1. Hon. Members, arts and culture are essential means by which all people explain their experience, shape their identity and imagine the future.
2. Therefore, this department needs to work harder to animate civil society, to increase our compassion for each other by providing creative ways for us to understand and deal with differences.
3. An important partner remains the Department of Education. The CAPS system, introduced in 2012, for the Grade R to Grade 12 schooling curriculum is a positive change. However, adequately trained teachers are needed to adapt to the rigours of the new curriculum and the changes occurring in this department.
4. This stricter, more work-intensive curriculum requires a broader range of commitments from the learner, such as avid recreational and indigenous reading to enjoy reading, which school libraries should also provide.Furthermore, schools should offer two of five creative arts subjects from Grades 7 to 9, such as dance, visual arts, drama, music, and mother tongue languages.
5. HON. MEC, the Minority Front welcomes the review on the Provincial Language Policy Bill. Our concern remains celebration of International Mother Tongue Day. Indian languages must be included and offered in schools.
6. I agree that geographical naming has been a cumbersome process. In 2012 the Minority Front started with the process in Chatsworth to rename the Higginson Highway to the Rajbansi Highway but the public hearing route is the best way to fast track this process.
7. HON. MEC the MF supports this budget of R874 million.

Thank You.

Shameen Thakur-Rajbansi

Minority Front  MPL KZN Legislature