Minister of Sport and Recreation 2013 Budget Speech & Responses by ANC, DA and IFP
Briefing
24 May 2013
Minister of Sport and Recreation, Mr Fikile April Mbalula, gave his Budget Vote Speech on the 24 May 2013
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Chairperson,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Members of Parliament,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
Honourable Members, on the 21st May 2013 we visited Iqhayiya High School in Khayelitsha and Tafelsig Secondary School in Mitchell’s wherein as part of our school sport programme we donated sport apparels, equipment and attire to encourage all our schools to participate in the school sport activities including physical education.
At the same time, on 22 May 2013 we visited Rocklands, Mitchell’s Plain, the birth place of the United Democratic Front (UDF) 30 years ago, to handover a Community Outdoor Gym facility as part of the launch of a nationwide roll-out of Outdoor Gyms to disadvantaged communities of South Africa.
Whilst we were doing this work we took advantage of this opportunity to honour Gary Kirsten for his role and great participation in cricket, both as a player and as a coach. We presented Gary with a ‘Collage of Pictures and prestige ‘Bouqet of Protea Flowers’ as a symbol of the emblem of our Proteas Cricket national team.
We also took advantage of this opportunity to honour Lusapho April for his sterling work in athletics and for winning the Hannover marathon in Germany twice in three years! We showered Lusapho with a ‘Pack of Athletic Equipment’ and a ‘Bouqet’. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate both men for their achievements. I would also like to congratulate the Springbok Sevens for their historic achievement in rugby by being ranked number 2 in the World Sevens series.
Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate all our sportsmen and women for their individual and collective achievements in sport and recreation during 2011/12 period, you did South Africa proud and we love you. I also want to welcome all our sportsmen and women in the gallery who came here today to grace this important Budget Vote Debate in the history of sport in South Africa with their presence.
Ladies and gentlemen it will be remiss of me not express our deepest gratitude to all spheres of government and stakeholders for the successful hosting of the AFCON 2013 Championship in our shores. We are looking forward to similar success as we prepare for hosting the CHAN Championship in 2014.
Chairperson and Members of this House, let me start by invoking the words of the late African Nationa Congress (ANC) President Oliver Reginald Tambo when he said:
“Racial discrimination, South Africa’s economic power and the use of sport and culture for oppression and exploitation of all black people’s are part and parcel of the same thing.”
In a direct and as a structured response to the assertion of OR Tambo, on the 22nd November 2011 at the National Sport and Recreation Indaba (NSRI) delegates representing the broad spectrum of our sport and recreation sector unanimously adopted a declaration where they acknowledged that: ‘As a country and as people we have inherited an inequitable, unequal and divided sport and recreation landscape. The racial practices of the former apartheid regime resulted in a fragmented sport system that had a detrimental impact on the development of sport and recreation in South Africa.’
Chairperson our Vision 2030 does not only give meaning to our strategic objective of an active and winning nation but it also give purpose to the essence of our existence and spells out the core values that enjoins us as a sporting fraternity to transform and develop sport for the better.
Today we are therefore gathered here to take stock of how far we have traversed in our second year marching towards Vision 2030! We are also aware that as we march towards the vision 2030 of the sport and recreation sector; we are marching in unison together with all our people towards the fulfillment of the objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP) vision 2030.
Ladies and gentlemen we are pleased to report that the National Sport & Recreation Plan (NSRP) has been costed. We will present it to the Treasury for endorsement and thereafter to Cabinet as a matter of urgency. Cabinet will have to budget at least an amount of ± 10 billion rands towards the fulfillment of the objectives of the NSRP.
It is also fulfilling to learn that the NSRP has been anchored in the heart of the National Development Plan (NDP). We are enthused that the National Sport & Recreation Plan rests on the giant shoulders of the national development agenda of this country.
Honorable members, our budget speech 2013 seeks to answer that question that beacons: How far have we gone to foster nation building and nurture social cohesion as we continue to make a “Case for Sport”?
One of the simple answers to such a question is the electrifying experience when amaBhokobhoko won the World Cup in 1995 in extra time with Joel Stransky scoring a drop-goal. Nelson Mandela hoisted the trophy in jubilation with Francois Pienaar symbolizing a non-racial and united nation.
This victory alone was one that made the country dance and sing in unison, regardless of colour, race and ethnicity – indeed the country was united in action. The hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa propelled our commitment to build national unity and foster social cohesion.
Our 2010 FIFA World Cup Close out report attest to this when it states that “the social impact of the World Cup include contributions to the image of South Africa and Africa, social cohesion and nation building”. In the same vein, we have together with all South Africans witnessed, during the Super 14 finals in 2011, the Blue Bulls playing against the Crusaders at Orlando Stadium in Soweto for the first time in the history of South Africa.
The clash between the Blue Bulls and Stormers at the same venue also had the same effect of uniting our people. It is said that this was an experience, which many traditional rugby die-hards never stop talking about.
The whole world continue to witness our people Black and White standing side by side united behind amaBhokobhoko at these matches. During these historic events our people black and white are sharing boerewors, pap and umqombothi in the shacks of Soweto; singing ‘Shosholoza’ and Nkosi Sikelela i-Afrika in an electrifying spirit. This is a ‘show of force’ that sport has to unite people and undermine the man-made bridges of hatred.
Our undivided commitment to the promotion and support of women in sport has been one of SRSA flagship programmes and we stood firm behind many women in sport including the likes of Nonhi Tenge, Marcia Meresca, Caster Semenya, Nathalie du Toit and many other icons in women sport.
Our support for Netball South Africa and our ultimate zeal to officially launch the first ever Netball League in South Africa speaks volumes of this commitment. Our noble support for the South African Women Hockey team is an indication of our resolve to change the quality of life of all our women in South Africa. We don’t mince our word when we say “Wathintabafazi Wathint’imbokodo Uzakufa”.
