Sport and Recreation South Africa: Strategic Plan and Budget 2006/07

Sport, Arts and Culture

08 March 2006
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Meeting report

SPORT AND RECREATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE

SPORT AND RECREATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
8 March 2006
SPORT AND RECREATION SOUTH AFRICA: STRATEGIC PLAN AND BUDGET 2006/07

Chairperson: Mr B Komphela (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Sport and Recreation SA: Strategic Plan 2006 – 2010
Presentation on Strategic Plan

SUMMARY
Sport and Recreation South Africa presented their strategic plan for 2006 – 2010 and budget for 2006/07. Much of the strategic plan revolved around planning for the World Cup. However, the importance of sport as a means of uplifting society was outlined as well as the need to promote a healthy lifestyle. The mass participation program was a key element of this. The department’s support of high performance sport would also assist in developing a winning culture amongst South African teams and athletes which would have a positive influence on the nation. The strategic plan highlighted the actions proposed by SRSA to deliver on its mandate. It was also discussed how SRSA was reacting to the priorities expressed in the State of the Nation speech.

The Committee expressed concern over the pace of transformation. Rugby was praised for bringing their policies into line with government policy but it was felt that football was failing to co-operate with government. Members also questioned the role of provinces in the 2010 World Cup, the role of the Local Organising Committee and the benefits of the tournament to South Africa.

MINUTES
Introductory discussion
The Chairperson stressed the need for the provinces to work together. For this reason the chairpersons of the respective provincial governmental committees and officials from the provincial departments had been invited to attend. He said that more meetings would follow, some of which might take place in the various provinces. A meeting was scheduled for 14 March with Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA).

SRSA’s Strategic Plan document was to be discussed at the current meeting. He said that many persons did not understand this document, and a clear understanding was needed. Questions on the Strategic Plan should be asked after the planned meeting with SRSA.

Mr Komphela observed that this was International Women’s Day, and paid tribute to women. He asked if justice was being done to the aspirations of women, and added that women had many achievements already.

He alluded to President Mbeki’s State of the Nation address and also referred to the five new stadiums to be built for the soccer World Cup in 2010.

Professor D Hendricks, Director-General of SRSA, noted that the five cities building new stadiums were all at different stages of their projects, and different dates were applicable for the various milestones in this process.

The Chairperson congratulated Mr Oregon Hoskins on his election as President of the SA Rugby Football Union. He hoped that this was the beginning of stability within this organisation. He stressed the need to interact with the fourteen regional presidents. The policy of the board should be driven by national and provincial governments.

Mr Komphela said that action was dependent on available budgets. He was awaiting an input from the SA Football Association (SAFA). He wondered whether South Africa would have a competitive team for the World Cup, as problems might arise should the national team not be a factor at the tournament.

Mr Komphela felt a close working relationship was needed with the provinces regarding the new stadiums. Money from SRSA, channeled through the Treasury, would be used for this. The programs needed to be run within the broad agenda of government. The World Cup was a vehicle for the faster delivery of services. He was happy to see the upgrading of airports, for example Bloemfontein. He wanted to know how many people would benefit from this event.

Mr Komphela said he was concerned about money being passed over to the First National Bank Stadium and Loftus Versveld. He saw the need for some kind of contract between government and the private owners of these venues to prevent the abuse of taxpayers’ money. Government should have the final word or at least an influence on the spending. The Director-General of FIFA (Federation of International Football Associations) would attend a future meeting and would be able to provide answers with some authority on various issues.

Mr Komphela raised the issue of the proposed Gautrain. He said this had not been in the bid book, and asked where it fitted in. He said that all members of the Committee needed information to answer questions posed to them, and therefore needed to stay in touch with developments.

Mr Komphela said that government would not abdicate its responsibilities to the World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC). He also mentioned the drum majorettes who would shortly be competing in an international event in Spain, and said that they should be part of the opening and/or closing ceremonies. Serious challenges need to be faced, and the Committee had not yet had proper interaction.

