Governance & Integrity

We Speak Eleven is governed by a volunteer board and leadership team committed to transparency, accountability, and good governance in accordance with recognised cultural and non-profit governance practices. Our governance structure ensures that decision-making, financial stewardship, and programme delivery reflect the interests of the communities we serve and the requirements of funders and regulatory bodies.

We Speak Eleven has been designed from its inception as a public-interest cultural initiative, built on trust, fairness, and long-term national benefit.

Because the project brings together multiple cultural communities, public audiences, institutions, and future partners, strong governance is not optional — it is foundational.

This page outlines how We Speak Eleven is structured to ensure ethical conduct, transparency, and accountability at every level.

Governance Structure

We Speak Eleven operates under a two-tier governance structure designed to balance effective oversight with meaningful cultural representation.

Board of Governance
The Board is responsible for legal, financial, and fiduciary oversight of the initiative. It ensures compliance with governance standards, financial accountability, risk management, and alignment with the project’s public-interest mandate.

Cultural Advisory Council
A Cultural Advisory Council provides non-binding guidance on cultural representation, heritage integrity, and community considerations. This body exists to ensure that cultural voices inform decision-making without creating political influence, competition, or governance conflict.

The Board retains final decision-making authority in line with governance best practice, while cultural advisors contribute insight, perspective, and community context.

This structure ensures:

  • Clear accountability
  • Protection against political or factional influence
  • Respectful cultural input without operational paralysis

Commitment to Public Trust

We Speak Eleven operates under a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, political interference, financial misconduct, or preferential treatment.

All decisions relating to participation, funding, sponsorships, village allocation, artists, vendors, and operational partners are governed by documented principles designed to protect:

  • Cultural dignity
  • Equal representation
  • Public confidence
  • Institutional credibility

The initiative is non-political, non-partisan, and community-first.

Governance Framework

The governance framework of We Speak Eleven is built around the following core principles:

Transparency
All major processes — including funding structures, sponsorship agreements, and participation criteria — are documented and auditable.

Equity & Fairness
No cultural group, organisation, or individual receives preferential treatment.
Village placement, participation opportunities, and operational decisions follow structured, neutral processes.

Independence
We Speak Eleven maintains a clear separation from political parties, electoral activity, and ideological alignment.
No political endorsements are permitted.

Accountability
Clear lines of responsibility exist for decision-making, with mechanisms for review and corrective action where necessary.

Governance & Anti-Corruption Charter

A formal Governance & Anti-Corruption Charter governs all operational and participation processes within We Speak Eleven.

The Charter includes provisions covering:

  • Ethical conduct and conflict-of-interest management
  • Procurement and supplier engagement
  • Sponsorship and funding integrity
  • Artist and community participation standards
  • Village allocation fairness mechanisms
  • Safeguards against political, financial, or personal influence

This Charter applies to:

  • Organisers
  • Partners and sponsors
  • Vendors and service providers
  • Artists and cultural participants

View the Official Governance & Anti-Corruption Charter

Download PDF Here

Oversight & Compliance

To maintain credibility and public trust, We Speak Eleven is committed to:

  • Independent oversight mechanisms
  • Documented decision-making processes
  • Ongoing review of governance practices as the project scales

As the initiative grows, governance structures will evolve to ensure continued compliance with best practice for national cultural projects.

A Culture of Integrity

We Speak Eleven is not built on spectacle or personalities.
It is built on process, respect, and trust.

Integrity is not treated as a marketing claim, but as an operational standard — one that ensures this project remains worthy of the people, communities, institutions, and partners it represents.

Cultural-Rights-Statement

The English version is the authoritative text for governance purposes.

English 

We Speak Eleven recognises that culture is not a performance asset, but a living inheritance. 
All songs, dances, stories, languages, symbols, designs, rituals, and forms of expression shared within the festival remain the cultural and intellectual property of the communities and individuals who carry them. 
Participation in We Speak Eleven does not transfer ownership, authorship, or control of cultural material. 
Communities retain the right to decide how their heritage is presented, recorded, shared, or withheld. 
The festival acts only as a facilitator and custodian, committed to respectful representation, informed consent, and the protection of cultural dignity for present and future generations. 

isiZulu 

I-We Speak Eleven iyakuqaphela ukuthi isiko akusilo ithuluzi lokuzijabulisa kuphela, kodwa liyifa eliphilayo. 
Zonke izingoma, imidanso, izindaba, izilimi, izimpawu, imiklamo, amasiko, nezindlela zokuziveza ezabiwa kulo mkhosi zisahlala ziyimpahla yamasiko nengqondo yemiphakathi nabantu abaziphethe. 
Ukubamba iqhaza ku-We Speak Eleven akudlulisi ubunikazi, ubuholi, noma ilungelo lokulawula izinto zesiko. 
Imiphakathi inelungelo lokunquma ukuthi ifa labo lizethulwa kanjani, liqoshwe kanjani, labelwane kanjani, noma ligcinwe lingadalulwa. 
Lo mkhosi usebenza njengomlamuleli nomgcini kuphela, uzibophezele ekuhlonipheni, emvumelwaneni enolwazi, nasekuvikeleni isithunzi sesiko sezizukulwane zanamuhla nezizayo. 

Xitsonga 

We Speak Eleven yi lemuka leswaku ndzhaka ya rixaka a hi xitirho xa ku kombisa ntsena, kambe i ndzhaka leyi hanyaka. 
Tinsimu, mindzhendzeleko, mintsheketo, tindzimi, timfanelo, swifaniso, mikhuva, ni tindlela ta ku tiphofula leti avelanisiwaka eka mukhosi ti tshama ti ri ndzhaka ya mindzhavuko ni ya vutlhari bya mindzhavuko ni vanhu lava yi hlayisaka. 
Ku nghenelela eka We Speak Eleven a swi hundzuluxi vufambisi, vunikazi, kumbe mfanelo yo lawula ndzhaka ya mindzhavuko. 
Mindzhavuko yi ni mfanelo yo hlawula ndlela leyi ndzhaka ya yona yi ta kombisiwa, yi tsariwa, yi averiwa, kumbe yi hlayisiwa hi ku tiyimela. 
Mukhosi wu tirha ntsena tanihi muhlanganisi ni muhlayisi, wu tiyimiserile ku kombisa hi xichavo, ku kuma mpfumelelo hi ku twisisa, ni ku sirhelela xindzhuti xa ndzhaka ya mindzhavuko eka tinxaka ta sweswi ni leti taka. 

Afrikaans 

We Speak Eleven erken dat kultuur nie ’n vertoningsmiddel is nie, maar ’n lewende erfenis. 
Alle liedere, danse, stories, tale, simbole, ontwerpe, rituele en vorme van uitdrukking wat tydens die fees gedeel word, bly die kulturele en intellektuele eiendom van die gemeenskappe en individue wat dit dra. 
Deelname aan We Speak Eleven dra geen eienaarskap, outeurskap of beheer oor kulturele materiaal oor nie. 
Gemeenskappe behou die reg om te bepaal hoe hul erfenis aangebied, opgeneem, gedeel of weerhou word. 
Die fees tree slegs op as ’n fasiliteerder en bewaarder, verbind tot respekvolle verteenwoordiging, ingeligte toestemming en die beskerming van kulturele waardigheid vir huidige en toekomstige geslagte.