We stood firm behind Mark Boucher when he was accidentally struck in the eye during the match between South Africa and England in Britain in 2012. We continue to stand firm alongside Jooste van der Westhuizen in his battle with motor neuron disease (MND) and even awarded him with the Steve Tshwete Life Time Achievers Award.
We were there when Baby Jake Matlala was embarrassingly faced by huge medical costs during his illness and we hosted a Baby Jake Matlala Fundraising Gala Dinner towards the payment of his medical costs and other related matters. We stood behind Caster Semenya during her ordeal with international sport bodies when she was being discriminated against because of her gender.
We did the same to Oscar Pistorius when he challenged the world and changed perceptions about the inability of the people with disabilities. Inspired by our “spirit of uBuntu”, we knocked at every door possible with cap in hand to raise resources some of whom we have managed to give descent burials and send-offs for many of our sports men and women. Today many family members and friends of these fallen sport icons are convinced that the ANC government cares!
Honourable Members, it is because of this courage and bravery that keep some of us going. It is such commitment to the good of our people that gives purpose to our lives. It is the commitment to work and the spirit of robustness that we are managing to continue changing the face of sport in South Africa today.
We are escalating our efforts of changing school sport landscape since we came into sport and recreation. Schools are not the same again in the history of the Republic of South Africa. Today in South Africa schools are becoming centres of learning and play.
Schools today in our country are fast growing into institutions of education, innovation and recreation. Physical education has been declared compulsory in this country. What we need to do going forward is to make physical education a standalone learning area in all public schools of the Republic.
Last year when we launched the school sport programmes we also announced our Ministerial School Sport Bursary scheme aimed at supporting students from disadvantaged communities who excel in sport but also academically deserving. The bursary is an amount of Hundred Thousand Rands towards the education and sport requirements of a learner. We believe that this intervention is also a life-line and a life-boat to many poor families who cannot afford to send their children into better schools in our country.
The revival of the school sport in South Africa has opened many windows of opportunity for numerous South Africans. It has opened opportunities for sports veterans, legends and retired sportsmen and women.
Many of these veterans, legends and retired sports persons have enrolled and registered in the SRSA database as coaches, technical officials, sport administrators, and the likes. SRSA has opened opportunities to train them further in technical sport skills to assist in the school sport programme whilst at the same time receiving something that will make them at least put bread on the table.
In an effort to recognize our sporting greats, icons and legends, preliminary engagements are underway to investigate the feasibility of establishing a National Sport Hall of Fame. Coupled with this vision, exceptional athletes, coaches, administrators and technical officials will have the opportunity to be profiled while they are living in the Little Green Book, the second edition of this book will be produced in July 2013.
In line with the above, again in November 2013 we will celebrate and reward achievement in sport and recreation and provide a platform for luminaries in sport and recreation (on and off the field) to be acknowledged by the nation at the prestigious South Africa Sports Awards.
The South African Sports Awards for 2013 will take place in November at the Sun City Superbowl.
As we will engage with our counterparts in the Ministry of Higher Education to re-introduce Sport and Recreation Education in the Teacher Training Colleges as well as into the curriculum of Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges; SRSA together with CATHSETA has launched a Post Graduate Bursary Scheme for Post Graduate and PHD students in sport and recreation to the tune of three million to study towards a Master and Doctoral Degree in sport and recreation.
The Post Graduate Development Programme (PDP) in sport sciences is supported by providing access for students to SRSA administrative resources to assist them with their studies. This wealth of knowledge will be shared with coaches and sport science professionals to assist in school sport, grassroots sport development and high performance.
Chairperson, we will this year as part of building social cohesion and nation building give a fitting “Tribute to Nelson Mandela” for his contribution in the struggle for freedom and democracy.
This event will be consistent with the government programme to observe 67 minutes of our times in honour of Nelson Mandela and the United Nations resolution on the Nelson Mandela International Day. We will honour the work of our struggle heroes by hosting an inaugural Nelson Mandela Sports Day which will be launched in June 2013 in partnership with the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and the South African Football Association (SAFA).
Honourable Members, it is important to first reflect that we did all of the above with a simple Budget Allocation of only R848.4 million for 2012/13, with an increase of only R45.7 million from the previous financial year 2011/2012. R525 million of this amount was allocated to the Mass Participation Programme which was making 62% of the budget.
This was mainly due to the Mass Participation conditional grant with the focus of increasing participation in various sporting codes by supporting school sport, club development and hubs. During the same period the school sport budget within SRSA increased from R27.3 million in 2011/12 to R42.6 million in 2012/13 with an emphasis on supporting the delivery of sport programmes to learners and to continue empowering educators in code specific coaching, technical officiating, team management and sport administration with the focus on the 16 priority sporting codes.
Chairperson and the House with these limited resources at our disposal; SRSA is progressively improving the delivery of sport and recreation services .as outlined in our opening remarks. We must all redouble our efforts to vigorously continue making a “Case for Sport”. The government’s swift response to our “Case for Sport” will allow us to continue to deliver our programmes as expected in the face of competing priorities.
Although resources allocated to SRSA in 2012 were meager; the department was able to successfully deliver the following flagship programmes, services and activities:
- Sport and Recreation Equipment and Attire to schools and community clubs
- Construction of Multi-Purpose Community Fields in poor communities and schools
- Roll-Out of the School Sport programmes
- National School Sport Championships 2012
- Support our Olympians and Paralympians before, during and after the 2012 London Games
- Reviving of Netball and support of the Netball Diamond Challenge
- Reviving Basket Ball and support for the Basket Ball League in partnership with the interim structure of Basket Ball SA and National Basket Association (NBA)
- Enhancing the work of Boxing South Africa as well as South African Institute of Drug Free Sport (SAIDS)
- Support the work of AFCON Local Organising Committee (LOC) before, during and after the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations
- Hosting of the South Africa Sports Awards, and many more projects.
