Sport and Recreation SA Budget and Strategic Plan: briefing

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Meeting report

COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC WORKS

EDUCATION AND RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE
18 May 2005
Sport and Recreation SA budget and strategic plan: Briefing

Chairperson:
Mr B Tolo (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Brazil Committee Studytour Report (Available shortly at
Committee Reports
SRSA Strategic Plan and Budget Presentation

SUMMARY
The Committee discussed and adopted the report on their Study Tour of Brazil. A list of proposals would be drawn up for the Department of Education’s use. The Committee was then briefed by Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) on their Strategic Plan and Budget 2005.

The ensuing discussion highlighted the importance of providing facilities to rural communities and encouraging rural talent. Teaching swimming skills was identified as a means of decreasing the many accidents in rural areas. The lack of gender equity in sport was raised. The need for a more inclusive policy regarding the 2010 Soccer World Cup was also discussed.

MINUTES

Committee Secretary’s minutes

The Committee adopted minutes from their previous meetings subject to technical corrections. The style of the minutes was inconsistent and the Committee agreed that a unified style should be adopted for all future minutes.

Brazil studytour report
Nine Members and two support staff had undertaken a study tour to Brazil from 28 February to 4 March 2005. The main objective of the tour had been to study the education system in Brazil and to observe practices in redressing past imbalances and inequality in education access.

The Committee had met with the Director of the Ministry of Education in Brazil. The Director briefed the Committee on the social dynamics facing access to education and education reform in Brazil.

The Committee adopted the thorough report subject to technical corrections. The Chairperson suggested that Parliamentary Researcher, Mr Z Mvulane, highlight all the recommendations in the report for the Department of Education.

Discussion
The Committee reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of the trip. Committee Members felt the trip and been poorly organised. The flying arrangements in particular had been unsatisfactory.

The Chairperson noted that authority for the tour had only been granted one week before departure. The delay had resulted in logistical problems. The only way to avoid this in the future would be to cancel trips if permission had not been granted in good time. The Committee agreed that the Parliamentary Travel Policy would be adhered to in all future travelling arrangements.

Education Summit delegates
An Education Summit has been organised by the Department of Education from 1 until 30 June 2005. Five Members from the Select Committee had been invited to attend.

The delegation would consist of three Members of the ANC and two from the Opposition Parties. The ANC Members selected Mr Tolo, Mr M Sulliman and Ms F Mazibuko. The Opposition Members would submit their delegate’s names after the meeting.

Sport and Recreation SA briefing
Mr D Hendricks (Head of Department) introduced the SRSA’s Strategic Plan for 2005 entitled ‘An Active and Winning Nation: 2005 - The Year of Physical Education and Sport’. Mr Hendricks outlined SRSA’s priorities, including maximising public access to sport, and enhancing the success of athletes in the international sporting arena. He also outlined how SRSA related to other clusters.

Ms E Cloete (CFO SRSA) briefly outlined the SRSA budget for the year. There had been a growth in the budget over the past four years. The figures reflect an increased budget over the next three years: R203 628 000 for year 2004/2005, R231 945 000 for 2006/2007 and R241 917 for 2007/2008. R3 million had been allocated to ‘Transformation’ for the first time.

The new budget has been compiled to employ 157 people. Currently only 117 were employed and the Department would be filling these positions over the next few years.

The SRSA was involved in a number of Bills currently before Parliament: the Safety at Sports Stadiums Bill; the SA Sports Commission Repeal Bill, the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport Amendment Bill; and the drafting of legislation on the control of sportspersons visiting the Republic.

Mr G Fredericks (CP SRSA) explained the financial allocations to the various sports codes. An amount of R2.644 million had been allocated to hosting international events.

Discussion
Mt Tolo asked whether SCSA might be spreading its objectives over too many areas. Given the Department budget, they might rather choose to focus on fewer areas more thoroughly.

Mr Hendricks emphasised that the Department focussed primarily on its two main objectives, namely the mass participation programme, and assisting our international athletes. All other objectives were spin-offs of these two. Sports and recreation provided excellent arenas in which to reach participants about other issues such as preventing anti-social behaviour and HIV and Aids.

Ms J Vilikazi (IFP), Ms A Qikani (UDM) and Ms J Masilo (ANC) all raised the importance of prioritising recreational opportunities in rural and semi-rural communities. They wanted to know how SRSA planned to create more facilities in these areas, reach the many rural schools and encourage local talent.

Mr Fredericks responded that the SRSA was now working much more closely with the provincial structures in order to reach rural schools. SRSA planned to implement a ‘grid system’ so that a project was undertaken in each gridblock across the country. Farm schools had begun to be targeted and this would be continued. It was impossible to cover all sports codes in rural areas, and the most popular fifteen of the 80 sports codes had been prioritised.

Mr Hendricks acknowledged the shortage of facilities in the rural areas. SRSA was working more closely with the Education Department on both in-school and out-of-school facilities. Both schools and the community would then use these facilities. SRSA were devising a National Facility Plan in order to distribute sports and recreational facilities more evenly across the country.

The Committee noted that most incidents of drowning occurred in inland areas, and emphasised the need for swimming to be taught more extensively throughout the country. Mr Hendricks concurred that many accidents took place in river and dams. Swimming SA would be involved in the mass participation programme to help improve this situation.

Ms Lamoela asked how SRSA hoped to correct the imbalance of women’s participation in sports. Mr Hendricks noted that many sporting federations allocated no resources to their women’s chapters. SRSA had to play a strong advocacy role in bringing gender equity to sport.

The issue of a more inclusive policy regarding the 2010 Soccer World Cup was discussed. Mr Hendricks explained that FIFA was looking to the government for extensive resources. Government investment of public money in the World Cup would ensure that certain objectives were realised. The government wanted to ensure that the broad population benefited from the event.

Mr Tolo noted that the SRSA now had to transfer funds for the building of new sports and recreation facilities to local authorities, and he questioned the outcome of this.

Mr Hendricks acknowledged that the SRSA had to advocate sports and recreation facilities’ funding, as it now formed a pool responsible for cemeteries, museums and libraries as well.

The meeting was adjourned.

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