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This briefing presents the background, link to NDP, impact indicators, achievements, and coordination of the Social Cohesion Programme. It highlights the department's role in implementing resolutions from the National Social Cohesion Summit and outlines targets for fostering constitutional values, equal opportunities, and inclusion. The goal is to promote social cohesion and create a caring and proud society.
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BRIEFING TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEESOCIAL COHESION PROGRAMME Presented by: Mr. Vuyo Jack Date: 24 March 2015
Presentation Outline • Background • Link to NDP • Impact Indicators of Outcome 14 • MTSF Outcome 14 Targets for DAC • Coordination and Institutional Arrangements • Key Delivery Partners • Key Achievements To Date • Summary of issues raised in Community Conversations
Background • The Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) led the hosting of the 2012 National Social Cohesion Summit. • The 2012 National Social Cohesion Summit was attended by representatives of all key sectors of the South African society, ranging from youth to politica parties and civil society. • The Summit took 12 Resolutions, summarised as follows: • Mobilizing the society to work together to build a caring and proud society • Work towards the implementation of the recommendations of the 2030 National Development Plan • Ensure that nation building and social cohesion underpins all national, provincial and local government strategies • Promote and preserve all indigenous cultures and knowledge • Accelerate change by improving the quality of life of all people • The State to continue to build capacity to drive the socio-economic agenda • Fight all forms of discrimination which are a danger to nation building and social cohesion • Respect human dignity and equality, promote freedom, democracy and the rule of law. • Expand exisitng national, heritage and other awards to recognise all those who contribute significantly to nation building and social cohesion • Develop a nation building project management, manual and toolkit and convene social cohesion summits at provincial, local and community levels • Convene a national social cohesion report back summit in 2014; and • Develop a detailed implementation plan form the proposals made at the summit.
Background cont… • The main objective of the Summit was to provide a platform for citizens across all sectors fo the society to map a way forward in creating “a caring and proud society”. • Subsequent to the Summit, an implementation framework based on the resolutions was developed, part of which is to mobilize all sectors of the society to continue to dialogue and bridge the gaps that divide us as a nation. • The Summit report was presented to the President of the Republic of South Africa by the Minister of Arts and Culture, the Social Cohesion Advocates and a number of eminent South Africans who played a leading role at the Summit. • The Department of Arts and Culture is tasked with the implementation of Resolutions 9, 10, 11 and 12 • In implementing these Resolutions, the Department works with the Social Cohesion Advocates, Civil Society organizations such as the Moral Regeneration Movement, Labour and other government Departments, to name but a few.
Link to the NDP • The National Development Plan has as its Vision for 2013, that South African will be more consciuos of the things they have in common than what they have as their differences. • Working towards this vision, the NDP has set out five (5) long-term nation building goals for South Africa. They are summarised as follows: • Knowledge of the Constitution and fostering Constitutional Values • Equalizing opportunities, promoting inclusion and redress • Promoting social cohesion across society through increased interaction across race and class • Promoting active citizenry and broad-based leadership • Achieving a social compact that will lay the basis for equity, inclusion and prosperity for all. • The 2014-2019 Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) is a five-year building block of the NDP to assist government to achieve the 2030 goals. • The MTSF has 14 Outcomes, to which as the Department of Arts and Culture, we lead and coordinate Outcome 14: Nation Building and Social Cohesion
Knowledge of the Constitution and Fostering Constitutional Values
Promoting Social Cohesion Across Society Through Increased Interaction Across Race and Class
Coordination and Institutional Arrangements Coordinating • Minister of Arts and Culture is responsible for coordinating the implementation of nation building and social cohesion programmes derived from the MTSF. • DAC is the secretariat for the Outcome and will also be responsible for reporting on progress against the indicators. • The Social Sector Cabinet Committees will continue to facilitate collaborative decision-making, and make recommendations to Cabinet as it relates to Outcome 14. • Social Sector Directors General Cluster forum will house and coordinate reporting as part of an integrated approach to governance. • The Implementation Forumchaired by DAC has been constituted. It is made up of all delivery partners of the Outcome.
Key Delivery Partners • The DAC as the lead Department will deliver on the Outcome with the following delivery partners • Provincial Departments of Arts and Culture • Brand SA • Department of Basic Education • Sports and Recreation South Africa • GCIS • Department of Cooperative Governance • SALGA • Department od Social Development • Department of Women • Department of Home Affairs • Department of Monitoring and Evaluation • NGOs and NPOs • Media, Trade Unions and Civil Society Organizations
Key Achievements to Date • With the emphasis on shaping the discourse on how to eradicate intolerances of all kinds, the DAC introduced a programme for Social Cohesion Advocates. These are eminent members of the society who have an influnece in the variuos constituencies they represent. • The Advocates programme includes, but not limited: • Be represented in community dialogues • Participate in round-table discussions building up to the Report-Back Summit • Lead campaigns on different topics aimed at nation building and promoting the spirit of Ubuntu • Actively participate in all activities of national significance such as National Days and their commemorations • Conduct media interviews on different topics at different media platforms • The roles of the Advocates are amongst others, to: • Promote the culture of tolerance in order to eradicate human rights atrocities • Highlight the achievements of the communities and the country • Utilize all available platfoms such as sport, music, art, heritage celebrations and drama to spread the message of unity and national pride.
