Department of Sport and Recreation Budget Vote 19 and Strategic Plan 2006/07: briefing

Meeting report

EDUCATION AND RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE
24 May 2006
DEPARTMENT OF SPORT AND RECREATION BUDGET VOTE 19 AND STRATEGIC PLAN 2006/07: BRIEFING

Chairperson: Mr BJ Tolo (ANC, Mpumalanga)

Documents handed out:
Department of Sport and Recreation Budget Vote 19 ( available at www.treasury.gov.za)
Ratification of UNESCO Convention
Addendum to Cabinet Memorandum: UNESCO Convention
Sport and Recreation SA Strategic Plan 2006-2010: Part 1, 2, 3 & 4
Department of sport and Recreation Strategic Plan Presentation
Department of Sport and Recreation Budget Vote 19 Presentation
Committee Minutes 10 May 2006

SUMMARY
The Department of Sport and Recreation presented to the Committee an overview of its structure. Its four broad objectives were: to increase the level of participation, to raise the profile of sport, to provide opportunities for elite athletes and to use sport to address issues of national importance. Eight priorities were identified, echoing many of the priorities of the President’s State of the Nation Speech.

The Department presented its budget, and announced increased funding in most areas. The largest part of the budget was to be transferred to the provinces for use during the Mass Participation Programme. Although the Department did not get all the additional funds requested, funding had increased tenfold over the last few years. A large amount of funding was allocated to school sports, but budget constraints allowed the Department’s programmes to reach only a fraction of learners.

Three major pieces of legislation would be promulgated during 2006, namely the Certification of Safety at Sports Stadiums, the Sport and Recreation Amendment Bill and the 2010 FIFA World Cup Special Measures Bill. Government would also be asked to ratify the International Anti-Doping Convention. The Department gave a presentation on the background to this convention, and the Committee recommended its ratification.

Members asked questions about training of volunteers for the 2010 World Cup, development of the infrastructure for the tournament, the funding and efficacy of the Mass Participation Programme, and the participation levels of women in sport. The Committee also expressed concern over the status of sport in the rural areas.

MINUTES
Department of Sport and Recreation briefing

Professor Denver Hendricks (Director General, Department of Sport and Recreation) said that the involvement of both the Minister and his Deputy indicated the commitment of Government to sport as a means of achieving outcomes. Due to the disparity between the first and second economies in South Africa, the Department’s efforts would be targeted at the second economy, in line with Government’s goals.

The Department was included in three of the clusters defined by Government, namely Social and Security, International Relations, and Governance and Administration. All of the Department’s projects addressed the priorities identified by Government.

The Department controlled two statutory bodies, namely the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) and Boxing SA. The Department also had several stakeholders, such as South African Sports Commission and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).

Sport was part of Africa, and greater focus was needed on relationships with other African countries.

Professor Hendricks sketched the legal framework in which the Department operated. The Constitution was supreme, and the Department also operated within the regulations of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). Sport was deemed to be a competency of the Department of Provincial and Local Government, and the Department played role in assisting and empowering local authorities.

The Department had four broad priorities. Firstly, to increase the level of participation in sport. A recent survey revealed that only 25 % of South Africans took part in sport on a regular basis, and this figure in respect of women was only 11 %. This was a disconcerting situation.

Secondly, the Department needed to raise the profile of sport, especially with the decision-makers at various levels of government. The United Nations had declared that sport was a tool which could be used in fostering peace and reconciliation.

Thirdly, the Department needed to create opportunities for elite athletes to compete in international events. They had a marketing role, which had been negatively influenced by the poor performance of Bafana Bafana of late. However, this was counterbalanced by South African successes at the recent Commonwealth Games, and potential success at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

The final objective was to use the sports sector to address issues of national importance, some of which had come out in the Minister of Finance’s budget speech and the State of the Nation address.

Professor Hendricks said that the Department had eight particular priorities. Firstly, it wanted to streamline the governance of sport. The number of governing bodies had already been reduced. Secondly, it would lobby for funds, particularly for the construction of multi-purpose facilities. Much of this funding had been incorporated into the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG). He was concerned about the declining number of new facilities, and questioned the interest being shown by local authorities.

The third priority was to strive to develop Human Resources (HR) potential. The 2010 Football World Cup needed a large volunteer corps, and Physical Education (PE) teachers were needed, although they were lacking at some schools. Fourthly, communities would be encouraged to develop active lifestyles, an issue which was being addressed by the Mass Participation Programme (MPP). Fifthly, the Department would support the High Performance (HP) programme.

