Die Afrikaanse Taalmuseum & -monument

Presentation to Arts and Culture Portfolio Committee, Site Visit,

16 September 2014

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Legal Mandate

• In compliance with the South African Constitution

• ATM established in terms of the Cultural Institutions Act

• Subject to the National Heritage Resources Act

• Subject to the Public Finance Management Act and Treasury Regulations

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Die Afrikaanse Taalmuseum & -monument: Who are we?

• A national museum and monument established in terms of the Cultural Institutions Act

• A Schedule 3A public entity in terms of the PFMA

• A museum and monument that portrays the story of Afrikaans

• We are located in Paarl, Western Cape– Museum and Administration: 11 Pastorie Avenue,

Paarl– Monument and Amphitheatre: Gabbema Doordrift

Street, Paarl Mountain

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What Die Afrikaanse Taalmuseum & -monument does

• Governed by a non-executive council of independent members appointed by the Minister, broadly representative of all South Africans

• Managed by a full-time management team• Our core functions are: Collect, conserve, exhibit,

educate and research• Offer educational, public, research and outreach

programmes• We build relationships individually and collectively

on a multicultural and multilingual basis, which gives impetus and direction to social cohesion and nation building

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Entity arrangements

• Museum inaugurated on 14 August 1975 and Monument on 10 October 1975. The ATM came into being through private initiative

• Was declared a public entity on 10 July 1977 after it was transferred to the Government, Department of Education

• It consists of a museum, a monument and an amphitheatre

• Arts & Culture Minister appoints Non-Executive Council for 3 year terms to oversee strategy and policy execution

• Management implements strategy within Council policy framework, subject to the law and established norms and standards for institutions of this type and purpose

• Account to Minister of Arts and Culture, National Treasury and Parliament

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Vision

• The vision of the ATM is to operate the national Afrikaanse Taalmuseum & -monument in such a manner that an inclusive audience is able to respect and appreciate Afrikaans in all its diversity

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Mission1. Build relationships with all South Africans through the medium of Afrikaans

and in the context of multilingualism2. Collect relevant material and information related to the origin and

development of Afrikaans and to conserve it3. Conduct research that would deepen and broaden existing knowledge about

Afrikaans4. Portray the origin, development, benefit and expansion of Afrikaans;

thereby stimulating visitor interaction5. Give exposure to the different facets of Afrikaans by means of lectures and

articles6. Promote and stimulate Afrikaans countrywide at all levels of society by

offering educational programmes, guided tours and cultural activities7. Manage the ATM on sound financial principles and strive for its independent

economic management8. Increase the number of visitors and generate funds9. Maintain the ATM’s culture-historical buildings and heritage sites and the

heritage of Afrikaans for the benefit of visitors10.Liaise and conclude partnerships with relevant institutions

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Values• Strives for the wellbeing of Afrikaans in the South African

society.– Encourage and support Afrikaans among the youth and non-native

speakers– Establish mutual respect between Afrikaans and other indigenous

languages– Acknowledge the mutual influences of different languages on each

other• Strive to always work candidly and transparently.

– High standards are maintained in educational presentations to learners and other groups of visitors

– Strong emphasis on operating within the framework of relevant legislation and requisite rules and policies

• Strive for high levels of integrity, reliability, transparency and professionalism.– Acknowledges the human dignity of all race groups in South Africa– Promotes transformation in museum activities, e.g. exhibitions,

education and public programmes

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Staff of the ATM

9Vacancy rate: 0%

Visitor statistics

• In total 262 060 visitors visited the museum and monument in the last five financial years.

• In 2013/2014 we welcomed 57 003 visitors, 6 015 more than 2012/2013.• Both international and national visitors increased in the last two financial years.• Shows at Amphitheatre attracted an additional 30 000 visitors during 2013/2014

financial year bringing the total to 87 000 visitors.