Mr E Saloojee (ANC) said that the Gautrain project was a long-term one. The Gauteng provincial government was insisting on it being ready for the World Cup. The Chairperson responded that it was important, but was part of the issues in winning the World Cup. It would be pleasant if it were ready in time.

Mr N Galela (Chairperson, Sports and Culture Committee, Northern Cape legislature) asked for clarification about the stadiums. Some of the provinces had not been identified for new stadiums and confusing signals had been sent out.

Mr Khomela replied that Mr Joe Pahla would have the answer to this question. The Northern Cape was not part of the new stadium program, but the province was not entirely excluded from the World Cup. The MEC had expressed disappointment about this. However, the Galeshewe Stadium would be upgraded and used for practice games before the official start of the tournament. Some matches scheduled for Bloemfontein might also be moved to the Northern Cape, so the province was not totally forgotten.

He also mentioned the case of Motherwell in the Eastern Cape. A world-class stadium was being built in phases, but a small local authority could not maintain the facility. Provinces would have to come up with their own packages of questions. There were also technical questions such as the ownership of land on which stadiums were to be built. He asked if the announcement around these stadiums was correct, and if there were any underlying questions. There was also a question regarding the desirability of appointing foreign coaches for South African teams.

Mr E Lucas (IFP) asked whether problems relating to the transport situation and power supply in Cape Town were being addressed. He was also concerned about the visibility of the tournament in rural areas. Poverty was an issue, and the technology to bring the games to the people might be unaffordable. He also asked if fans would be bused into metropolitan centres for the games.

The Chairperson replied that SRSA was looking closely at rural issues. Ticket costs and the limited availability were also problems. SRSA was working on establishing hubs where big screens would be provided. The Department of Communication, which was responsible for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), needed to address the issue. The Minister would be raising the necessary questions with his counterparts.

Regarding the Green Point Stadium, the Chairperson said that the Western Cape Department had developed a program for schools to participate in the construction phases. This would foster a sense of public ownership from an early stage, and would be a step towards internalising the World Cup to the South African people.

Mr Komphela said that this would be a World Cup for Africa. This would be a big challenge to SRSA. The relevant ministers from Swaziland and Mozambique had been in discussion regarding the role of Africa in staging this event. He pointed out that Bloemfontein was very close to Lesotho. Accommodation should perhaps be provided for visitors from other African countries. He said that the buck ends with SRSA.

According to the Chairperson, a meeting would need to be held with the Cape Town Unicity. Bidding forms would have to be held for the hosting of countries during the tournament. Interaction was needed with all provinces, of which five had intensive issues with which to deal. Close co-operation would also be needed with the Department of Transport on issues of traffic and roads, and also with the Committee for Communication regarding the SABC. Information would be needed by the provincial representatives, and the LOC would have to go out and meet the people.

Mr L Reid (ANC) returned to the Northern Cape issue, and pointed out that Bloemfontein was close to this province. Visitors would visit the province. He said that the Northern Cape felt marginalised as they produced several sportsmen of quality but many of them moved on to Bloemfontein. He asked if there was a final decision regarding stadiums. He said that the Committee needed to look at rural sport in general.

The Chairperson disagreed that the Northern Cape was marginalised. He had observed packed stadiums during Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches in that province. The Committee had no control over World Cup matches, but did have some influence with the PSL. He said that the infrastructure in Kimberley was better than that in Bloemfontein. There had been tussles over franchise issues which could create an impression of marginalisation. The Executive of the United Cricket Board (UCB) would meet on 10 March when a proposal from the Northern Cape would be considered. He said that bias towards the rural areas was needed.

Mr T Dodovu (ANC) said that matches leading up to the World Cup should be regarded as friendlies rather than practice matches. Mr Komphela replied that FIFA had designated these as practice matches. He also pointed out that the venue in Limpopo would be at Polokwane, which is not close to the Zimbabwean border.

