Honourable Speaker,
Let me start by congratulating Honourable Mbali Hlophe on being appointed as MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation in Gauteng Province. I have known and interacted with honourable Hlophe for many years during our much younger and youthful years and should she continue with her dedication to her work today like she had in those years as a youth and student activist, then I am sure she would do well in her role in government.
However, Honourable Speaker, she is leading a department whose officials are at war with each other thus affecting service delivery. We have not forgotten that in all three financial years, the department has been underspending and it is generally known as “The Department of Under-spenders”. Former MEC Faith Mazibuko was acting out of desperation upon realising that money budgeted for the multipurpose sport centres (more commonly known as Combi Courts) would not be utilised within the financial year budgeted for. Therefore, triggering yet another year of underspending.
MEC Hlophe, you have a huge task to fix this department.
The Budget in this financial year is now above a Billion Rand. The important question is whether will it used to shape and improve access to opportunities for the Citizens of Gauteng?
While we note the additional three million one hundred thousand allocated to GFC that seeks to support script writing and content development, we remain worried about the distribution of the work they do. Systems need to be in place where distributors in the industry find it conducive to operate in Gauteng and linking film makers to the world. Honourable Speaker, I remain worried by the fact that Gauteng Film Commission’s administration Support budget is over 55 percent of the total budget of the entire commission, while the actual industry support budget is just above half of administration costs. This, honourable speaker is not right. We should spend more money towards communities or industry support than spending more on internal administrative expenditures. We are here not to serve ourselves but to serve the people of Gauteng.
I understand that the total staff component of the GFC is only 20 employees with additional few interns, almost everyone there is either a senior manager or a manager. This means over twenty million rand is being spend on salaries of 20 employees with additional other administrative costs, this leaves very little left for talent out there that needs our support and nurturing. This talent is now dry and out.
We further take note that the department fails in its infrastructural projects and blames the Department of Infrastructure Development. When are you going to sit with your counterpart in Infrastructure to find solutions to these pressing matters? Members of the community are waiting in anticipation year in year out only to be grossly disappointed by this ANC led administration who just keeps pointing fingers at each other while the Premier is watching. We will wait to see if the allocated three hundred and fifty-three million nine hundred and ninety thousand will be fully spent on the library and archives Services, we should not at the end of the financial year receive a report from the department saying “we have been failed by DID”.
Much needs to happen to get the department working excellently, meeting all your targets on the Annual Performance Plan and making a direct impact to the lives of Gauteng residents. What is puzzling me at the moment, which I hope to hear you MEC responding to is the Premier’s call to increase support to school sports as he announced in his State of the Province Address, yet you have tabled a reduction on the number of learners to participate in school sports programmes. Reduction from supporting 31 500 learners from the previous financial year to 18 500 learners. Is this the increase in support the Premier spoke off? This is misleading and until you align budgets to the needs of the communities, we will not support this budget.
Unfortunately, the department fails to manage its Infrastructure budget, which has led to a backlog in the building and maintenance of sporting facilities such as HM Pitjie Stadium and Operation Mabaleng.
Sport remains a key pillar of society that gives hope to many young residents of Gauteng. For many it acts as an escape from societal ills faced by our youth such as crime and substance abuse. It is therefore imperative that we ensure our townships are resourced with facilities where Gauteng residents can have the opportunity partake in sports, access libraries and learn about their rich and diverse heritage. This can only be achieved if the department achieves all its annual target.
I thank you and wish you all the best within your term as MEC, honourable Hlophe.
Thank You.