Honourable Members, it is against this background that we commend before you this afternoon that the 2013/14 budget allocation for the department remains very minimal in real term. Of the current year allocation of R1, 073 billion; 73% of this amount which is R815 million is transferred to Provinces, Municipalities and Sports Federations. Therefore, only R258 million will be utilized by the department for all its activities including salaries.
The department received a special allocation of R156 million for the 2014 African Nations Championships (CHAN). This amount is divided between the CHAN Local Organising Committee (LOC) R36 million and R120 million for Host Cities.
In order to breath life to the above statement SRSA tabled its Strategic Plan for the Fiscal Years 2012 to 2016 to Parliament in March 2012 and again presented the Strategic Plan at the beginning of this year as well as our Annual Performance Plan (APP) 2013/14 Financial Year on 7 and 8 May 2013 in both Houses of Parliament.
These documents aimed at giving the nation a clear picture of the planned programmes and activities of SRSA for the next five years as well as budget allocations and estimates for such years. They are broken down into annual plans and activities that are aimed at realizing the stated objectives on our plans going forward. At the same time SRSA will on annual basis position itself to integrate the NSRP as adopted by Cabinet.
To this end, in order to fulfil the obligations of the NSRP and the Annual Performance Plan (APP) 2013/14; SRSA together with Department of Basic Education are continuing to implement the school sport programme in 2013.
This programme will rest on the giant shoulders of the School Sport Leagues across the country. It will again culminate into the national School Sport Championship in December 2013.
To solidify this foundation SRSA will continue to roll-out the school sport programme underpinned by the following critical pillars: physical education; top school leagues; SA Schools National Championships and national multi-coded age group tournaments. As the national school sport league unfolds, the role of the sport club at each level will be to avail talent scouts to identify talented athletes and officials, as well as to mentor and support coaches, umpires and technical officials.
The league will differentiate between primary school and high school children. Our ministerial sports bursary scheme will still continue this financial year and will continue to offer talented children identified at the national multi-coded age group tournaments an opportunity to study at sport focus schools.
Although we have made progress, the successful roll-out of school sport is currently hampered by among others, the following challenges:
- Absence of facilities and sporting equipment in most rural schools and communities
- Lack of accredited capacity building programmes and skilled personnel
- Uneven distribution of competition opportunities
- Insufficient funding for the coordination, monitoring and reporting on intra- school and inter-school tournaments
- Inadequate parental support for school sport and absence of formal structures to support the delivery of school sport.
In order to support the transformation agenda, SRSA in partnership with SALGA, are building partnerships with Local Government in the delivery of sport and recreation at local government level. Of importance is the matter of the provision of sport and recreation facilities in all the municipalities across the country.
Through this partnership we are beginning to reap some fruits as it is being witnessed in our partnership with the Gert Sibande District Municipality when we delivered the sport equipment on 17 May 2013.
Chairperson, as we announced last year in this House our appointment of the Eminent Persons Group on Transformation (EPG), one of the key components of the NSRP is a Transformation Charter and Scorecard. The baseline of transformation in South African sport needs to be determined and the EPGs work has started in earnest with the cooperation of SASCOC and all National Federations and Sport Bodies. Because of the importance of transformation for the future of South African sport, it is imperative that SRSA delivers on this focus area.
Internal capacity will be empowered for the work of the EPG to assist national federations to implement the Charter and to accurately complete the scorecard. The national federations will be subjected to a transformation review to monitor progress in this regard.
Starting from this year we will announce a transformation barometer on all Federations’ progress or lack of it in the transformation score-card. We will publicly name, blame and shame all those non-compliant Federations and sport bodies. This will include dealing viciously and decisively with corruption and maladministration in sport and recreation.
We will incentivise all compliant Federations and sport bodies. We are providing a secretariat support to the EPG to fast-track its work to produce quarterly consolidated National Federation Transformation Progress Reports based on their interactions with SASCOC, the national federations and play a coordinating role regarding transformation within other SRSA programmes.
These efforts will be supported by the work of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Recreation which is leading our transformation agenda in the recreation sector of our society.
This will include amongst others the resuscitation and development of rural sport. This programme will support a rural sport improvement programme under the guidance of the National House of Traditional Leaders. The programme will involve a ministerial outreach to rural areas to distribute sports equipment and roll-out Outdoor Gyms and other sport and recreation materials and facilities to many rural communities across the country, beginning by one Outdoor Gym per Province.
Over the medium term, the department will develop a single governance framework for recreation to strengthen the delivery of recreation programmes. It is envisaged that these programmes will not be institutionalized but will be community initiatives driven by educational and public promotional campaigns.
In conclusion Chairperson, following the adoption of the NSRP, amendments to the Sport & Recreation Act needs to be considered this year by Parliament to tighten the powers of the Minister, particularly regarding the speedy resolution of disputes as well as amending some of the laws that make it difficult to transform sport in this country.
As we complete the journey that began in 1912 by the Great Generation who travelled on the horse-back from Limpopo and other parts of Africa to grace the occasion of the birth of the ANC, the oldest liberation movement in the continent, we must soldier-on as this current Re-Generation for the next 100 years to fulfil the wishes of our Great-Great Generation of Oliver Reginald Tambo when it concluded that:
“The fight for (total) freedom (and independence) must go on until it is won; until our country is free, happy and peaceful as part of the community of man. We cannot rest.”
Thank you!
