​Qaqambile Mdledle
The Gauteng Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (SACR) MEC Mbali Hlophe tabled the department's budget of just over R1 billion for the 2021/22 financial year at the Provincial Legislature on Tuesday, 15 June in Johannesburg.
The budget outlined the department allocations for the current financial year and beamed the way forward for the department's aspirations to meet its mandate and obligations of Growing Gauteng Together Vision 2030 and NDP Vision 2030.
The overall budget for SACR is just over R1 billion, breaking it down to equitable share of R793 million and Conditional Grant of R273 million, a small increase from previous year.
Sport and Recreation received the lion's share of R347 Million followed by Libraries and Archive services at R320 Million, Cultural Affairs R233 Million and Administration R166 Million.
She said they will continue to invest in upgrading existing facilities for public use and the development of ten sport and recreation facilities to support programs such as the Wednesday League,"
The MEC added that to date 3 126 artists and athletes have benefitted from Gauteng Social Relief Fund.
"For Gauteng to remain competitive in the global sport arena, we need to champion the transformation agenda. It is against this background that we will continue to invest our resources to the development of school sport programme," she said.
She further highlighted the building of three new libraries in the current financial year. Two libraries and one sports facility are in the process of being handed over to the relevant municipalities.
"The new libraries will embrace our conception of the libraries of the future embedded in the 4th Industrial Revolution," she added.
In addition, R20 million has been ear marked for the declaration of heritage sites, provincial resistance and liberation routes and support to economically viable heritage routes.​