het, soos wat ons verwag het, met bykomende uitdagings gepaard gegaan. Daar was egter ook meer oorwinnings en toekennings wat verower is. Ons het met innoverende oplossings vir voorheen onbekende probleme vorendag gekom.

Wanneer ek dan nou die Aangepaste Beramingsbegroting vir die 2021/22-boekjaar aanbied, bedank ek elke lid van die Departement van Kultuursake en Sport-span vir die gees en gesindheid waarmee hulle hierdie jaar aangepak het. Dit was nie maklik nie, maar ons het volhard. Ons is gelei deur ons SATMA Toekenning-benoemde Departementshoof, mnr Guy Redman. Met sy ondersteuning het ons ons denkwyses verander en ons diensaanbieding herverpak. Ons het gebruik gemaak van ons intellektuele en fisiese welstand as die grondslag waarop al ons werksaamhede gebou is.

Speaker, with a budget increase of just below R2,6 million from approximately R897,5 million to R900,1 million, we take our leading role in wellbeing serious and have made great strides in our commitment to keep hope alive during difficult times.

As various NGOs, NPOs and community projects were hard hit by the pandemic and its subsequent regulations this year, we are delighted to be able to extend school programmes for youth to be held over the December holiday across the province. Speaker, employment is lagging economic recovery and the youth continue to bear the brunt of unemployment. The department received just over R15,45 million to include local NGOs to keep youth and children engaged in various positive activities and programmes during the festive period. Not only will our younger generation be actively exposed to constructive programmes during this time, but job opportunities will also become available to locals of each district through Sport and Cultural Affairs.

As we continue to shine the lights on After School Programmes, we are indeed grateful for the R830 000 received from the Western Cape Department of Education to fund the @Home Learning Pilot project in the Cape Winelands district.

Speaker, due to the adverse impact of COVID-19 on our programmes and operations at DCAS in the current financial year, there has been delays in:

The roll out of Enterprise Content Management (ECM);
The completion of the Archaeological and Paleontological Heritage Tourism Route; and
The upgrading of the Philippi stadium to ensure compliance to the SASRE Act.

As a result of the delays, the Department realigned its budget and surrendered R13,958 million to the Provincial Treasury to be reallocated in the 2022/23 financial year.

Speaker, I now take this opportunity to thank all our stakeholders, partners and Cabinet colleagues for helping us improve sport and cultural affairs in the Western Cape by sharing experiences and new ways of thinking and doing in service of all those who call the province home. We express our gratitude for the collaborative efforts to enable a safer sporting environment, creating a culture more representative of our population with policies developed to safeguard, protect and uplift the often marginalised. While we may still have a long way to go, we appreciate the Standing Committee for holding us accountable in their oversight role as together we work towards a socially inclusive, active and connected Western Cape.

I thank you.