In a year as difficult as 2020 has been for the cultural and creative industries, positive developments are to be highly welcomed. One such development is the successful recruitment of Dr Cynthia Ntombifuthi Khumalo to join the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. Dr Khumalo brings a wealth of leadership experience to the position of DDG in charge of the Arts and Culture Promotion and Development branch. The South African Cultural Observatory project reports to this branch.
Prior to joining the Department in July 2020, among the various high-level positions she held, Dr Khumalo was the CEO of Ushaka Marine World, CEO of KZN Liquor Authority and Head of the Provincial Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism in KZN. Dr Khumalo has served as board member for several organisations including the KZN Tourism Authority, KZN Sharks Board and KZN Liquor Authority.
The Arts and Culture Promotion and Development Programme is responsible for the development and promotion of arts, culture and language. The programme seeks to achieve four key sectoral goals which are: i). a transformed, coherent and development-focused Sector – driving greater policy and planning coherence in the sector towards the achievement of sectoral development outcomes; ii). nation building through effective social cohesion programme implementation – leading nation building and societal transformation through effective social cohesion programmes and a focus on multilingualism; iii). a productive, diverse and inclusive ACH Sector – protecting, preserving, promoting and developing arts, culture and heritage, and advancing the socio-economic inclusivity and contribution of the sector; and iv). a professional and capacitated ACH Sector – building the skills and capacity of the Sector to ensure its ongoing development and responsiveness.
Sporting events are more than moments of competition, national pride, and entertainment. They are economic activities that can stimulate tourism, create employment, support local businesses, and generate revenue across multiple sectors of the economy.
Umntwana womgquba a term traditionally used in the Nguni language that means “born out of wedlock,” but nowadays it is used to emphasise that one is born kwisintu. As lontwana, I look back on my own adventures: sometimes I pat myself on the back, and sometimes I wish I could redo them.
Each September, South Africa turns its attention to the rich cultural tapestry that defines our nation. Heritage Month is a time to honour the traditions, languages, histories, knowledge systems, customs and creative expressions that have been passed from generation to generation, while recognising that our heritage is not confined to the past.
My first encounter with heritage at the Mandela Bay Development Agency was, appropriately, somewhat uncomfortable. It began with cleaning. The Gale Monument, the Horse Memorial and the Queen Victoria statue became my first practical introduction to the business of preserving history.