SRSA Strategic Plan Presentation
Prof Hendricks led the presentation by SRSA. He said that most of the introduction was in respect of 2010, but their mandate was much broader. Many meetings and activities did revolve around 2010. He introduced his team members. Ms Elsie Cloete (Chief Financial Officer) was responsible for the budget. Mr Makota Matlala (Acting Chief Director, Corporate Services) was responsible for legislation and the rounding of the restructuring process. Mr Greg Fredericks (Chief Director, Programs) was responsible for strategic thinking. Prof Hendricks said that the focus of the presentation was not on detail but rather on strategic thinking, as well as business and project plans. He said that 2010 would be a rallying point, and would be an opportunity for sport to take centre stage in the government perspective, and there would be a need to use the opportunities created. Sport could make a contribution to achieving national goals. There was a problem regarding access to Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) funds, and a meeting would be held that afternoon to discuss this issue.

Prof Hendricks said that sport was a pervasive institution worldwide. The United Nations had launched a number of initiatives to use sport as a tool in fostering development and peace. SRSA also had some plans in this regard. The outcomes were not always positive, and some circumspection was needed.

According to Prof Hendricks sport in South Africa existed in an environment of huge disparities which impacted on access and representivity. SRSA actively pursued a policy of upliftment in underprivileged areas. The government had a role to play in achieving these goals. An integrated approach to planning and delivery had led to SRSA’s direct involvement in three clusters. These were the Social Sector, International Relations and Governance and Administration clusters. There was also involvement in the Economic and Justice and Crime Prevention. In addition, SRSA controlled two statutory bodies, namely the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) and Boxing SA. There were several other stakeholders, including the respective sporting federations and South African Sports Commission and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).

Prof Hendricks said the SRSA recognised that South Africa was indelibly part of Africa, and there needed to be involvement with sporting affairs. There was a three-year rolling plan in action which focused on Africa.

Prof Hendricks pointed out that SRSA operated within a legal framework which operated under the supremacy of the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). However, there were also areas of provincial and local competency. There were interactive forums in place between SRSA and local bodies. The three spheres of government needed to work together, and local authorities were now getting involved. Sport happened in villages and towns, while the provincial and national departments operated in different spheres.

Prof Hendricks said that the strategic plan was driven by a number of influences. The State of the Nation address gave some direction, and there were also policy directives in place. The Committee’s directives had also resulted in specific progress. He said that there were four objectives identified in the white paper. The first objective was to increase the level of participation which was at present only 25 % of the population. In particular, 38 % of the school population did not exercise at all. This is a disconcerting trend.

The Chairperson observed that children were becoming obese. Prof Hendricks said that SRSA was working on getting the nation active through a program of mass participation and community clubs. A second objective was to raise the profile of sport. Increased investment by government was needed, while private investment could also be increased. The maximum probability of success needed to be ensured for South African teams and athletes. The African Cup of Nations had been a bad experience, while SRSA had assisted in preparing the squad for the Commonwealth Games and also the early stages of preparing the Olympic team for 2008. He remarked that sport influenced the psyche of the nation.

Prof Hendricks stated that a third objective was to boost women’s sport. He expressed grave concern that lip service was being paid to the equity of women’s sport, and also to sport for the disabled and the elderly. He said that the federations were not investing in these activities. The final objective was to use sport as a vehicle for positive outcomes, and was an issue of national importance. Minister Manuel had made additional funding available for the development of resources. Co-operation was also being experienced with other departments, such as Health, Education, Correctional Services and Housing.

Prof Hendricks mentioned eight priority areas. These were the streamlining of governance of sport, the funding of facilities, the development of human resource (HR) potential regarding managers and administrators, the development of active lifestyles, the support of elite athletes through academies, the driving of transformation, the development of a code of ethics, which would be subject to constant revision, and the development of an international relations policy which would be focused primarily on Africa.

Prof Hendricks also commented on the President’s State of the Nation Speech. Factors mentioned by Pres Mbeki included the building of a winning nation, with specific reference to the problems experienced by SAFA. An age of hope could be articulated by sport, but there could also be negative reaction generated by problems of representivity and access. Sport should contribute to the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGISA), and should play a role in halving poverty and unemployment by 2014. Sport should play a role in job creation and investment should be made in infrastructure. There was a huge resource pool in the MIG, and R136 million was a drop in the ocean. Labour intensive methods should be used, but there could be problems if such methods compromised tight deadlines.