Speech delivered by Mr. Gert C Oosthuizen MP, Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) on the occasion of the SRSA Budget Vote debate in Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
23 May 2013
Chairperson,
As Sport and Recreation South Africa, we can report that we have aligned all our strategic documents 100% with the National Development Plan. Every reference to sport in the National Development Plan is covered in both the National Sport and Recreation Plan as well as our Operational Plan for the 2013/14 financial year.
We have done this because we fully support the National Development Plan that recognises that sport plays an important role in promoting health, wellness, nation building and social cohesion. As indicated by Minister Mbalula, we have identified projects in support of the priorities of the National Development Plan. I want to elaborate on one of the areas, that of international relations.
The National Development Plan acknowledges that in the area of sport there is a need to showcase South Africa and promote its presence and leadership on strategic issues as part of its “soft power” in international relations.
As a middle-income African country we need to have a more comfortable fit between critical domestic socio-economic demands, regional and continental obligations and international cooperation through BRICS and the world. Our foreign policies cannot be disassociated from these demands and obligations.
They should be made through engaging with all relevant role-players which ultimately constitute the relations between countries. We are therefore taking the direction that dictates that international funding of our programmes must be in line with our priorities as stipulated in the NSRP.
To this end we will continue to use international sporting events and exhibitions to showcase and market South Africa as a sports tourism destination. We opened 2013 with the successful hosting of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). We wish to once again thank fellow South Africans and Africans in general for their support of the tournament. Despite the limited time and resources, the collective support of Cabinet and the sport and recreation sector contributed to this success.
In fact, the success of the 2013 AFCON solidified our position as a country of choice in hosting major events. Following the AFCON success, we look forward to hosting the 2014 African Nations Championships (CHAN).
I have no doubt that our people will once again show their pride in being African. During the 2012/13 financial year, we continued to participate in international organisations such as the Commonwealth Sports Ministers' Meeting. On a continental level we have played a leading role in the various forums of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa.
Honourable members, during the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games, we hosted an Ekhaya Hospitality Centre, to create a home-away-from-home for our athletes and all South Africans who were in London.
The success of our Olympic and Paralympic teams are well documented and we wish to thank everybody who participated, for being ambassadors of our country. We are proud of all the athletes who won medals. There is no doubt that with more support, they will perform even better.
We will also host the World Anti-Doping conference in Johannesburg November this year. The spin-offs from this Conference need to be capitalized upon and integrated into sustainable programmes. We will also host the 19th World Transplant Games scheduled for July and August 2013 in Durban.
Worldwide there is an increasing acknowledgement that sport and recreation has the potential to promote social inclusion, prevent conflict, and to enhance peace within and among nations. In this regard the UN General Assembly has adopted a series of resolutions on Sport for Development and Peace.
In South Africa we have also experienced how national sports teams can be an inspiring force for peaceful change. It is not only our national teams that have this potential - the use of sport to promote peace is extremely effective in programmes at the community level, since they directly involve those affected by conflict and social tension.
South Africa is playing a leading role in the work of the United Nation’s Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group. At its meeting in Geneva in 2011 South Africa was nominated as the Chair of the Thematic Working Group on Sport and Peace. At the 3rd session of the Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group in 2012 South Africa did a presentation on the role of sport in peace building and development since democracy, which was well received by the delegates.
In fact all the inputs from South Africa on the Action Plan for Sport for Development and Peace were approved by the member states. South Africa was also elected as Chair of the Executive Committee of the Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group with Britain as Vice Chair.
The developments within the United Nations regarding sport for peace and development confirm that SRSA is on the right track by including specific outputs related to the sport for development and peace initiatives in the updated White Paper, the National Sport and Recreation Plan and the 2012 – 2016 Strategic Plan of the Department.
South Africa was also requested by the United Nations to provide strategic guidance regarding the thematic group discussion on the role of sport in combating gender violence in October this year.
In 2012 we declared Netball SA as the federation of the financial year. This meant that we have refocused some of our resources to this federation to achieve most of the developmental initiatives that they have been shelving because of a lack of resources.
It was through this elevated support and the need to broaden the pool of Netball players in South Africa that we hosted in August 2012, a quadrangular netball tournament, called the Netball Diamond Challenge, in cooperation with Netball SA.
The tournament included South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Malawi. South Africa emerged champions of this tournament. Despite the financial and other challenges that we experience towards launching a professional netball league that will ensure that Netball SA will have approximately 220 fulltime professional and elite players to select onto the national team, we are committed to this initiative.
In 2013, the focus federation is Tennis South Africa. Among the benefits to this federation was our financial support for the Soweto Tennis Open which has proven to successfully enhance the development of Tennis in our country.
Honourable members, the ever expanding complexity of doping in sport such as combating organised crime, the classification of health foods, controlling the manufacturing, importation, and distribution of doping products, requires both new capacities and commitments for both governments and national anti-doping agencies.
In recognition of this, the IADA Action Plan will continue to place strong emphasis on projects and initiatives that reinforce the “Sharing of Best Practices” to address these matters.
The department will continue to financially support the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport, SAIDS, and the laboratory in Bloemfontein with the view to ensure that South Africa complies with the code of the World Anti-Doping Agency. Particular attention is given to ensure that SAIDS delivers on its international obligations and to coordinate the responsibility of SAIDS towards the Central Drug Authority.
At a ministerial level we have been appointed onto the UNESCO anti-doping subdivision and the WADA Executive Committee, respectively. SRSA is also represented on the Central Drug Authority and on the inter-governmental committee on substance abuse.
Boxing remains work in progress. With the new direction that is provided by the Sports Plan, we deem it important to call key boxing stakeholders to a meeting to thrash out all challenges that we are still experiencing. To effect this we this effect we will host a Boxing Indaba later this year to be attended by people who can add value to the success of the sport of Boxing.