A sixth priority was to encourage other stakeholders to achieve their transformation objectives. A seventh was the development of a code of ethics, and a final priority was to develop international relations. Relations with developed countries should be retained, but there needed to be a focus on Africa as was shown by the agreement about to be concluded with Mozambique.

Professor Hendricks then alluded to some of the priorities identified by the President, and how the Department would address them. Firstly, sport could contribute towards building a winning nation. Success on the field would have a positive impact on the national psyche. This was demonstrated by better results on the stock exchange after a national sporting success. South Africa was entering an age of hope, which should also be reflected on the sports field.

In terms of the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA), a 6% growth figure was planned for 2014. The Department had launched initiatives such as a training scheme for administrators, and hoped to fill the gaps at lower levels. If two physical education teachers were supplied at each school, some fifty thousand jobs would be created. Job creation would also be a result of accelerated infrastructure development. Some R5 billion would be spent on this.

He described the importance of sports tourism, both related to big events and to social tourism. The contribution to the national economy by sports tourism was greater than that of the mining sector, and worldwide sports tourism now accounted for 30 % of all tourism.

Labour intensive methods should be used in the development of infrastructure. However, this was not a priority for the infrastructure related to the 2010 World Cup due to the time constraints.

Sport could contribute to the process of reconciliation, and would help to develop a sense of national cohesion.

On the aspect of safety and security, legislation was pending regarding safety at stadiums.

Prof Hendricks said that the three spheres of government needed to co-operate. The Department worked closely with its provincial counterparts, and the SA Local Government Association (SALGA) was now attending their meetings so that co-operation with local authorities would increase. About 136 local authorities needed support.

Community Development Workers were being trained for deployment as activity co-ordinators in their own communities. Hubs were established in 131 areas, and another 133 would soon be set up. Eventually the Department hoped to establish 3800 hubs, with at least one in each ward in each municipality. No child should have to walk more than five kilometres to reach a programme or a sports field.

He said that there were also initiatives to involve the elderly, and there would be a bias towards women and the disabled. Family participation was also to be encouraged.

He stated that drug abuse was a growing problem. He had that morning received notification that two more athletes had been suspended, one of them for life, due to doping offences. SAIDS policed doping control, and educated athletes and the youth. Policing targeted both performance enhancing substance abuse as well as the use of recreational drugs. Schools were important sites for the dissemination of information in this regard. Infrastructure was needed at the schools, including personnel and programmes.

Professor Hendricks commented on international relations, especially within Africa. Multilateral relationships were being created. The Deputy Minister saw the role which sport could play in normalising post-conflict situations.

Finally, he agreed that it was a priority to restore football to its former glory in South Africa. Approaches should be made to the South African Football Association (SAFA), and the Minister was already in consultation with them.

The Department fell under three clusters, but the priorities of some of the other clusters was also significant. In the Social and Security cluster, sport could help contribute towards a national identity and cohesion. The quality of education could be improved if sport was included as part of education. The Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) associated with sport could also make a contribution. Sport held a health benefit, and could also contribute to the Urban Renewal Plan and Rural Development Programme. Sport could also make a contribution to the extended public works programme, and could be a vehicle for employing young persons.

In the Justice, Crime, Peace and Security cluster, the Department had a role to play in border control in that it would have some responsibility in investigating the transport of illegal substances across the country’s borders. In the Economic and Employment cluster, the Department supported a broad-based BEE program. It would also encourage national federations to stage major events in the rural areas.

Prof Hendricks concluded his part of the presentation with an overview of the Department’s vision and mission statements.

Ms Elsie Cloete (Chief Financial Officer, the Department of Sport and Recreation) then made a presentation on the Department’s budget. She noted that there was an upward trend in funding for the Department. Increased funding for facilities were incorporated into the MIG. Funds had been granted for academies, the LoveLife games, the MPP, the 2010 technical unit at the Department and the support of school sports. An amount of R245 million had been allocated to the planning phase for 2010 facilities. The Department had been able to provide bigger grants to the provinces, and she thanked the Committee for its role in securing more funds for the Department.

Mr Makoto Matlala (Acting Chief Director Corporate Services, the Department of Sport and Recreation) gave a brief presentation on legal services. The Certification of Safety at Sports Stadiums Bill would address the safety of both spectators and participants. The Sports and Recreation Amendment Bill would bring the current Act in line with the changed environment, and would enable the Minister to intervene in conflict situations. The Department was targeting both these Bills for certification before the end of the year. It was also hoped to ratify the International Anti-Doping Convention, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Special Measures Bill would be promulgated during the year.

