People’s Power for Economic Freedom Table of Content
Grow and Protect the Industry
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- Decentralizing the Sector
- 7. Empowering Artists and Sportsmen
- Providing Financial Services to the Sectors
- Transforming Monuments of Heritage
- Shifting towards a more indigenous culture through language
- Creating and strengthening the Labour Movement
- Developing the Underground Sector
- Creating a Parallel Resistant Industry
- Industry-Specific Policy Recommendations Arts and Culture 13.1 Fine Arts
- 13.2 Film and Television
- Architecture and Landmark Names
- Sports and Recreation Recreation
- CHAPTER 11
Grow and Protect the Industry What stifles Arts and Culture in South Africa are five things
There is no Arts and Culture sector in the world that has successfully thrived internally and penetrated world markets without the support of the state. This excludes highly populated countries such as China, India, the US, Nigeria etc. South Africa is a 51mil population country with a 26% unemployment rate and an unskilled low-wage working percentage in the majority. Unfortunately, much like in the rest of Africa, Arts and Culture is seen as an unskilled sector with only ad hoc potential. Sadly, this is the foundation on which seemingly successful industries such as Nollywood were based: a large industry of unskilled and underpaid workers with a huge market. Still the figures are staggering. Nigeria produces 872 official films a year and that number climbs to 2000-2500 if one adds the low-budget amateur films produced a year. Even though South Africa has the capacity to produce at least 100 films a year, it only manages to output 25 in the market, far less than 0,8 of the Nigerian output. Yet the country has the expertise and the capacity that Nigeria lacks. It is also staggering that when the Nigerian GDP pulled in the film and music along with other sectors as contributors, it spiked the economy by more than 2%. Nigeria now realizes the value of their film and television industry and have now pledged to put more resources in its direction. A country that has seen the value of increasing the volumes of film production and increasing the market outside its borders is Australia. In the last 10yrs they have increased their output by more than 20% and strengthened markets outside of their borders. That industry today has enjoyed a more than 60% growth since and is rated as one of the best in the world today. South Africa has SADC as an immediate target market. Instead of tightening control over coverage spilling into neighboring countries, broadcasters such as MNet and SABC must fight to be more accessible. South Africa should be strengthening bilateral agreements with neighboring countries like Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Instead South Africa has co-production agreements in Europe and the Americas. The idea is simple: Create a market in the region then together tackle the international market. South Africa must encourage a significant increase in production of Arts and Culture products and it can only do that if it can create a viable market for itself through effective:
Eight practical steps can be taken to achieve not only a more egalitarian Arts and Culture economy that is free of bureaucratic control, but one that is responsive of existing socio-political currents. These are:
In its current state, the arts and culture sector is based in two primary centers from which most of the broadcasting happens. Community Radio stations have to a certain extent managed to balance the numbers out slightly, but the stringiest laws around Community TV stations have made it inaccessible and therefore a few have sprung up in already metropolized cities. The laws must be relaxed and allow for a more spread out industry. Movie houses and theatre facilities must also be more accessible. All this will help to:
This principle of decentralization applies to all disciplines of the Arts and Culture sector. The EFF strongly advocates creating new cities and business hubs across the length and breadth of the country. Cities rely on industry and the ability to market themselves. Arts, culture and sports play a critical role in the latter. Great cities of the world market themselves through major sports teams. In the current dispensation, post-apartheid South Africa simply assimilated the principles of Apartheid and maintained the status quo. Hence today sports is still struggling to transform and arts and culture still only find expression in two major centers, Johannesburg and Cape Town. As we grow more cities, so must sport and culture hubs spread. The Recreation centers must be encouraged in townships where interested parties can learn and practice their art in a conducive environment. 7. Empowering Artists and Sportsmen
Amongst some of the hardships the sector faces is lack of industry and practitioner financial support. The capitalist banking system views the industry and its practitioners as risks and therefore hardly ever supports them even for basic services including housing, car finance and basic banking services. A nationalized banking system would address the issue by creating special banking codes for these industries and insuring their survival or creating a special bank for all similar industries. Financing in Arts and Sports industries is also sporadic and haphazard. Institutions like the IDC and NEF still rely on foreign models like Hollywood to determine local funding models. They even rely on foreign formulae for what makes a good project, thus unintentionally Americanizing local product.
