Commissions of Enquiry

As a General Term

This refers to a group of people (though there have been one-person commissions), set up to investigate something in order to find out more information about it and possibly to make recommendations for steps to be taken or improvements to be made. Can be appointed pre-emptively as a result of perceived irreguilarities, or in cases where doubts or dissatisfaction with the status quo exists. Often appointed by a government, political party, association or business management.

Issues regarding the arts and artists have over the years also been subject to Commissions of Enquiry.

South African Commissions of Enquiry into the Arts and related matters

Committee of Enquiry regarding the National Theatre Organisation or The De Bruyn Committee (1961)

A Committee of the Department of Education, Arts and Science, chaired by ** De Bruyn. It was appointed in 1961 to investigate the financial and organisational problems encountered by the embattled National Theatre Organisation (NTO). The committee consisted of **, and heard evidence from a wide range of people and institutions, including the management of NTO. Though their report was never published, the reccommendations were that (a) NTO wind up its business in 1962 and (b) that it be replaced by four povincial performing arts councils in 1963. (See also National Theatre Organisation and Performing Arts Councils.) (Stead, 1985b, *)

Commission of Enquiry into the Performing Arts in South Africa (1977) or The Niemand Commission

Also more commonly known as the Niemand Commission.

The Commission for Researching the Restructuring the Performing Arts in Natal or CRAN (1993)

A commission specifically appointed in the province of Natal during the transformational period (1989-1991???)when the Performing Arts Councils were being re-evaluated. ***

May, C A (1993) Community Survey Results, Phase One: Durban Metropolitan Region, unpublished research report, Commission for Researching the Restructuring of the Performing Arts in Natal (CRAN), Durban.

Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Lingusitic Communities (2002)

A commission appointed by President Thabo Mbeki in 2002 in terms of Chapter 9, Section 181, 185 and 186 of the Constitution, by Act No. 19 of 2002 and called the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities Act, 2002.

Objects of the CRL Commission

The objects of the CRL Commission are:

To promote respect for and further the protection of the rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities;

To promote and develop peace, friendship, humanity, tolerance and national unity among and within cultural, religious and linguistic communities, on the basis of equality, non-discrimination and free association;

To foster mutual respect among cultural, religious and linguistic communities;

To promote the right of communities to develop their historically diminished heritage; and

To recommend the establishment or recognition of community councils in accordance with Section 36 or 37.

Powers and Functions of the CRL Commission

The Commission may do all that is necessary or expedient to achieve its objects referred to in Section 4, including to:

Conduct information and education programmes to promote public understanding of the objects, role and activities of the Commision;

Conduct programmes to promote respect for and further the protection of the rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities;

Assist in the development of strategies that facilitate the full and active participation of cultural, religious and linguistic communities in nation-building in South Africa;

Promote awarenessamong the youth of South Africa of the diversity of cultural, religious and linguistic communities and their rights;

Monitor, investigate and research any issue concerning the rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities;

Educate, lobby, advise and report on any issue concerning the rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities;

Facilitate the resolution of friction between and within cultural, religious and linguistic communities or between any such community and an organ of state where the cultural, religious or linguistic rights of a community are affected;

Receive and deal with requests related to the rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities;

Make recommendations to the appropriate organ of state regarding legislation that impacts, or may impact, on the rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities;

Establish and maintain databases of cultural, religious and linguistic community organisations and institutions and experts on these communities;

Bring any relevant matter to the attention of the appropriate authority or organ of state, and, where appropriate, make recommendations to such authority or organ of state in dealing with such a matter.

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