Nelspruit - Having delivered three new public libraries to the Mpumalanga public in the last financial year, the Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation has budgeted R25-million to add another four new libraries by March 2011.
"We will be building the new libraries in Hluvukani in Bushbuckridge municipality, Silindile in Msukaligwa municipality, Botleng in Victoria Khanye municipality and Driefontein in the Mkhondo municipality," said MEC Vusi Shongwe during his department's budget speech in the legislature on Friday.
The department also announced it would upgrade community libraries in Nelspruit, Mzinoni, Middelburg, KwaMhlanga and Ermelo.
"These public libraries will go a long way in assisting pupils and adults to improve their literacy rates," Shongwe said.
He added that the department would host a National Oral History Conference, which would investigate the recording and preservation of the history of historically marginalised communities in both the province and the rest of South Africa. The department said the conference would take place between 12 and 17 October.
"Mpumalanga has a rich history which is still not yet documented. A programme of teaching ordinary members of the community how to research and record the oral testimonies and accounts of their communities as well as their genealogy is also unfolding," Shongwe said.
