Media Releases 2014 - 2010
The Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Paul Mashatile welcomes the deliberations and finalisation of the Use of Official Languages Bill by the Select Committee on Education and Recreation. The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will finalise the long- awaited Use of Official Languages Bill tomorrow after many months of deliberation in Parliament.
The passing of this Bill will compel government departments and entities to provide services and information to the people of South Africa in the official language of their choice.
The South African government through the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) in collaboration with DAC institutions the South African State Theatre, Ditsong Museums and the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is hosting a celebration of South African arts, culture and heritage during the upcoming 2012 London Olympic games in a programme that begins on the 26th July 2012 and runs until the end of the multisport showpiece.
The Department of Arts and Culture is very pleased announce that the Events and Festivals Grant is being rolled out and ready to deliver as we promised the nation when we made the declaration at Newtown. The Grant provides a platform to display and popularise the multicultural society that we area and create jobs and wealth at the same time.
The Department of Arts and Culture through the Bureau of Heraldry designs and registers heraldic representations such as flags and coats of arms. The Bureau is guided by the Heraldry Act, which governs the use and protection of national symbols.
Officials of the Bureau of Heraldry and the Department of Trade and Industry who deal with Copyrighting and Corporate issues of the State met this morning to clarify ownership of the National Anthem.
At this Summit we are reminded of the symbolism of our National Coat of Arms and the Flag:
“It is both South African and African, it is both African and Universal. It serves to invoke our distant past, our living present and our future as it unfolds before us. It represents the permanent yet evolving identity of the South African people as it shapes itself through time and space. Through this new Coat of Arms we pay homage to our past. We seek to embrace the indigenous belief systems of our people, by demonstrating our respect for the relationship between people and nature, which for millions of years have been fundamental to our self-understanding of our African condition”.
The Department of Arts and Culture through the Bureau of Heraldry designs and registers heraldic representations such as flags and coats of arms. The Bureau is guided by the Heraldry Act, which governs the use and protection of national symbols.
Officials of the Bureau of Heraldry and the Department of Trade and Industry who deal with Copyrighting and Corporate issues of the State met this morning to clarify ownership of the National Anthem.
Minister of Arts and Culture Minister Mr. Paul Mashatile, today confirms the dissolution of the board of the Pan South African Languages Board (PanSALB). The termination of the board's term of office, took effect on 13 June 2012. The move follows a governance review of the functioning of the organisation, which was undertaken by Minister Mashatile.
"This is the first step toward, ensuring a PANSALB that truly meets its mandate. Language rights, are enshrined in our country's constitution. Everything must be done to ensure its development and protection. The importance of multilingualism to South African society cannot be overstated," said Mashatile.
Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile, today the 28th of May 2012, met with Ms Lisa Esser from the Goodman Gallery.
The two hour meeting discussed public concerns relating to the controversial artwork by artist Brett Murray entitled The Spear at the Goodman Gallery.
During the discussions Ms Liza Esser indicated that, it was never her intention and that of the Goodman Gallery to harm the dignity of anyone, including the President, with the display of The Spear.
Ms Lisa said she regrets the pain that the display of The Spear has caused to President Zuma, his family as well as to the nation.
Last week the Spear was defaced and has since been removed from the Gallery.
Iziko South African National Gallery
28 March – 28 July 2012
Iziko Museums is proud to partner with the Department of Art and Culture, the South African Heritage Resources Agency and the Qatar Museums Authority, in hosting the artwork, Arab Priest by Irma Stern, at the Iziko South African National Gallery. As the Director General of the Department of Arts and Culture expressed, “We are very pleased that this exhibition of ‘Arab Priest’ held in Iziko South African National Gallery today is held as part of an agreement between Qatar and South Africa, between the Qatar Museums Authority and SAHRA”.
The Ministry and the Department of Arts and Culture welcome the appointment of and congratulate the Board of the National Library of South Africa (NLSA). Their term begins on the 1 October 2012 and ends on the 30 September 2015.
The Chairperson of the Board is Ms E R Tise, the immediate past President of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), Senior Director of Library and Information Services at Stellenbosch University.
The Members of the Board are: