(This entire statement is available in English too, see below.)
Nitesh Patel, die hoof van finansiële oplossings vir kliënte by Standard Bank, het in ’n kort verklaring aan PEN Afrikaans en aan Beeld sy eie en Standard Bank se volgehoue steun aan die kunste en aan die boekbedryf toegesê. Hy het ook apologie aangeteken dat sy woorde, in ’n artikel wat oor die naweek verskyn het, moontlik verkeerd verstaan kon word.
PEN Afrikaans wou drie goed duidelik maak met ons mediaveldtog:
- Boeke is, soos opvoeding, nie ’n onnodige luukse nie en kan nie in dieselfde kategorie geplaas word as ontwerpersklere nie. Elke huishouding behoort, indien enigsins moontlik, vir boeke en kuns te spaar en te begroot. Die plaaslike boekbedryf is onder druk en vele skrywers en ander beroepe, ook kliënte van Standard Bank, is afhanklik van die inkomste uit boeke. PEN Afrikaans aanvaar dat boeke steeds te duur is vir baie, en daarom steun ons lede verskeie projekte wat boeke aan arm gemeenskappe skenk. Ons boeke verskyn ook om daardie rede in biblioteke. Om egter vir mense wat wel boeke kan bekostig, te vertel hulle moet dit liefs vermy, soos ontwerpersklere, is onverantwoordelik.
- Dit is ’n mite dat e-boeke geen koste dra om te maak nie.
- Plaaslike uitgewers gee reeds die goedkoopste moontlike boeke uit, juis omdat die plaaslike boekbedryf se mark so klein is.
PEN Afrikaans aanvaar dus die gees waarin Patel sy apologie aangeteken het. Ons erken ook Standard Bank se volgehoue bydrae aan die kunste.
Nitesh Patel en Standard Bank se oorkoepelende idee, om Suid-Afrikaners te laat spaar, is lofwaardig en word aangemoedig. Progressiewe lande en huishoudings spaar egter nie op boeke of opvoeding nie, indien dit enigsins verhelp kan word nie.
Verklaring van PEN Afrikaans teen Nitesh Patel van Standard Bank se uitsprake rakende boekaankope
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(Hierdie volledige verklaring is ook in Afrikaans beskikbaar, sien hierbo)
PEN Afrkaans responds to Nitesh Patel’s apology
Nitesh Patel, head of financial solutions for customers at Standard Bank, issued a brief statement to PEN Afrikaans and to the newspaper Beeld in which he pledged his own and Standard Bank's continued support for the arts and the book industry. He also offered an apology for that fact that his words, in an article which appeared over the weekend, could possibly have been misunderstood.
PEN Afrikaans wanted to focus the attention on three things with our media campaign:
- Books, like education, are not an unnecessary luxury and cannot be placed in the same category as designer clothes. Every household should ideally save and budget for books and the arts. The local book industry is under pressure and many writers and other professions, also clients of Standard Bank, are dependent on their income from books. PEN Afrikaans agrees that books are still too expensive for many, therefore many of our members support several projects that donate books to poor communities. Our books also go to libraries for that very reason. However, we deemed it irresponsible to tell people who can afford books, that books should best be avoided, like designer clothes.
- It is a myth that there is no cost involved in making e-books.
- Local publishers already provide the cheapest possible books to our readers, as the local book industry is too small to have more expensive first print runs.
PEN Afrikaans therefore accepts the spirit in which Patel offered his apology. We also recognize Standard Bank's continued contribution to the arts.
Nitesh Patel and Standard Bank's overall idea, to help South Africans save, should be praised and encouraged. Progressive countries and households, however, do not save on books or education, if they have any choice in the matter.
The post PEN Afrikaans reageer op Nitesh Patel se apologie appeared first on LitNet.