Die Afrikaanse
Taalmuseum & -monument
Presentation to Arts and Culture
Portfolio Committee, Site Visit,
16 September 2014
1
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
2
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
3
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
5
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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Mission
1. Build relationships with all South Africans through the medium of Afrikaans
and in the context of multilingualism
2. Collect relevant material and information related to the origin and
development of Afrikaans and to conserve it
3. Conduct research that would deepen and broaden existing knowledge
about Afrikaans
4. Portray the origin, development, benefit and expansion of Afrikaans;
thereby stimulating visitor interaction
5. Give exposure to the different facets of Afrikaans by means of lectures and
articles
6. Promote and stimulate Afrikaans countrywide at all levels of society by
offering educational programmes, guided tours and cultural activities
7. Manage the ATM on sound financial principles and strive for its independent
economic management
8. Increase the number of visitors and generate funds
9. Maintain the ATM’s culture-historical buildings and heritage sites and the
heritage of Afrikaans for the benefit of visitors
10. 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 nonnative 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
Vacancy rate: 0%
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Visitor statistics
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
• 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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Overview of 2014/2015 budget
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
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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 sale
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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 services
As 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 Projects
Dependant 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
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public with a very small staff corps
ACTIVITIES
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.
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Educational Programmes 2013/2014
(Cont.)
• 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
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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Heritage Programmes
2013/2014 (cont.)
4. Oral History Project : This is
how we remember Porterville
5. Herbs as cultural & natural
heritage
This project is taking place in Robertson,
Bonnievale, McGregor and Montagu.
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Heritage Programmes
2013/2014 (cont.)
• Special days
Heritage 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
2014/2015
• 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.
27
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.
28
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.
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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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Prospects for 2014/2015 and beyond
(cont.)
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.)
• 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 34
tangible product.
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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