The Chairperson said that the issue of labour representation should be addressed in the LOC. It was COSATU’s position that government needed to be the custodian of labour issues.

Prof Hendricks continued that sport should be a form of consolidation of national reconciliation. Safety and security would be addressed by the legislation regarding safety at sport and recreation events. Integration needed to happen between the three spheres of government. Municipalities needed to adopt Integrated Development Plans (IDPs). Sports facilities were not being prioritised, and found themselves at the back of the queue. Community development workers were to be deployed, who would act as mass participation co-ordinators. Focal points needed to be established for the youth, disabled and elderly communities.

Prof Hendricks felt there was a need to reduce substance abuse. Proposed legislation in this regard had been forwarded to Cabinet. Sport should also be used as a crime prevention method. The South African flag was proving popular at overseas events. Education and skills development was needed, and the infrastructure at schools needed upgrading. International regulations were needed regarding bilateral relationships.

Prof Hendricks said that a specialised 2010 unit had been established within SRSA. Mr Joe Pahla was the Director-General of this unit, and would co-ordinate all government involvement. Eighteen guarantees had been given to FIFA by the government. Prof Hendricks saw an African World Cup concept. Two conferences had been held on South Africa’s position and a meeting with Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries was one of these. Finally, the President had expressed a wish to see football restored to the premier sport of the nation. People were looking to the government to clean up areas of concern. SRSA had approached SAFA over some issues, and was waiting for a response.

Prof Hendricks said that cluster priorities were a repetition of Presidential priorities. Hands-on support was to be given to local government, and sites of delivery were to be appropriately equipped. More international south-south co-operation was needed, while some north-south co-operation was already in place. He cited the example of exchange programs with English netball authorities.

Prof Hendricks mentioned that the Social Sector cluster had a goal of promoting a national identity through social cohesion. The quality of education had to be addressed. Control of NGOs led to the government’s development agenda. Social development could be achieved through the mass participation program. Health, food and nutrition were areas of concern. Integrated Sustained Rural Development Programs and Urban Renewal Programs needed to be followed. There were three spheres, namely the public works program, other clusters such as border control, where SRSA had an input in the control of substances crossing borders, and broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE). SRSA and the federations had a role in using BEE in sports tourism. Impact studies on three smaller events would provide information on how to achieve a more equitable geographical spread of economic activities.

He said that the aforegoing was the basis of the vision of SRSA. The Department had a mission to actualise the objectives of government. The tasks of SRSA were different to those of other departments. The Sports Commission was being integrated into SRSA. Plans were determined partially by the availability of resources.

The Chairperson complimented Prof Hendricks on a good presentation.

Discussion
Mr Dodovu asked what role SRSA played in engaging and intervening with the federations. He asked what exactly SRSA did in this regard, for example with SAFA. The strategic plan was a link to the annual report, which had contained several problematic areas. SRSA had a lack of capacity to achieve its objectives, and he questioned whether SRSA’s structure and systems were up to the tasks entrusted to it.

The Chairperson said that the goal of the meeting was to allow the provinces to ask questions. Members would have an opportunity to interrogate SRSA at a later meeting.

Mr T Setlamorago (Chairperson, Limpopo Sports, Arts and Culture Committee) remarked that transformation was dragging behind in national priorities. Rugby was not in line with current events, and was divisive. He raised the issue of the code of ethics, saying not enough was being done regarding patriotism. Youngsters were taken from the streets, made money and then forgot their country. A program was needed to prepare young stars for the business side of sport, and the interests of the country. He also questioned the effectiveness of IDP’s. Municipalities were not yet capable of implementing these plans. SRSA should assist municipalities to deliver. Provinces needed to be kept up to date continuously on happenings outside of national meetings. Information was needed regularly.

