Although the federation is not one of the agencies of the Department, it is an organisation of practitioners and activists in sectors that speak to the Department's mandate. The mandate includes a contribution towards sustainable economic development and enhancement of job creation by preserving, protecting and developing South African arts, culture and heritage. This in turn contributes towards b
uilding a sustainable, and a socially cohesive and democratic society. CCIFSA recently elected a new national leadership at national conference in Mpumalanga. In the build-up to the conference, the Department engaged with the relevant stakeholders including CCIFSA members and the Creative Industries Task Team (CITT) members who were part of the organizing team to ensure that the conference was truly successful from all dimensions. Commenting on the success of the conference, Minister Nathi Mthethwa said, "fragmentation and a lack of unity across the sectors has seen the cultural and creative industry battle for this recognition and stifled by the lack of effective strategic development, investment and support”.
“CCIFSA was founded on the principle of creating a unifying vision for performing arts, visual arts, technical services and events, design, electronic media, crafts, publishing, cultural tourism, cultural groups, cultural heritage, ethno-tourism and arts administration”, added Mthethwa. He added that members of the creative and cultural industries finally have a body that represents their interests at a government, economic and society level. As an independent body, CCIFSA gives the cultural and creative industries decision-making and bargaining power in the issues that affect them the most.