The Sport for Social Change and Development programme will be repackaged and expanded. Sport will be used as a vehicle to catalize change in sport in the environment; HIV and AIDS, sport against crime, to mention a few. These programmes will be grouped under the banner of Sport for Social Change and Development.
SRSA will continue to fund loveLife, but the funding will be aligned with the objectives of the National Sport and Recreation Plan. The loveLife message which is focused on building young sport leaders for an HIV free future will be spread, by using sport and recreation as a medium. This will form the initial semblance of a genuine sport for change initiative. Specific youth leadership and healthy lifestyle programmes targeting young participants will be delivered at school sport events nationally, junior sport federation championships, community recreation activities and youth camps.
One of the projects we will be engaging in again this year is the National Youth Camp. The department will assist the provincial departments to ensure that the delivery of this project is a success.
It will be held in all nine provinces, and is scheduled for September this year. Its purpose is to teach young people leadership and life skills, national pride and practical lessons on social cohesion in a rural, outdoor environment through adventure and other fun activities. Approximately 3 000 youth, representing diverse cultural groupings, will attend the National Youth Camp.
The national sport volunteer corps programme was successfully launched in 2012. At the end of the 2012/13 financial year 864 sports legends were registered on the national sport volunteer corps programme.
The focus of the volunteers programme is to register and to keep a record of sporting greats in the form of sports legends and former players, athletes, coaches and administrators. This is done to utilize their experience in developing sport in schools. We all know that most public and rural schools do not have specialist coaches to train their teams and to run their leagues, this initiative will assist to overcome this shortcoming
A further novel idea to attract the youth to participate in sport will be the introduction of the “sports bus”. The “sports bus”, will have a retro bus look, working on a similar basis to the old fashioned ice-cream van that attracts people with an easily identifiable tune. We will take delivery of 12 sports busses in 2013 that will transport sports stars who conduct training. We trust that it will encourage the youth to come out and see what is happening in the community, and participate.
In evaluating the Human Resources required to implement the National Sport and Recreation Plan, it was evident that the current structure of our department was totally inadequate and inappropriate in some areas.
The Ministry therefore directed the department to commence with the organizational review process to address shortcomings in the current organizational structure. This exercise is envisaged to be finalized in the 2013/14 financial year in conjunction with the Department of Public Service and Administration and National Treasury.
In conclusion I wish to emphasise that an increased and focused commitment at all levels of sport would be advantageous since this could reap great health, economic, social and international benefits.
In short, expenditure on sport and recreation must be considered as a worthwhile, and indeed, a necessary investment in the future of our country and its people.
I thank you!
Speech by Hon Richard Mdakane during the National Assembly Budget Vote Debate on Sport and Recreation
23 May 2013
Topic : Political Budget Overview
The Honourable Chairperson
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Honourable Members
Sport Fraternity and Distinguished Guests
Thank you, Hon Chairperson, for giving us this opportunity to participate in this budget vote 20 of Sport and Recreation to debate progress made in the sporting sector.
The face of Sport and Recreation has changed for the better under the ANC government. In this regard the ANC government has made progressive achievements since 2009 and has removed many barriers to entry in sport.
In its 53rd Conference at Mangaung, the ANC reconfirmed its commitment towards ensuring that we build a socially cohesive society by emphasising that sport plays an important role in promoting, community development, social cohesion, and sharpening of the minds of children in schools.
Today`s budget vote will explore the path from the racially divided past which was inherited from apartheid to the one which seeks to redress the legacy of apartheid through development of the first National Sport and Recreation Plan.
The ANC government has acknowledged that there is still a need to ensure the organisation and development of all sporting codes in the country, in this regard we welcome the adoption of the new sports and recreation plan which seeks to ensure the development and growth of the sports sector and the welfare of the sporting fraternity.This National Sports and Recreation Plan, is a binding agreement that was initiated by the Department. Its main function is to say here are all the challenges in sport and here are the possible solutions.
The goal is to pave a clear path to a successful sporting sector where all sporting codes - football, netball - can succeed and sport can play a meaningful role in improving people`s lives.
The Department has tabled its Annual Performance Plan with regard to the 2013/14 Financial year and has indicated that the National Development Plan is phased in the departmental programmes.
The Department has found that the Sports Plan requires resources in order for it to be implemented. Keep in mind that the objectives in the Plan were put together by multiple stakeholders such as the federations who are the custodians of Sports. The Committee`s role is to conduct oversight on the Department to ensure that the departmental strategic plans are implemented in line with the National Development Plan.
However, we must say that as the Committee, we appreciate the innovativeness of the Department in finding alternative sources of income to continue the road to transformation. There are a number of exciting programmes which are linked to Recreation such as modified sport, cycle for life and recreation clubs just to mention a few.
These activities are intended to provide leisure and recreation opportunities to all citizens of this country regardless of age, gender, and race. The Department`s achievements are both on the field but also within our society. Our consistent ability to host major tournaments as evidenced early this year when we hosted African Cup of Nations. We have also witnessed the South African Olympic Team`s wonderful performance and achievement at the London 2012 Olympic Games. This has been hailed the best ever Olympic Games for the Country since the ANC enabled South Africa`s readmission to the international sport community.Such tournaments have a positive impact on social cohesion because they create a common identity, a common cause and establish common values among South Africans.
Therefore, Honourable Chairperson, it is against this background that we evaluate the work of the Department and note its linkages to greater levels of transformation through the National Sport and Recreation Plan and the National Development Plan.Transformation of some sporting codes in our country is painfully slow. This has to be addressed with the necessary speed. There is absolutely no reason why sport cannot transform.
Today`s budget vote highlights what has been achieved and what still need to be done.