Mr Greg Fredericks then made a presentation on the line functions of the Department. He explained that there were two Chief Directorates, namely the Department itself, which was responsible for Mass Participation, and SASCOC, which specialised in client support, the High Performance programmme, and facilities. There were now only two macro-structures as opposed to seven in the past. The number of public entities had also been reduced from three to two, namely Boxing SA and the SAIDS. The former might become an NGO in the future provided that private funding could be secured.

He said that facilities were provided for by the MIG, but the National Facilities Plan had still to be finalised. There was increased participation by local authorities, but the Department would continue to monitor the building and upgrading of facilities. Managers would also be trained to look after facilities, and sustained funding would be provided. The Department would also promote activities to keep these facilities in regular use.

An education and training approach was needed to identify needs and accredited service providers. Courses would be held and trained persons deployed where needed. Volunteers would have to be trained for the 2010 World Cup. There would also be an initiative to train athletes in life-skills where needed.

He said that it was necessary to determine the participation levels, and the federations should be identified which were best placed to conduct their own training. Programmes were being developed in conjunction with the Departments of Education and Correctional Services.

The High Performance programme should be rationalised, and priority sports codes should be identified. This would result in an improved and consolidated programme.

The Transformation Charter would be finalised. The Department would also address the question of ethics in sport, and relevant documentation would be produced. Special focus would be placed on substance abuse.

He said that attention would also be paid to international relations in terms of policy needs and marketing. Agreements were being concluded with other African countries and protocols would be implemented. South Africa remained committed to its involvement in Zone VI. The benefits of sports tourism should also be reaped.

Professor Hendricks said that strategic plans now had to be developed into business plans, but resources were needed to make this a reality. At present, approximately R10 was being spent on each SA citizen per annum. When he had taken office, this figure had been less than R1. He appreciated that this represented significant growth in the role of the Department.

Ms Cloete then gave more details on the budget. The Department would look at its projects and these would be continued at the discretion of the Minister and senior management. Shortfalls would have to be identified. She said that additional funding had been requested, but not all of these requests had been approved by National Treasury. An additional R231 million had been requested, but only R120 million was allocated. These requests were for specified objectives. R8 million had been requested to set up the 2010 Technical Unit and R9 million had been granted. R150 million was requested for school sports but only R70 million was approved. R42 million was requested for the MPP, but only R40 million was granted. The Department requested R20 million to assist SAFA in preparing the national team for 2010, but nothing was granted in response to this request. All in all, the budget approved by Treasury was R352 million.

She said that the Department had five main programmes to consider. The MPP was the biggest, with 47.4 % of the Department’s funding being channelled in this direction. Administration accounted for 23.2 %, Client Support 22.6 % and International Liaison 5.2 %. From another perspective, 14.5 % of funding went towards compensation (salaries etc), 36.6 % towards purchasing goods and services and transfer payments were the biggest portion at 48.9 %. Of the transfer payments, R119 million was allocated to the provinces. Full details of the breakdown were indicated in the presentation.

Mr Matlala gave some more information on corporate services. The Department was in compliance with the Employment Equity Act. A Workplace Scheme Plan was in place, and training was provided for all employees. The situation with legal services was as outlined earlier in the presentation, with the three pieces of pending legislation.

Mr Fredericks then expanded on the line functions presentation. On the Client Support side, there was an increasing number of participants and the quality was also improving. An amount of R79.6 million had been allocated to support services. He said that there were three areas of focus. Firstly, on SAIDS, Boxing SA and the national federations. Secondly, the Club Development Program was a new project aimed at establishing and supporting new sports clubs. Finally, regarding Education and training, a target had been set of training 5 000 persons.

He said that the MPP had the biggest slice of the budget. Increased participation was sought through the MPP and through school sports. The Department would be responsible for the training of administrators, coaches, referees, players, events managers and first aiders. A target had been set of 50% of participants being women, 2 % disabled persons and 40 % of participants being from the rural areas. Also, the Department had registered an event for indigenous games.

In terms of school sport, he said that 848 of the poorest-of-the-poor schools had been grouped in 56 clusters. The Department was training teachers and volunteers to co-ordinate the activities within these clusters.

Federations would be support in attending and hosting international events. Agreements and exchange programs were in place. National events would be co-ordinated with the communities where they were held.

