Cultural Affairs and Sport
- How many libraries have been (i) vandalised and (ii) robbed over the past five years, (b) what were the costs of the damages incurred as the result of each incident of (i) vandalism and (ii) robbery and (c) what is her Department doing to reduce incidents of vandalism and robbery at libraries?
(a) (i) 306 libraries were vandalised over the past 5 years.
(a) (ii) 110 libraries were robbed over the past 5 years.
(b) (i) The cost incurred due to vandalism is R25 194 902.23*. The details of the damages are in Annexure A.
(b) (ii) The cost incurred due to robberies is R 2 441 573.71*. The details of the damages are in Annexure A
*Not all municipalities provided costs incurred during the various incidents of r robbery and vandalism.
(c) The Department's approach in building new libraries is to consult community structures. This demonstrates a thoughtful and inclusive approach to ensure community engagement and ownership. By involving the community in the decision-making process, the Department seeks to obtain buy-in, which ultimately leads to a sense of moral ownership within the respective community.
This approach has several potential benefits. First, by actively involving community members, the Department can gather valuable insights and perspectives that may not have been considered otherwise. This collaborative approach allows the library project to better align with the needs and desires of the community it serves. By taking community input into account, the Department can design libraries that reflect the unique characteristics and aspirations of the people they are intended to benefit.
Furthermore, by establishing a sense of moral ownership among community members, the Department promotes a feeling of responsibility and protectiveness towards the library. When individuals feel a personal connection and investment in a facility or institution, they are more likely to take an active role in its preservation and maintenance. This can result in increased community involvement, volunteerism, and support for the library's ongoing operations.
Although security of library infrastructure is the primary responsibility of municipalities new libraries are architecturally designed to reduce vandalism and reduce security risks in mind. Notwithstanding the afore-mentioned the department continues to lobby for additional funding from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and Provincial Treasury to upgrade the security measures at the various public libraries.
The municipalities have introduced various measures including alarm systems, security guards and fencing. Transfer funding to municipalities for the execution of the library function, security is prioritised to ensure security measures at libraries are in place and this is continuously monitored by the Department in the monitoring meetings with municipalities. Details in Annexure A.