1. Transformation
The ANC government has always campaigned for a fresh perspective and a drive on transformation, a perspective that talks about equality, unity, access and excellence at the centre of national discourse. We have always known that it will take time to eradicate the legacy of the past. The establishment of an Eminent Persons Group, under the leadership of Prof. Somadoda Fikeni, is a welcome move which will speed up the issue of transformation in sport. The Minister of Sport and Recreation established the Eminent Persons group in order to fast track the pace of transformation in sport, particularly in federations who deliver sports.It will also develop a standard approach to monitoring and evaluating organizational capacity and commitment to thorough-going transformation. Many sport federations have signed the Transformation Charter at the Indaba of 2011 and have promised to deliver on its mandate. The Committee`s oversight role will ensure that there is meaningful implementation of the Charter and to evaluate the willingness of the Federations to transform sport in our society. The Transformation scorecard is also a welcome tool, to trace the pace of transformation. A collective and committed approach for the Federations to be more inclusive is very highly welcome to achieving the National Development Plan.
It is the responsibility of this government to fundamentally change the status quo and ensure that South Africa has national teams and amenities that are a true reflection of the national demographics.
The 53rd National Conference of the ANC resolved on this issue that the utilisation of transformation charters and score-cards to transform Sporting franchises`, Sporting Councils, Federations and the High Performance Centres must focus on local talent development, this includes targeting developing sporting facilities that are historically not available in other parts of the country, e.g. swimming pools Hence, we urge the private sector to support sport activities with funding for greater transformation of sport federations.
2. Funding
National Lottery, makes a provision of about 22% which is used for Sport and Recreation purposes. It will be important that this provision is made to enhance the objectives of the Sport Plans. Lottery board needs to continue to engage all relevant stakeholders in advancing this vision in order to speed up the allocations which it makes to sporting bodies.Funding is generally a scarce resource for the development of sport; whilst there is funding for high performance although not enough, there is need for more funding at development levels. Perhaps we need to revise the funding model in order to support the development of sport.
Liquor companies are some of the major sponsors of sport all over the world because sport, in general, is underfunded. As we all know, sport relies heavily on sponsorships, some of which lie in the liquor industry and in various other industries such as clothing, food, and so forth. Sport sponsorship is intended to fund sport and not to promote substance abuse. In fact, we think that`s obvious that in order to become a successful sport person, substance abuse must be avoided at all costs.
The Department has done a good job of advancing anti-doping programmes and healthy living as a core value of what it means to be a sports person. In fact, if the Department is to contribute to increased employment levels by 2030 as per the National Development, then sport has to be funded accordingly.
But, Chairperson, this is an on-going debate with other stakeholders. I hope that we`ll reach a solution that will benefit everyone involved.Growing the number of people who play sport is fundamental to the National Development Plan and Sport Plan. Hence, the Department will allocate almost half of the budget to the Mass Participation Programme this year.
The Committee noted that over the Medium Term, the aim for the 2013/14 financial year is to encourage active lifelong participation in sport by delivering sustainable sport and recreation programmes to 25 000 South Africans annually, with an emphasis on women, youth, persons with disabilities, senior citizens and rural communities. We appreciate the steady increase of participants in the programme to more than 28000 people in 2011/12. With the expansion of the programme and more funds to it, more can still be done.
The increase of the budget from R529m to R553m is indicative of the commitment to transform sport by putting resources where they are most needed. The School Sport programme is such a complementary programme in schools. However, since the signing of a memorandum with the Department of Basic Education with regard to cooperation, little progress has been seen, if any, with regard to the development of Physical Education as an independent learning area which should lay the foundation for the development of future sport-specific skills.
Whilst the School Sport programme continues to be rolled out in schools, more opportunities of developing learners can be enhanced through Physical Education. We request that these two Departments should share ideas and information about the way forward regarding funding the School Sport programme.
The Committee is pleased that the both Departments are talking to each other about how to resolve this situation.
3. Good Governance in Sport
Honourable Chairperson, sport is a multi-million rand industry. It is important that the federations should establish sound business practices. The revenue generated from broadcasting and media rights are the main sources of funds for many federations.
Indeed on many occasions federations do go out to source their own funding in order to support their programmes. This should be encouraged across all federations.
But we must emphasise to the Department that it is disturbing to hear that there are certain federations who do not have funds to conduct their activities. The question of the private sector then comes into question.
It is even more worrying to hear that funds have been misused by some federations, and which brings into question the fiduciary duties of the board members of such federations.
We have noted the recent controversial events in Sport in our country relating to the federations such SAFA, Cricket, Athletics, SANABO just to mention but a few which have brought closer the scrutiny of what is the government role in Sport and Recreation matters.
The National Sport and Recreation Act (1998) requires the Department of Sport and Recreation to oversee the development and management of sport and recreation in South Africa.
We have noted that through the Sports Plan, the Department will provide the framework for relationships between the department and its external clients.
In many instances, we noted that government`s hands were tied due to the limited provision, in the Act, to allow for scrutiny and prompt intervention in matters of the federation by the Minister.
It is anticipated that the Department will provide all the necessary information to enable the committee to process the Bill, which will effectively amongst other things, empower the Minister to intervene in resolving some of the disputes within the sport federations.
4. Access to Sport and Recreation and Support
The Portfolio Committee will, this year, continue to conduct its oversight visits to Provinces. During these visits we will examine the state of the Sport and Recreation facilities previously disadvantaged communities including programmes. We are aware that facilities in some areas still remain a problem.
It is important for the Portfolio Committee to understand where these are and also share in the successes of those projects that have been completed successfully.