An amount of R5.6 million was allocated to the Facilities Co-ordination Program. This would be used to plan facilities and to advocate for their creation and continued use, and for technical support.

Discussion

The Chairperson then opened the floor for questions and comments.

Ms JM Masilo (ANC, North West) noted that in the budget for school sports the Department had requested R150 million but only R70 million had been given. She asked if Treasury recognized the importance of school sport. She asked where the money granted for the MPP would be spent, and if in fact it would be spent or rolled over. She complimented the Department on the reduction in administrative spending.

Mr MA Sulliman (ANC, Northern Cape) asked about the progress of the building of a stadium in Cape Town. He asked why the responsibility of infrastructure had been moved to local government under the MIG. He felt that local government did not seem keen to prioritise sport. He asked if these authorities were included in the Integrated Development Plan.

Ms AND Qikani (UDM, Eastern Cape) questioned the low percentage of women active in sport, and asked where more would be recruited. She asked about the employment of community workers. She observed that schools in the rural areas had no grounds, and the teachers did not have the relevant skills. She also bemoaned the high fees charged by golf clubs which prevented young people from participating.

Ms NM Madlala-Magubane (ANC, Gauteng) asked who would be training the 2010 volunteers. She noted that the media only concentrated on the building of stadiums for the event, but said nothing about the other infrastructure needed such as accommodation. She asked for more information about the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on school sport. She asked where the money would come from for the preparation of the national team for 2010 if Treasury was unable to authorise funding.

Prof Hendricks said that the Department would go to the MTEC and ask for more funds. The comprehensive program which had been planned would have to be reduced without this funding, with the result that some of the target group would now be excluded.

Mr Fredericks said that the R150 million which had been requested for schools would have covered funding for some 1 500 schools, but this number was now reduced. However, the increase which was granted was still an improvement on the previous situation. He admitted that it would be a challenge to show how wisely these funds could be sent.

Prof Hendricks said that there could be a problem with capacity. Some gains had been made, but there were concerns regarding the MoU. The Department would handle the questions relating to sport, and the Department of Education would deal with the curricular side such as PE. However, Education had apparently no budget for this, and this concerned him. Providing PE would be a form of universal participation. Some children might be reluctant to take part in MPP activities, but might discover their abilities during PE which might otherwise not have come to the fore. He said that some schools were allocating 40 minutes a week for human movement as part of the Life Orientation program. This was not enough, and at least two periods a week were required.

He reminded the meeting that 47 % of the Department’s budget had been allocated to the MPP, and the Department’s aim was to make sure that all the funds were spent. In fact, he felt that the amount granted was still not enough. Mr Fredericks said that R116 million of the R146 million approved for the MPP had been transferred to the provinces.

Prof Hendricks said that there had in fact been an increase in administrative spending due to the merger of the Department and the Sports Commission, but that this had not been excessive.

Regarding the 2010 facilities, he said that the Department was not involved in the political questions surrounding the infrastructure. Funds had been received during 2005, and the budget had doubled during the Adjustment Assessment. A planning process was now underway. Different cities were at different stages of development. R95 million had been set aside for capital works, and another R5 billion would become available from the Development Bank of SA. Local organising committees and stadium authorities would be in charge of projects. The planning stage would determine the exact costs, and these were to be presented to Treasury during July 2006. It looked as if the final bill would be between R7.5 billion and R8 billion.

He said that development of infrastructure had gone to the DPLG. Local authorities interacted with all Departments, and could not handle all the inputs they received. The MIG was a single point of contact. He felt that this was a noble aim, but the Department saw disadvantages. Local authorities had to make choices. Sports facilities were only one component of the social sector, and had to compete with the need for clinics, museums, parks etc. There was a perception in some quarters that sports facilities were a luxury. He believed that the Department should play an advocacy role. In fact, the availability of sports facilities could be seen as part of a preventative health strategy.

Prof Hendricks said that a scientific study had produced the date that 11% of SA women were active sportspersons. He said that the small pool of female athletes led to the poor international performance. Half of the available funding would be channeled towards the participation of women. The Department was playing a supportive role, and he mentioned the example of the Department funding the SA team to take part in the women’s Rugby World Cup to be held in Canada, and other specialist programs were in place. He felt that women’s sports should be arranged for events such as the anniversary celebrations of the Women’s March and 16 June 1976. A conference would be held later in the year on this topic. The keynote speaker would be the Malaysian Minister of Sport, who had been instrumental in developing women’s sports in her country.