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Financial year International National Total

2009/2010 18322 35848 54170

2010/2011 17504 35377 52881

2011/2012 13963 33055 47018

2012/2013 14919 36069 50988

2013/2014 15005 41998 57003

Overview of 2014/2015 budget

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INCOME ESTIMATES

Revenue 2014/2015 2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/2018

Grant from DAC 5308 5597 5894 6189

Self generated 1137 1214 1259 1303

Total Revenue 6445 6811 7153 7492

EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES

Expenditure 2014/2015 2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/2018

Compensation of employees 4867 5100 5361 5566

Goods and services 1578 1711 1792 1926

Total Expenditure 6445 6811 7153 7492

Overview of 2014/2015 budget

• Overall increase of 7.47% in budget from 2013/2014 to 2014/2015. Average increase of 5.4% for the rest of the MTEF period

• Budget for self generated funds of 18% per annum with the aim to increase the percentage to 25% per annum

• Focus on increasing number of visitors and events that generate funds

• Short courses relevant to the institution form part of self-generated funds

• New ATM products for sale12

Overview of 2014/2015 budget

• Staff of 24 for the 2014/2015 financial year to ensure a better visitor experience

• Internship at the ATM for 4 students from 1 April 2014• Budget for 1% of AG’s fees

– Apply for support from NT on a yearly basis• Provisions for other expenses

– Hosting quality events at Garden Theatre with first aid, fire and security services on hand

– Repairs and maintenance at Visitor Centre– Elevated expenses relating to short courses

• Infrastructure development– Construction of new offices and ablution facilities for staff at

monument

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Challenges

• Audit fees of the Auditor-General– Currently audit fees are R685 003 (11% of

ATM’s budget)– ATM qualifies for payment of 1% of audit fee– According to PAA No 25 of 2004 National

Treasury to pay rest– National Treasury only pays part of account

(22%) and expects the ATM to pay the rest

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Challenges (cont.)

• Staff complement and cost-of-living rate– Staff expenditure 91% of transfer received

from DAC– ATM can only afford an increase in

remuneration of 5.6% for 2015/2016, 5.5% for 2016/2017 and 5% for 2017/2018

– No new appointments to be made due to lack of funding and sustainability of staff expenditure

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Challenges (cont.)

• Compliance with legislation– Financial, Supply Chain Management, Risk

Management and Human Resources performed by two staff members in financial department

• Partly addressed by an intern in the department

– Compilation of financial statements outsourced – software too expensive

• Will be outsourced for 2015/2016 and then done on MS Excel with probable risk that it will not fully comply with GRAP requirements

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Challenges (cont.)• Security servicesAs we are very much dependent on the revenue raised as entrance

fees, we cannot afford criminal behaviour to scare off our visitors. A couple of instances have occurred where visitors at the Monument were molested and robbed by vagrants that entered the Monument property illegally, in spite of a security fence and controlled entrance. Instances also occurred where people under age abused liquor and misbehaved. We are therefore in dire need of at least two security guards to patrol the Monument. As our budget does not make provision for this type of expense, we are reliant on the Department to assist us financially to employ two security guards.

• Funding - Educational & Heritage ProjectsDependant on funding to sponsor transportation for schools to visit

museum and monument and to do projects in other parts of the country other than the Western Cape.

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Challenges (cont.)• Compliance with GRAP 103 – staff shortage• Old electricity supply infrastructure causes

frequent power outages at the monument• Risk with no security guards at our facilities

during the day, both to infrastructure, as well as to visitors and staff

• Offering a professional service to the public with a very small staff corps

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Educational Programmes 2013/2014

• 8823 learners visited museum & monument

• Sponsored 15 busses to transport less privileged schools to museum & monument.

• Started a reading group in Porterville and reached 997 learners with this initiative.

• Donated books to Soetwater Primary in the Eastern Cape. 19

ACTIVITIES

• Presenting at the Robben Island Youth Day celebrations. On Nelson Mandela Day, we collaborated with the Dorkas Women club & BADISA to distribute clothes, soup & bread to an informal settlement in Paarl East

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Educational Programmes 2013/2014 (Cont.)

