Dr. Graham DominyNational Archivist

Department of Arts and Culture

COMMUNITY LIBRARY FUNDING

Report to NCOP Select Committee ON FINANCE

12 FEBRUARY 2008

BACKGROUND

• Schedule 5 – Libraries - Exclusive Provincial Legislative Competency

• Four old provincial library services and ordinances

• Shared service with local authorities• Suite of Municipal Legislation giving effect to

Schedule 5• Municipal funding for libraries in jeopardy

PROVINCIAL SITUATION

• Provincial Library Services in Depts Sports & Culture (or Tourism - KZN)

• Very few provinces have enacted own library legislation

• Validity of old pre-1994 ordinances very doubtful• Ability to effect transformation seriously

constrained

KPMG/Jacaranda Reports

• DAC appointed KPMG/Jacaranda consortium to produce 3 reports:

– Phase 1: survey of immediate needs

– Phase 2: Status Quo report

– Phase 3: Funding Model and Norms and Standards

KPMG FINDINGS - 1• Provincial Library Services in Depts Sports & Culture (or Tourism -

KZN)• Very few provinces have enacted own library needs assessment

revealed priorities and determined formula for distribution of 2007/08 funds (R200m)

• R180m distributed to provinces

• R20m top-sliced for national project management, co-ordination and promotion

• ry legislation• Validity of old pre-1994 ordinances very doubtful• Ability to effect transformation seriously constrained

KPMG FINDINGS - 2

• Status Quo report entailed visits to all provinces and 50% of all municipalities

• Detailed examination of provincial and municipal expenditure patterns undertaken

• Similarities between municipal and provincial priorities noted

KPMG FINDINGS - 3

• Recommendations re long term funding - envisage phased folding-in of conditional grant into equitable share, subject to demonstrable capacity to manage project

• Executive Assignment by MEC’s to local authorities envisaged, subject to capacity

• Norms and standards to be set nationally in terms of Constitution (section 44).

“RECAPITALISING” LIBRARIES

• R1 billion NOT replacement funds

• IS intended to fill gap left by dwindling municipal funding

• NOT intended to enable provincial departments to divert the funds they are constitutionally required to spend on libraries for other purposes

TRANSFORMATIONAL AGENDA

• Promoting a Culture of Reading• Libraries and social cohesion – shared

family activities; peer group networks• Libraries and civil rights – promoting

critical thinking – essential in a democracy• Libraries and IT – connectivity in rural

areas can bridge digital divide• Publishing in indigenous languages

LIBRARY TRANSFORMATION CHARTER

• An inclusive and consultative process designed to result in broad support for the transformed role of libraries

• Will be tabled to MINMEC and SALGA

• Process being driven by NCLIS and the National Library

INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES

• Need for supply of literature in all official languages, especially for young readers

• NLSA driving process to identify indigenous language publications and to reprint African language classics

• Community library networks provide market for distribution of indigenous language material thus encouraging independent publishing in the medium term

WAY FORWARD (1)

• Managing the project

• Increasing provincial capacity

• Harmonizing contributions between national, provincial and local spheres

• Reconciling provincial procurement requirements and project compliance requirements and deliverables

WAY FORWARD (2)

• National monitoring and evaluation – role of Treasury TAU

• National sphere constitutionally empowered to set norms and standards

• New “South African Public and Community Libraries Bill” being drafted to set norms and standards before conditional grant is folded into the equitable share

EXPENDITURE UNTIL THE END OF DECEMBER FOR THE 2007/08 FINANCIAL YEAR

ProvincesTransfer: National

Office Receipt of Transfer by ProvinceSpent by

Province% Spent:Total

Available

  R'000 R'000 R'000 %

Eastern Cape 17,010 17,010 3,478 15.3

Free State 12,354 12,354 8,019 48.7

Gauteng 14,109 14,109 13,266 70.5

Kwazulu-Natal 10,464 10,464 8,777 62.9

Limpopo 17,145 17,145 3,198 14.0

Mpumalanga 17,145 16,605 11,272 49.3

Northern Cape 18,024 18,024 11,742 48.9

North West 16,200 16,200 4,742 22.0

Western Cape 12,555 12,555 8,139 48.6

         

TOTAL 135,006 134,466 72,633 40.4%

Incorrect Format: Eastern Cape

ThankThankYouYou

NCLIS vision -“Towards the best informed nation”