He said that the community development workers were recruited from their communities, and were mainly the unemployed youth of the area. Training programs were in place. After training these persons became marketable, and were often recruited by the private sector. This was a mixed blessing as the Department then had to replace them, but at the same time their quality of life improved. They were paid a small stipend while working for the Department, and this stipend often fed up to eight families.

He said that there was special focus on the rural areas in terms of facilities and skills. Most of the funding was channeled in this direction. Mr Fredericks said that work was being done in this regard in areas such as the Eastern Cape and Free State. The breakdown of the 748 poorest-of-the-poor schools receiving assistance showed that most were in rural areas. Teachers were being trained to serve in various roles, and sports assistants would be appointed at schools. Equipment would be provided, and regular programs would be activated.

Ms Masilo requested that this information should be made available for use during constituency work.

Prof Hendricks alluded to the fees charged at golf clubs. This was an expensive sport. However, he mentioned the example of Trompsburg, where a beautiful facility had been built but was always closed. The local children could not afford to pay the admission fees, and in many cases the local clubs could not afford the hire cost. The Department would cover the cost of national schools tournaments. In the past, only those players who could afford to pay the costs of attending tournaments could take part. The new principle was that no child must pay to attend a tournament, which would ensure representivity. The true potential of children could now be uncovered.

He said that the training for the 2010 volunteers was very sophisticated. This included foreign language skills. He had seen the volunteers in Japan in action at the last World Cup, and they had been amazing. Broader skills were being provided. The sector for Education and Training within the Department had trained the Cricket World Cup volunteers in 2003, and a database of trained volunteers existed. In Australia 50 thousand people from all walks of life had been involved. The professor said that there was an expectation of payment in the South African situation due to unemployment. An intensive program was being followed.

Ms Masilo asked if there was also a database of service providers. Prof Hendricks replied that there was. However, there was a dearth of accredited service providers, with only one in position at present. Another 2010 initiative was led by Mr Joe Pahla, who was co-ordinating the effort of all the Departments which had made guarantees to FIFA. This was in fact a bigger task than the stadiums.

Mr M Thetjeng (DA, Limpopo) asked if the 2010 Special Measures Bill was really necessary, or if its provisions could be incorporated into other legislation. He said that he had heard an interview with an SAIDS official, which revealed that more and more SA athletes were using banned substances, apart from the common substances such as testosterone. In fact, it seemed that it was primarily a single club and a single pharmacy that was implicated in many of the transgressions, but prosecution was not moving. This cast SA in a bad light. He also asked if any information on the dangers of drug and doping abuse was being disseminated at school level. He questioned the lack of trained paramedics, with only about twenty being in the country at present. Given that a paramedic was the product of four year’s training, he queried the professional back-up for the World Cup. He also expressed his disappointment at the Department’s small budget allocation.

Mr Sulliman said that the onus was on the individual in substance abuse cases. The athlete concerned might be ignorant of the provisions of the anti-doping rules, and was often an innocent victim.

The Chairperson asked if government was doing enough towards 2010. He felt that SAFA was the main problem. On an each such as the appointment of the new coach, it seemed that unqualified persons were in charge. While acknowledging that prisoners have rights, he felt that there should be limits. It appeared to him that they were enjoying more privileges than law-abiding citizens.

He thought that not enough was being done in the MPP. He referred to an example at Port Nolloth, where there had been only one soccer ball amongst fifty participants. He felt that the program should be implemented to its fullest. A meeting at Sasolburg had revealed that the co-ordinators were unhappy and demoralised as they were not getting what they needed. Highly motivated people were needed or else the results would suffer.

Mr Tolo said that more than half the population were women, but this was not reflected in the Department’s projections. Targets should be in accordance with the demographics of the country. Some 200 000 schoolchildren were targeted. He wondered if this was an arbitrary figure, and how long the initiatives would take to reach the whole country.

Prof Hendricks replied that the 2010 Special Measures Bill was in fact a consolidation of two bills, one dealing with financial and the other with non-financial issues. It was designed to counteract any existing laws which might militate against the measures necessary to stage the World Cup. It was easier to consolidate the inputs of various Departments in a single bill. This had already been through Cabinet.