The experiences of our oversight visits to Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape have sharpened our scrutiny of the FIFA 2010 legacy projects that municipalities have undertaken. In our efforts to see these projects during our oversight, we discovered some irregularities We welcome the seriousness with which the Department has treated this matter and we will continue to monitor these developments.
We have requested from the FIFA 2010 Legacy Trust a list of all legacy projects that have been undertaken, completed or not, so as to continue with the monitoring during the oversights visits.
Chairperson, Sports and Recreation is consolidating itself and has received a clean audit from the Auditor-General, which must be applauded by this House considering the challenges it has with getting funding.
Ultimately, I wish to acknowledge the positive contributions made by my colleagues in the Committee, honourable members. I also wish to appreciate the support given by the political parties represented here and the parliamentary staff of the committee. Indeed we have dedicated and committed servants in this Parliament.
The struggle to transform and develop sport in our country continues and we need to encourage more sport activism in our communities.
The ANC supports the budget vote.
I thank you
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Budget Vote 20 Debate - Sport and Recreation |
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Winston Rabotapi, Shadow Minister of Sport and Recreation
Highlights:
To spend R65 million on a sports awards when our athletes complain about funding, and our communities lack sports and recreational infrastructure is unacceptable.
Golden Lions Gymnastics Club, hopeful gymnasts from impoverished areas, who performed at the lavish awards ceremony last year at the Sandton Square have yet to receive payment.
Considering that the 2016 summer Olympics is just three years away, South Africa’s preparations should already be well underway.
The way to be cleared for our athletes to ensure that all those deserving, make it to Olympics and bring back medals.
There are currently 174 MOD centres in Western Cape that provides sport and recreational activities to over 12 000 learners from disadvantaged communities.
Honourable House Chairperson, Honourable Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Honourable Members of Parliament, officials from the Department of Sports and Recreation, and sportsmen and women in our midst.
We are all in agreement that sport plays an important role in promoting nation building, social cohesion and a healthy lifestyle. However, unfortunately our sports sector has been plagued by corruption allegations, mismanagement of funds and power struggles – all which hinders ours progress with regards to developing our beloved Nation. The challenges facing our sports sector has adverse effects on not only sportsmen and women, but every South African citizen. We need to actively engage on these challenges in order to ensure that we are progressively tackling these issues so as to allow for the smooth and efficient roll-out of the National Sport and Recreation Plan.
There has been a shift in this year’s budget vote with much emphasis being placed on the recognition of the National Development Plan. The National Development Plan is underpinned by the National Sports and Recreation Act No 18 of 2007, which regulates the administration of sport and recreation, and the transformation of sports in South Africa.
We have also noted that it is important for the Department of Education to start realising that it is a key partner in as far as school sport is concerned, and it therefore needs to act swiftly in engaging with the Department of Sport and Recreation for the sake of our kids a healthy Nation.
The fact that we are currently at a developmental stage with regards to sports, we need to ensure that allocated funds are being utilised appropriately for programmes and projects that add value to our society as a whole.
We read about shortages of funding that adversely affects our sportsmen and women such as insufficient funding for sports programmes, inadequate funds to cover costs of athletes travelling to sporting events and so forth. We also read about the lack of sporting and recreational facilities in various areas, that youths have no sporting or recreational outlets available to them. The response is generally that there are budgetary constraints hence the failure to provide communities with solid sporting and recreational infrastructure.
Then we read about the 2013 Sports Awards which has a planned budget of R65 million. Of the total of R65 million, R21 million has been allocated by the Department of Sports and Recreation, and R44 million is to be sourced from partners and sponsorships.
To spend R65 million on a sports awards event is ludicrous when our athletes complain about funding, and our communities lack sports and recreational infrastructure. Let us breakdown this R65 million and see how it can be better used to help our development plan:
1. We could provide 86 multipurpose sports fields at R750, 000 each
2. 11 astro turf rugby fields at R5.5 million each
3. 13 soccer fields at R5 million each
4. 1625 000 soccer balls at R40 each and Mass participation opportunity and access development centres
It is logical that these funds would be better spent developing the Nation rather than a one night sports awards event.
According to the Sunday Times of May the 19th it was reported that the Golden Lions Gymnastics Club, hopeful gymnasts from impoverished areas, who performed at the lavish awards ceremony last year at the Sandton Square have yet to receive payment. The department spent R27 million on the awards last year, but yet they failed to pay the Golden Lions Gymnastic Club. We need to ask why, almost six months later, have they not been paid the R18 000 they were promised? We need to seriously look at how funds are being managed and administered.
Honourable Minister considering that the 2016 summer Olympics is just three years away, South Africa’s preparations should already be well underway. The DA believes that by now ASA should be having a high performance programme in place to support South African athletes in preparation for 2016 Summer Olympics.
Honourable Minister, your assertion that ASA athletes also qualify for the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committees Operation Excellence Programme (OPEX), is little consolation considering the fact that the programme only supports th handful of South African athletes already in the top world rankings and not the scores of others struggling to get there and to the Olympics. The road to Rio is already a long and arduous journey for most of our athletes and at the moment it would appear that ASA, an organisation meant to support them, will be their greatest obstacle.
The DA is very concerned and wants the way to be cleared for our athletes to ensure that all those deserving, make it to Olympics and bring back medals.
Our municipalities have a history of failing to deliver services for our communities because of incapacity and corruption.
Mass participation programmes accounts for more the half of the total sports budget and the DA’s concern is that not much is happening in previously disadvantaged areas, particularly the rural areas. We have been relying on the 15% our Municipalities ring-fenced for building facilities throughout South Africa. I know that the Honourable Minister is equally concerned about this particular matter, about whether the step to take away the 15% from the municipalities is the relevant one. The DA’s response to this is that if we have competent people in place to manage the funds, there would be no need to take away the 15% for the benefit of all our citizens in this country.
