Dr. Graham Dominy

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Report to NCOP Select Committee ON FINANCE 12
FEBRUARY 2008
COMMUNITY LIBRARY FUNDING

• Dr. Graham Dominy
• National Archivist
• Department of Arts and Culture

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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 MECs to local
  authorities envisaged, subject to capacity
• Norms and standards to be set nationally in terms
  of Constitution (section 44).

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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


Provinces Transfer National Office Receipt of Transfer by Province Spent by Province SpentTotal 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 Incorrect Format Eastern Cape
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NCLIS vision -Towards the best informed nation
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