Monuments and other national icons must reflect a new dispensation. EFF rejects monuments of apartheid in key public areas including the inclusion of Die Stem in the National Anthem. These icons only assist in endorsing a dominant, aggressive and oppressive culture of the apartheid era which the new elite has assimilated. New monuments that reflect a new era of ideology and independence must be encouraged to forge a progressive nation rid of old adages and customs. A new South Africa must tell a new story reflective of its aspiration for a new free society. New monuments of indigenous African heroes and those who fought for the dignity of Africa in general must be erected. Architecture must also reflect this new society. It is at best astonishing that the Simon Van Der Stel building is still the benchmark for iconic architecture in a new South Africa. South African architecture must tell the story of an African country embedded in the history of the continental struggles. Government must forge this new culture of design. Although we believe that street names and city names must also be changed radically to reflect a new South Africa that rejects its colonial past. Although government has spearheaded this program, we believe not enough us being done at a satisfactory pace. We must also clarify that the role of the Department of arts and culture in this transformation of iconic heritage monuments must be a consultative one. The job of actually naming places and building things must remain with Spatial Planning and Human Settlements in ‘consultation’ with Arts and Culture.
It is the view of EFF that the Khoi and San languages must be elevated to official status. Fanon speaks clearly of language and how it affects culture and the national conscience and outlook. It is therefore our view that all languages must be given equal status in public spaces. Currently only Afrikaans and English enjoy prominence in Airports, Hospitals and other public spaces including institutions of learning. Indigenous African languages must be taught as first languages in all schools and English and Afrikaans as secondary technical supports. This is the practice in many progressive countries and it has in no way disadvantaged the populace of those countries. South Africa must also forge ahead with creating an indigenous technical language for science and other technical subjects. A unitary language that is sensitive to all the official languages of the country. Perhaps in tandem with how Tsotsitaal is a language that is universal within the borders of the country across all language barriers. All languages must be given equal representation in all media
One of the crippling factors in both sports and the arts is the lack of organized labour unions. This vacuum is the catalyst for the wholesale exploitation that occurs in these sectors. The current government is satisfied with the status quo as it takes away the problem of dealing with these non-essential sectors through legislation. It is in the interest of EFF to assist these sectors to organize themselves into formidable labour movements outside of the current labour structures who have shown little to no interest in developing a coherent labour voice for them. An effective union would formalize relations with government and the sector. It would also underpin the development of a conscientised artist, which the sector is in dire need of in general. A legislated state-monitored regulatory body must be created to monitor and regulate the industries on labour and policy issues. This body will also professionalize the industry thus making it easier to manage. At present…
The establishment of such a body would bring the industries under close scrutiny and render all parties answerable. Transformation would be closely monitored and measured.
Kwaito and Hip-Hop have become an industry to be reckoned with. These genres have created a market for themselves amongst the youth and seen many artists in the job market. This industry must be encouraged and developed. The DJ industry is also employing youth in an informal that is employing hundreds of youth and whose career can be assisted and encouraged.
EFF must take a stance that if the existing industry resists transformation, a new and parallel industry must be forged, one that is in tandem with our national self-determination and protection. Such an industry would require
Arts and Culture 13.1 Fine Arts
13.2 Film and Television
Theatre and Dance
Music
Digital Arts
Architecture and Landmark Names
Sports and Recreation Recreation
Sports
In essence, a transformed sporting sector will revive an otherwise potentially active section of the unemployed populace and give the nation a new lease and zest to perform. This can only happen if the sector leads by example and proves to previously disadvantaged individuals that they too can perform well in other sports. Options must be available to all communities across the class, geographical and color lines Conclusion In conclusion, it is clear that the Arts and Sports sectors can be major job drivers if properly channeled. It is an area that has the capacity to liberate a nation in its own right. Where Frantz Fanon correctly observes “The area of culture is then marked off by fences and signposts”, this document seeks to remove the fences and signposts placed by colonial and neo-liberal elites around the culture of the oppressed. It seeks to decentralize the power of culture from the grip of the incumbent right wing forces and place it back in the hands of the disenfranchised masses. It is only when culture and recreation are back in the hands of the masses that real change can find expression in the lives of ordinary people in their daily activities. It is only when the people are in control of their ordinary thoughts which are largely manipulated by their cultural convictions and practices, that they can successfully incorporate their revolutionary beliefs and experiences into their daily activities and make the revolution their way of life. Oppressors throughout history have understood this simple fact, thus they have historically understood the importance of putting fences and signposts around the cultures of the oppressed. CHAPTER 11 EFF Building of State and Government Capacity at Local Government Sphere, to Enhance Effective and Efficient Service Delivery Local government is the foundation to democracy, if it fails, democracy will fail. Robert W. Flack Introduction The sphere of local government in South Africa has for many years been seen as just an overseer and not implementer of developmental programmes. Dominated by both provincial and central government, local government was forced to implement development plans that were developed by the top spheres of government (DCD, 1998, Rogerson, 2002). This meant that local government played an administrative role in economic development under apartheid government. However with the change of government in 1994, there was a change in the manner that local government was viewed. It was designated as a separate sphere of government that was to play a central role in the economic development of the country, however it has failed to rise to the occasion in terms of placing development of the people at the centre.
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