• Reached 976 learners on special days. (Museum Week, World Environment Day, Language Day & Water Week)

• Hosted 2 competitions, oratory (public speaking) competition in collaboration with Gymnasium Primary school & writing competition in collaboration with Hugenote Gedenkschool.

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Educational Programmes 2013/2014 (Cont.)

Educational Programmes 2014/2015

• Since April till June 2014 – 238 learners were reached at the reading group.

• Adopt a school – sponsoring local newspaper to rural school which can be used in the class room.

• Two language competitions were held.

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Heritage Programmes 2013/2014

• 5 Special projects: Collecting and recording intangible heritage

1. Oral History project in Kokstad, KZN

2. Grade 4 oral history : Our School

3. Story telling project (Drakenstein se mense vertel)

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4. Oral History Project : This is how we remember Porterville

5. Herbs as cultural & natural heritageThis project is taking place in Robertson, Bonnievale, McGregor and Montagu.

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Heritage Programmes 2013/2014 (cont.)

• Special daysHeritage day – 24 September

- Porterville Oral History Project

Emancipation of slavery – 1 December

- Symposium on: Celebrating the legacy of slavery in our culture and surroundings.

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Heritage Programmes 2013/2014 (cont.)

Heritage Programmes 2014/2015

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• Special Days

- International Day of Monuments

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Research

• Research is done on an ongoing basis and the results disseminated by means of lectures and articles in magazines and on our website.

• Heritage documents are made available to the public and researchers for use in our reading room.

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Collections

• Conservation: Several historic artefacts were restored during the past financial year.

• Documentation: In order to comply with GRAP 103, the heritage objects are being fully recorded in an electronic register.

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Exhibitions

• The house museum was upgraded during the 2013/2014 financial year.

• The exhibitions of the ATM are fully transformed to tell the complete story of Afrikaans.

Profitable events:

• Held 16 events as part of our summer picnic series, attracting 6 146 guests.

• The Afrikaans TV channel KykNET came on board as media sponsor to the value of R416 100, which included the production of two adverts and television airtime

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Venue rental

• Hosted 100 tour operators and tourism role players in collaboration with South African Tourism and SATSA

• Launched a new conference venue at the Taalmonument

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Prospects for 2014/2015 and beyond

• An important prospect is to promote the ATM by increasingly presenting a more effective service to the SA community and tourism market. In this regard we plan to upgrade our restaurant at the Monument to accommodate our growing numbers of visitors, and also to extend it into an adjacent conference centre.

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Educational programmes •Promote Afrikaans at all levels of society by offering educational programmes, guided tours & cultural activities.•Continue presenting special programmes on special days to elevate our school visitor’s numbers to the museum and monument. •Sustainability of literacy programmes in various rural towns.

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Prospects for 2014/2015 and beyond(cont.)

Prospects for 2014/2015 and beyond(cont.)

• Heritage programmes Liaise with organisations and heritage institution on

local, prov and national levels to collaborate in certain heritage projects. – Kokstad project – compiling data base of findings.– Herbs as cultural and natural heritage – compiling

database of the different herbs, presenting a herbal market day, giving the public the opportunity to share their products with a wider audience and compiling a teacher’s pack of herbs which can be used in the classroom.

– Oral history project in Namakwaland – compiling tangible product.

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Prospects for 2014/2015 and beyond(cont.)

Heritage day talks •Presenting special events (heritage talks) on International Museum Day, Heritage Day, Emancipation Day (December)

•Profitable events:

Expanding our summer picnic series, to include picnic flicks with a big screen outdoor cinema

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Thank you

11 Pastorie Avenue, Paarl, 7646

T: 021 872 3441 F: 021 871 1106

E: admin@taalmuseum.co.za

www.taalmuseum.co.za

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