Mr Galela asked about the preparations for 2010. No adequate explanation had been given as to how benefits would filter down to the provinces. On the plan to halve unemployment, he asked whether SRSA had identified areas in which it could contribute. He also wished to know how SRSA planned to address the issue of the 38% of schoolchildren not exercising.

The Chairperson reminded the provincial chairperson that they could call SRSA directly for answers to their queries.

Prof Hendricks said that some of the answers to the questions raised would be apparent in the presentation. Regarding the intervention in federations, the Sports and Recreation Amendment Act would be part of the solution. There would be a political nuance. Outside expertise might be needed to improve SAFA’s resources. A broad base of access would allow more talent to come to the fore, and the respective federations could identify and develop talented individuals. SRSA took a hands-on approach.

Prof Hendricks agreed that the 2005 report had revealed a capacity problem in SRSA. However, that document reflected the lowest ebb of the department’s transition, at which time only 29 posts had been staffed. This had now increased to 116 persons, and more posts were being filled. More than 190 posts were included in its structure. Greater numbers would not necessarily lead to better quality of service.

Prof Hendricks said that SRSA was behind regarding transformation. There was a clear policy to work towards the sporting boundaries being the same as the political boundaries of the country. There were issues on the agenda which needed to be addressed such as the status of traditional boundaries, the relative strength of some provinces and the population sparseness in some provinces.

Prof Hendricks agreed that players should always be available for national duties. There was a need to inculcate patriotism. The recent decision of Roland Schoeman to retain his South African citizenship should be seen as the ideal. There was a counter-argument as to what was good or best practice. However, he compared South Africa to Brazil. While many Brazilian footballers were playing for overseas clubs, there was no problem in getting them to return to represent their country. An innovating approach was needed. SAFA had identified a core group of players who would form the backbone of the 2010 squad. They needed to grapple with the issue of how the players should behave when faced with rich earnings abroad.

Prof Hendricks said there would be interaction with local authorities. They now had more capacity and had plans to interact. The SA Local Government Association (SALGA) was becoming involved in more direct interaction. The problem of provinces being left out of decision making processes and not being adequately informed had been identified, especially regarding the planning of 2010. Parallel meetings would be held between the LOC and host cities. The World Cup would be the ideal opportunity for the three spheres of government to co-operate.

Prof Hendricks said that Mr Pahla was involved with most of the events happening in the 2010 unit. SRSA’s role was not quite clear. It would support SAFA with building its team and develop an HR base and volunteer structure, but there was uncertainty over its role regarding facilities. The budget for planned sports facilities had been doubled and some money from 2005 had been unspent. Some R3 billion was available for facilities, and another R2.5 billion might be awarded. He did not know who would administer these funds. The Chairperson advised that SRSA would take the lead in monitoring the use of these monies, with assistance from provincial MECs.

Prof Hendricks said that infrastructure was not SRSA’s core business. Experience would have to be brought in if needed. The establishment of infrastructure was one of SRSA’s strategies to combat unemployment, and another was sports tourism. The income achieved from this latter sector now exceeded the income from the gold mining sector. He said that SRSA should take some credit for this. The mass participation program was in its infancy. SRSA had established 131 hubs nationwide, but ultimately hoped to have a hub in each of the over 3000 wards in the country. Peripheral economic activity around venues should also be taken into account, but he was not aware of the real impact of this sector.

Prof Hendricks admitted that scholar inactivity was a problem, and would be addressed in the presentation. Government was investing in the school program.

Mr Fredericks said that SRSA would assist SAFA in the preparation of the 2010 team. Budgetary provision had already been made for this. A national residential program had been established and 45 players were already in a camp after being drawn from academies. SAFA was thinking in the same way as SRSA but had yet to present a plan.

Dr L Platzky (Acting Head of Department, Provincial Government Western Cape Culture and Sport) questioned what role provincial and national government would play in the hosting of 2010. This was a mega world event, which drew more television viewers than the Olympic Games. She used the analogy of a conference being held at a hotel. Specialist conference facilitators would handle all the arrangements without any interaction with the hotel manager. In fact, the manager would be lucky to be invited to serve tea.