We need to seriously address the issue of mismanagement of funds. If funds were used appropriately instead of on activities that do not add value for the greater South Africa such as the SA Sports Awards, there would be sufficient budget to assist in the progress of developmental initiatives such as MOD (Mass Participation, Opportunity and Access Development and Growth) Centres, in addition to the building of new facilities in areas that have none. There are currently 174 MOD centres in Western Cape that provides sport and recreational activities to over 12 000 learners from disadvantaged communities. The programme expanded dramatically since 2010 and now provides employment and skills development to over 500 community members. MOD centres provide access to the following: access to recreational and sport skills development; development life skills; healthy lifestyle initiative; community based facilities; safe environments; employment and training opportunities etc.
I will conclude my speech by reiterating that sport plays an important role in promoting nation building, social cohesion and a healthy lifestyle. We need to invest more thoughtfully in programmes for the betterment of our Nation.
Thank you.
Donald Lee, Shadow Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation
Highlights:
Few things better capture South Africa’s potential for excellence - and the realisation of our hopes and dreams - than sport.
Excellence is the answer to the question that South Africa is currently grappling with.
We must use sport to give South Africa the self-confidence it needs.
The DA believes that every South African is first and foremost an agent, not a victim, and that, given the right opportunity, they can succeed.
We are a great nation, capable of great things, and this is how we are going to dispel our doubts and realise our dreams.
Mr. Speaker,
This will be my last contribution to a budget debate.
I first sat in this Parliament in 1994. Over the past 19 years, during which I have had the privilege of serving at the heart of our democratic order, I have seen three distinct phases. The first, I would call the phase of hope and fear. For the first five years of South Africa’s new democracy, our actions were defined by those two impulses. We saw the great potential freedom brought and, with it, the possibility that we might create out of horror and prejudice a new order - a testament to everything that is wonderful about South Africa. With that, came much fear, as the possibility of failure always generates doubt and insecurity. It was an age of great aspiration and great trepidation. We have done well; I think, generally to keep that hope alive and those fears fairly constrained.
The second is best described as a phase of self-awareness. Over the next ten years, we came to realise our hopes could not be instantaneously realised, that their eradication required hard work, and that our fears would be made very real, if ever we neglected or failed to be vigilant in our duty. Often, they were.
During this time the true nature of those obstacles we have to overcome were quantified - a terrible legacy of poverty and injustice that is daunting as it is disheartening. Too often we supplemented rather than countered the problem.
As gevolg hiervan is ons nou in ń derde fase, een van twyfel. Ons het gesien hoe ons hoop verflou toe die harde werklikheid ons tref. Ons probeer nou die vraag beantwoord "kan ons oorleef". Hoe goed ons hierdie uitdagings hanteer is bepalend vir ons toekoms. As ons in onsself glo, eerder as om te twyfel, is ek seker dat ons sal triomfeer. As ons onsself sal oorgee aan ń swak selfbeeld, sal ons misluk.
All of this I have watched from a sports perspective. Sport is my passion and my great love and, I think a wonderful metaphor for our democratic journey.
Few things better capture South Africa’s potential for excellence - and the realisation of our hopes and dreams - than sport. At the same time, few things better capture our collective despair, when those high ideals are crushed.
I have seen many speakers from the ANC take this stand during my time, but it has never been my impression that they held a fundamental belief in our potential; rather, that they have always indulged our fears.
In reflecting I asked myself: why is it, in 19 years, I have never heard a ANC speaker take to this podium and clearly and precisely set out what excellence is and how it should be the defining ideal around which our sporting policies and programmes are shaped. How is that possible? Surely that is the defining ideal when it comes to sport, indeed to so many public concerns? Without it, without the pursuit of excellence as a cornerstone, what is the purpose of competitive sport?
Daarteenoor het alle ander woorde prominent in die A.N.C woordeskat geword. Woorde soos Transformasie, kwotas en Demografiese verteenwoordiging maar nooit uitnemendheid nie.
Uitnemendheid is vir hierdie administrasie en dié wat dit voorafgegaan het, ń vloekwoord. ń Woord wat vermy moet word en weggesteek moet word agter ander belange.
Here is another statement I have never heard: The administration of South African sport will aspire to make excellence and its pursuit of fundamental purpose of every decision it undertakes and every outcome it pursues. Why is it, I ask Mr. Speaker, that we have never heard a commitment like that?
My colleague Wilmot James has written that "the best antidote" to our fears and insecurity is excellence, that "when we take risk to act, and succeed, it is when we confirm to ourselves and others that we are worthy". That, I think, is a profound insight. Excellence is the answer to the question we are currently grappling with. If we want to overcome our low sense of self-worth and the decades of degrading treatment imposed on the majority of South Africans we need to embrace excellence. We need to believe we can be the best, and then do it - to set the standard and then exceed it. Can there be any better answer to self-doubt? Is there any greater source of confidence?
Always my party and I have advocated for this. Our party policy "The Pursuit of Excellence" - is a testimony to this ideal. We do so because we believe every South African is first and foremost an agent, not a victim, and that, given the right opportunity, they can succeed.
Unfortunately, it is an answer the ANC seems unwilling to consider. Perhaps it is time for it to reconsider. So I would leave this debate with the following suggestion: Let us use sport to give South Africa the self-confidence it needs. Let us embrace excellence, not shun it. Let us make it the light that guides the decisions we make. Let us outlaw mediocrity and victimhood. And let us emphatically answer that question: We are a great nation, capable of great things, and this is how we are going to dispel our doubts and realise our dreams.
Excellence is indeed the antidote to our fears. Let us start to distribute the cure and stop comforting the disease.
I thank you.
T. Donald Lee
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