Cultural Affairs regards as binding the principles on which its overall functioning is based. To give effect to efficient, equitable and accessible service delivery, Cultural Affairs adopted the Government's White Paper on Transforming Service Delivery in the Public Service, namely "The Batho Pele Initiative. The iKapa Elihlumayo principle as adopted by the Provincial Cabinet will also guide Cultural Affairs in its operations and service delivery. Cultural Affairs operates within the following legislative and policy mandates:

• Annual Division Revenue Acts
• Promotion of Administrative Justice Act
• Basic Conditions of Employment Act 1997, No 75 of 1997
• Constitution of the Republic of south Africa 1996, No 108 of 1996
• Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2002 No 25 of 2002
• Employment Equity Act 1998, No 55 of 1998
• Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act, Act 13 of 2005
• Labour Relations Act 1995, No 66 of 1995
• National Treasury Regulations 1995, Gazette No. 23463 of 25 May 2002
• Occupational Health and Safety Act 1993, No 85 of 1993
• Pension Funds Act 1956, No 24 of 1956
• Prescription Act 1943, No 18 of 1943
• Prescription Act 1969, No 68 of 1969
• Prescription amendment Act 1984, No 11 of 1984
• Promotion of Access to Information Act 2000, No 2 of 2000
• Protected Disclosure Act 2000, No 26 of 2000
• Public Finance Management Act 1999, No 1 of 1999
• Public Holidays Act 1994, No 36 of 1994
• Public Service Act,1994, Proclamation No 103 of 1994
• Public Service Regulations, R1 of 5 January 2001
• Skills Development Act 1998, No 97 of 1998
• Skills Development Levies Act 1999, No 9 of 1999
• State Tender Board Act 1968, No 86 of 1968
• Workmen's Compensation Act 1941, No 30 of 1941
• Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 2000, No 4 of 2000
• South African Schools Act, No 84 of 1996
• Framework for Supply Chain Management, Gazette No 25767 of 5 December 2003
• Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities Act 2000, No 19 of 2002
• Cultural Institutions Act 1998, No 119 of 1998
• Cultural Promotion Act 1983, No 35 of 1983
• Culture Affairs Act (House of Assembly) 1989, No 65 of 1989
• National Archives of South Africa Act 1996, No 43 of 1996
• National Arts Council Act 1997, No 56 of 1997
• National Council for Library and Information Service Act 2001, No 6 of 2001
• National Film and Video Foundation Act 1997, No 73 of 1997
• National Heritage Council Act 1999, No 11 of 1999
• National Heritage Resources Act 1999, No 25 of 1999
• Pan South African Language Board Act 1995, No 59 of 1995
• National Library of South Africa Act 1998, No 92 of 1998
• South African World Heritage Convention 1999, No 49 of 1999
• South African Geographical Names Council Act,1998, No 118 of 1998
• Special Pensions Act, 69 of 1996
• Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Amendment Act, 41 of 2003
• Constitution of the Western Cape 1998, No 1 of 1998
• Western Cape Exchequer Law 1994, Law No 4 of 1994
• Western Cape Land Administration Act, 1998 No 6 of 1998
• Western Cape Law on the Powers and Privileges of the Provincial Legislature 1995, Law No 3 of 1995
• Western Cape Provincial Tender Board Law 1994, Law No 8 of 1994
• Western Cape Tourism Act 1997, No 3 of 1997
• Western Cape Cultural Commissions and Cultural Councils Act 1998, No 14 of 1998
• Western Cape Heritage Regulations 2002, PN 336 of 25 October 2002
• Western Cape Heritage Resource Management Regulations 2003, PN 298 of 29 August 2003
• Western Cape Language Policy 2001, PN 369/2001 of 27 November 2001
• Western Cape Provincial Languages Act 1998, No 13 of 1998
• National White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage, 1996

• Museums Ordinance 1975, 8 of 1975
• Oude Kerk Volksmuseum Van 'T Land van Waveren (Tulbach) Ordinance 1979, 11 of 1979
• Provincial Library Service Ordinance 1981, 16 of 1981