She said that the World Cup was a FIFA event. It was up to government to look for development opportunities around the event, which would be a showcase for South Africa and Africa in general. Branding collateral was needed for South Africa, which would be the national team. However, foreign viewers would only be interested in the games, while sponsors would be interested in perfect organisation of the event. The government should focus on ensuring that guarantees were met. Host city agreements would be in place, and the overall organisation would be determined by the Bill to be submitted to Parliament. She believed that the provinces had no big role but in supporting the venue cities. Government’s role would have little to do with sport itself, but a family of government and partners should address issues such as souvenirs and the media. Government should take comfort in these roles and then work on the host level.

Prof Hendricks said that government involvement should be in line with national goals that major investors’ objectives should be met. The Chairperson echoed these sentiments. He said that if FIFA wanted to milk the cup, it should not happen on their terms. It would not be government’s role to micromanage. Provinces would play a critical role in the development of stadiums. He said that Dr Platzky was right in saying that the provinces would, however, not be invited to serve tea at the party.

The Chairperson said that watching the games would be a secondary priority for government. Care would have to be taken to avoid ambush marketing. He asked what scope there would be for foodstalls and similar ventures at the venues. Provinces would be partners with the hosting cities. He asked how spending and grants to municipalities would correspond to government’s objectives. The provinces would assist the host cities in implementing the process.

Mr I Hoff (Chief Director, Sport and Recreation, Gauteng Provincial Government) said that clarity of focus was needed in political decisions involving provincial governments and the metros. FIFA would deal direct with the cities, but the situation was unique in that the World Cup was traditionally held in venues which were already well developed. Co-operation was needed between provincial and national government for success. Agreement was needed between the metros and the MECs, but the arrangements of FIFA and the LOC could undermine the process.

Mr Hoff saw a role for the provinces in the development of infrastructure. The LOC would run the event with government’s support, while SAFA would be mainly responsible for team arrangements. These arrangements were not spelt out anywhere. There would be less tension at the city running level.

The Chairperson said that the impression of a big brother should not be created. The 2010 Director-General should outline the relationships between the various role-players. The national government was the keeper of the process.

Mr T Kambule (Director: Sport and Recreation, Western Cape Culture and Sport Department) stressed the uniqueness of the 2010 event. This would be the first time that a development angle was included. Development opportunities were available to the government.

Mr H Esau (Head of Department, Northern Cape Sports, Arts and Culture) disagreed with Dr Platzky. The President and provincial premiers had signed guarantees. Accounting officers needed to report to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) and not to FIFA.

The Chairperson said that Mr Pahla must allay any fears that had been raised. The Committee would not give FIFA any money. Accounting responsibilities would be contained in the 2010 Special Measures Bill.

SRSA Budget presentation
Ms Cloete then presented the SRSA budget. She said that the budget showed an upward trend. There were increases in expenditure as a result of the national academies program which started in the 2004/05 financial year, the mass participation program and the Lovelife games. She said that the 2010 unit had received an allocation which would later be increased. Provinces would receive more money from April. SRSA would endeavour to obtain additional funding. A detailed breakdown of the budget was then presented.

Mr Matlala delivered a presentation on the legal and HR services of SRSA. The Safety at Sports Stadiums Bill would cater for the safety of both spectators and players. The SAIDS Amendment Bill would provide for efficient and effective governance of the anti-doping procedures. The Sport and Recreation Amendment Bill would bring the Sport and Recreation Act into line with changed government circumstances. The International Anti-Doping Convention needed to be ratified, and South Africa needed to implement the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Code of Conduct. The 2010 Special Measures Bill would go to Parliament in July.

Mr Matlal said that the structure of SRSA affected its capacity. The number of posts was being increased from 29 to approximately 195 in order for the department to deliver on its mandate. An organogram was presented that outlined the divisions within SRSA. A HR process was underway. All positions were advertised internally on 25 January. An independent panel was assisting in evaluating the applications. By mid-April most of the senior positions would have been filled.