Key Achievements Cont… • The Project Management Manual and Toolkit has been developed as per Resolution 10 of the 2012 Summit. This Toolkit will be used as an assessment instrument in the 2015 Community Conversations. • The plans to host the Report-back and Monitoring Summit are underway. The Summit will be held in March 2015 in the Eastern Cape. • Most Provinces have held their Provincial Summits (Northern Cape, KZN, Gauteng, Northwest and Mpumalanga). We are continously engaging with the remaining provinces to host the Summits. • Community Conversations were rolled out throughout the country and were held in all the 9 (nine) Provinces. In the slides below, we outline a summary of the key issues raised at the Community Conversations.
Approach and Methodology • Interactive workshop constituting a maximum of sixty (60) participants from diverse racial groups and backgrounds • Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies • The Appreciative Enquiry Methodology • Recognises and values the contributions or attributes of things and people around them. • Asset Based Community Development Methodology • Uses the principle that there are existing assets (human capital, social capital, physical/ natural/ financial capital) within the community that need to be nurtured and also encourages the communities to bring positive change in their own environment. • Rich employment of image sculpturing and drawing • Deconstructing present perspectives and re-constructing desired change on the basis of the community’s aspiration and vision.
Summary of Key Issues Raised at Community Conversations • The common issues that are raised in the conversations as issues that divide the society are summarized as follows: • Unequal distribution of resources in societies • Different societal classes and inequality which creates different societies • Political organizations which divide the society • Religion according to urban and rural areas • Racism, • Language • Education • Service delivery • Lack of family values • Nepotism • Unresolved land reform issues • Lack of understanding of our political diversity • Inability to accept one another • Crime • Teenage pregnancy • Substance abuse • Below is the sample of the findings of the sub-outcome discussions during community conversations
How should Department of Arts and Culture promote unity amongst South Africans The Department should embark on the following key activities: • Conduct more social cohesion community conversations and encourage all racial groups to attend; • Promote cultural festivals for youth especially in rural areas; • Enhance financial and institutional support for up and coming artists; • Include the Khoisan communities in all Departmental initiatives and programmes; • Increase support for the healing of the nation through appropriate community programmes; • Use arts and culture as a catalyst for Social Cohesion; • Introduce cultural learning programmes and tours amongst communities; • Encourage media to increase talk show on Nation Building and Social Cohesion; • Encourage people to celebrate and tell their cultural practice that include songs and dance; • Encourage Department of Basic Education to introduce arts and culture as a subject at schools; • Work much closely with Traditional Authorities and Municipalities; on Nation Building and Social Cohesion programmes; • Increase greater outreach to all communities including minorities (Whites, Indians, Coloureds) to participate in Nation Building programmes and initiatives; • Promote unity amongst communities, acknowledge all cultures and promote Nation Building initiatives; and • Partner with other Government Departments to enhance Nation Building and Social Cohesion in communities.
How should Department of Arts and Culture promote unity amongst South Africans • Facilitate conversations where different stakeholders take part in sharing experiences and challenges they face; • Facilitate dialogue in society that will foster better understanding of different cultures and how these could be used for nation building and social cohesion; • Encourage society to celebrate together days of national importance; • Conduct more workshops on social cohesion and training in order for people to appreciate the importance of a united society; • Be more visible in communities and understand their need accordingly; • Develop more cultural festivals that would attract more young people. • Inculcate acceptable moral values in society in partnership with other Government Departments through appropriate community programmes; • Support young and upcoming artist from rural areas and townships by providing them with finance, capacity building and create space for them to showcase their talents and art work; • Promote art and culture in communities by having a ward forum at each local municipality to deal with issues of arts and culture; • Use existing Government structures such as Community Development Workers (CDWs) to promote art and culture as a catalysis for social cohesion; • Partner with other Government Departments that advocate for implementation of the Laws and policies that deal with social division; • Partner with Department of Sports in particular to enhance social cohesion in communities; • Assist in solving arts and culture issues at local Municipalities; and • Hold cultural functions and provide youth with workshops that are aimed at inculcating a sense of unity and national identity in them.
Findings: Nation Building, Social Cohesion and National identity
Recommendations • Community consultation and engagement in the planning of events of national importance is critical for buy-in; • Rural areas and Townships should be targeted for cultural festivals, youth empowerment and initiatives that sought to promote arts and culture; • The need to communicate more as a society within and across communities should be encouraged in order to create tolerance among racial groups, platform for sharing of cultural experiences, and solution to societal problems that inculcate a sense of nationhood in societies; • The work of NGOs, CBOs, schools, media, families is important in building actively engaged citizens, with a culture of tolerance and obligation to human rights; • Community leaders should display good and morally acceptable leadership through how they lead communities; • Nation Building and Social Cohesion will fail if government through the Department of Arts and Culture, does not increase opportunities for people to honestly and openly engage with one another; and • Platforms like this one, are needed more than ever for Nation Building and Social Cohesion programmes to be realised;