Mr Fredericks presented SRSA’s plans to achieve its objectives. Two Chief Directors would be appointed with effect from 1 April. One of these was already in office. SRSA would comprise two macro structures, with SRSA being responsible for mass participation and SASCOC for the high performance program. The two public entities would be streamlined, namely SAIDS and Boxing SA. The latter would change to a non-public entity depending on funding.

He said that the upgrading of facilities would be in accordance with the National Facilities Plan, which determined where, what type of facility was needed in an area, and what the current and future needs were. SRSA was currently busy with a series of meetings with local authorities. SRSA would monitor the building of facilities, train managers, advocate for sustained funding and would promote activities at these venues.

It was also a mission of SRSA to develop HR potential. Education and training programs would identify needs and service producers. Individuals would be deployed and a database maintained. Special projects such as the 2010 volunteers would also be run. There would be a contact point for THETA.

Mr Fredericks said that participation levels would be determined. SRSA could now use its own figures rather than relying on overseas studies. The federations, which could accommodate more individuals, would be identified. The mass participation program would be developed and implemented. The hub model was now also being used by the Department of Arts and Culture. He said that 131 hubs had been created, and there was a need to get to all 3000 wards. An amount of R40 million had been allocated for this project in the new financial year. Talent would be identified and these persons channeled into the academy system.

Mr Fredericks pointed out that an agreement had been reached with the Department of Education. SRSA had asked for R150 million which would reach 1500 schools identified as being the poorest of the poor. A Schools Mass Participation Program project had been developed which would reach 750 schools, but these needed to be grouped in clusters. The Division of Revenue Act would be used to determine an equitable share. Popular sports would be identified as the targets of this program. The first phase would be to train teachers, former players and volunteers to act as coaches, referees and technical officials. The next step would be to create sustainable leagues, and equipment would have to be provided. The codes identified were soccer, netball, rugby, cricket and volleyball, although one or two other codes popular in that particular area might also be included. This initiative would become part of the department’s broad program. The second leg would be national competition, and he listed some forthcoming events such as an athletics meeting at Sasolburg for Persons with Learning Disabilities.

Mr Fredericks said that SRSA was co-operating with the Department of Correctional Services regarding a plan for sport in prisons. Six divisions of the department were involved. In each a mass participation program would be initiated at one prison. Training would be given to prisoners and would serve as part of the rehabilitation process.

According to Mr Hendricks, the high performance program would be based on a National Academy system. Many academies had been run by the various federations. The system would be based on international best practice. SRSA also made a contribution to funding international participation.

Mr Fredericks said that SRSA needed to ensure that transformation objectives were met. It needed to develop and implement a scorecard. A booklet on ethics would be revised and distributed and testing procedures for performance enhancing system would be enhanced. Legislation regarding the banned substances would also be revised.

Mr Fredericks indicated that policies regarding international relations were to be finalised. International resources were available, such as exchange programs with the United Kingdom. Netball was one of the target sports. Strengths in our own sports could be marketed abroad. Assistance would be given to other African countries. South Africa was very involved in the Zone 6 grouping.

Mr Fredericks felt that sports tourism was a major economic factor. He said that activities surrounding the Cricket World Cup in 2003 had been worth approximately R2 billion. Of this, R1.2 billion had come from foreign visitors. Many foreigners were attracted to various events in South Africa.

Discussion
Mr Esau was concerned about resources going to the provinces. He requested a breakdown of the R352 million allocated by province.

Ms S Khan (Head of Department, Sport and Recreation KwaZulu-Natal) said that provinces supplemented the grants for the mass participation program from their own funding. This helped to take the programs further. She said that her department was collaborating with the Education Department. There was movement with a co-operation agreement which was almost ready for signature. Tremendous progress had been made. The Chairperson was happy this matter had been resolved, as there had been a power tussle.

Mr Kambule commended SRSA in getting resources for the mass participation program. He agreed that a presence was needed in all wards. He proposed a review of the strategy. He asked how the hubs were identified, and wondered if the concept was sustainable in the poorest communities. Another alternative would be to explore the inter-governmental relationship mechanism. Local authorities should be encouraged to buy into the hub concept. Local authorities should supplement the move towards the achievement of goals.

The Chairperson said that one of the Committee’s oversight responsibilities was ensuring the co-ordination between national authorities and their provincial counterparts.

Mr Hoff said the provinces welcomed grants. The academy system was a challenge. Clarity of focus was needed. SASCOC was the custodian of the high performance program but not much was happening of the ground.

The Chairperson said there were questions around the level of poverty. Distance problems were also significant. He felt that the Northern Cape had not been allocated enough money given the size of the province. North West was a smaller province, but had double the budget of the Northern Cape.

Mr Fredericks responded that the equitable share formula had been used. In fact, more money had been allocated to the Northern Cape than the basic figures derived from the formula.

Mr Komphela said that the actions of the Treasury were in contrast to the policies of the ruling party. There should be a bias in favour of rural areas.

Mr Galela said that a fundamental problem in his province was the distances involved. A separate discussion was needed to deal with this problem. He said that the distance between Kimberly and Sutherland was a thousand kilometres, and all funds for mass participation programs were spent just on travel costs. Reality should inform the criteria.

The Chairperson said that a policy discussion was needed with Treasury regarding what to do for the people of the country. The policy statement of the President should be followed. Questions to Heads of Department could be raised at a meeting with the LOC and its Director-General. They would be able to give a briefing on their activities, forms which had been submitted and the criteria for host cities. This meeting would be held on 29 March. The LOC meeting would be on a different date.

The Chairperson said the Committee had a sober attitude and was moving in a clear direction which was serving the people of South Africa. He regretted an incident involving Mr Koos Basson, newly-elected vice president of SARFU, in which his car had been vandalised in Pretoria. Mr Basson had presented Rugby’s Transformation Charter to the Committee, and the Chairperson suspected that this was the reason for this incident.

He said that SASCOC had never been before the Committee. He needed to know how far they had to travel, and needed interaction with them. Understanding was needed, and a meeting would be arranged. The Department of Health was honouring World Health Day, and it would be marked by Parliament. The SA Sports Science Institute would be involved in this event. There was also a role for SRSA, and they needed to be present on the day.

Mr Komphela said that the demarcation process was ongoing. The SA Rugby Union (SARU) had already moved towards re-aligning its provincial boundaries to match the political boundaries. He said that other people believed they have the right to maintain old boundaries. This could be considered a form of mutiny, and could lead to anarchy. SAFA had re-aligned its boundaries.

Mr Komphela said that players needed guidance regarding their behaviour and conduct. The Minister had briefed the Committee, and money would be allocated for Life Orientation training. Provinces should be responsible for this. Former players could be used as presenters. Challenges such as HIV/AIDS should be included in this training. The language in which interviews were conducted should also be part of such a program.

The South African soccer team was a serious concern. The Chairperson felt that the Committee was not doing enough supervision of SAFA. Their dealings were a no-go area. Other sports, such as rugby, were moving in leaps and bounds in respect of government policy.

Mr Komphela said that soccer was the predominant sport in the country, but he said that they had "become reactionary". He regretted that the coaches of the junior teams (U19, U20 and U23) were not involved in the technical team in charge of the senior team, and there seemed to be a lack of expertise.

Mr Setlamorago said that the country was entering the final stages of the preparations for 2010. There should be some leeway to accommodate plans.

The Chairperson reported that help was being provided to the Correctional Services Department. Army units in Bloemfontein would assists with programs in prisons in the area, and would also work with juniors. The Free State academy was already thriving.

Turning to other business, the Chairperson said that Members should study the reports of the Western and Eastern Cape study tours, and look into the recommendations. These recommendations will be forwarded to the provinces. The reports would be adopted at the meeting on 14 March.

The meeting was adjourned.





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