He said that he was concerned regarding the doping of athletes. It had been a phenomena associated with the developed world, but was probably another aspect of globalisation, and an outcome of the huge rewards on offer. It was now being seen increasingly in SA. The same substance was being used, the athletes concerned were all members of the Harmony club and were all being supplied by the same pharmacy. Prosecution was difficult as the substances in question were not always illegal, but contained performance-enhancing substances which precluded their use in certain sports. It was also disconcerting that it was mainly black athletes that were being caught. It was not just the athletes alone, but their coaches as well, and he felt that they should face the same censure. Suspensions of two years or life for repeat offences were possible. SAIDS had a school program, which was combined with the abuse of recreational drugs. This program however suffered from human resource and financial resource constraints.

On the subject of the paramedics for 2010, the Department of Health had guaranteed that sufficient trained personnel would be in place. The teams would bring their own medical staff, but the Department would have to take the responsibility for the safety of spectators.

Prof Hendricks agreed that the small budget was not enough, and said that he would continue to ask for more funding. He also agreed that there was not enough aid to SAFA, both financial and in the form of High Performance programs. The requested R20 million might still be forthcoming. The Department had waited two years for the funds for facility upgrades. He said that the Department should meet the needs of SAFA, which would enable the Department to advocate on their behalf for funding. High Performance facilities were in place and could be used by SAFA. The Minister was in negotiations with them.

He said that the Department was not involved in the appointment of the coach, as this was more a political issue for SAFA than an administrative one. International measures were in place which precluded political intervention, and politicians were therefore hesitant to get involved in SAFA’s internal issues. However, the failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup must never happen again.

Co-operation with the Department of Correctional Services was seen as part of the rehabilitative process, and had been initiated on request by that Department. The Department was making expertise available rather than resources.

Prof Hendricks wanted more visibility for the MPP. SuperSport were giving good coverage with their "Let’s Play" campaign. This was a showcase for the MPP, and was also being flighted in newspapers and cinemas. There was a budget restriction which delayed the provision of equipment. The process was now being decentralised. Progress would be monitored by monthly and quarterly reports.

Mr Fredericks said that there was a national initiative underway, but there was a lack of buy-in in certain places. These authorities failed to realise the flagship role played by sport.

Prof Hendricks noted that there were still problems with transport and communications, but these were being addressed. As regards the number of women participants, the participation target had started at 30% but was building to 50%.

Mr Fredericks said there were some 27 thousand schools in the country, which accommodated 12 million learners. The 200 thousand learners exposed to the the Department’s programmes were only scratching the surface, but this represented a start. SRSA was building towards a bigger budget, and assistance was needed.

Mr Thetjeng said that specialised drugs were found in medicine.

The Chairperson asked for more clarity on the provincial budgets.

Prof Hendricks said they had asked the provincial governments to submit their budget requests, but some of these had been shockingly inappropriate. There was a slight improvement in the process.

Ms Masilo asked if there were any complementary tickets available to attend activities. She thought there might be a channel through the Department. Prof Hendricks replied that his Department had no access, but had to beg through their contacts themselves. The situation could become chaotic with the Department offices reduced to a ticket office. Such things should be arranged through the relevant federations and clubs. He then presented a breakdown of the provincial budgets for the 2004/05 cycle.

The Chairperson thanked the Department for the interaction and budget. They had a big mandate.

Department of Sport and Recreation briefing

Mr Gideon Boshoff (the Department of Sport and Recreation) made a presentation on the Ratification of UNESCO Convention regarding drug-free sport. He said that the SA government needed to ratify the Convention. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had a role to protect the rights of athletes to dope-free competition. South Africa had a seat on the board of WADA, and was also part of an international governmental consultation group.

WADA had adopted a universal code, and this was the basis of the anti-doping code. Governments were not signatories to this code, but were to the resulting Copenhagen Declaration. This indicated their willingness to endorse the code and to monitor the compliance thereto. However, they could not be bound to what was a non-governmental code although they did agree to work together to accept the convention. The WADA code was developed into a United Nations convention, and was adopted by UNESCO.

The implication to SA was that the government would ensure observation of the convention and the compliance of the national federations. It would sensitise all government departments on their role in this process. The implications would be communicated properly to all stakeholders.

The convention had been circulated to all government departments. The initial and amended drafts had been circulated in 2004/05 as well as to the federations. Inputs had been received and forwarded to UNESCO, which had sent the final draft to the Department. This had been accepted with minor changes. The convention had been scrutinised by international lawyers and had been approved by UNESCO on 19 October 2005.

It was now necessary for the convention to be ratified both by the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces. The Department would draft the instrument of ratification document. Input had been received from the Department of Foreign Affairs. The way forward would be for the Department to liase closely with SAIDS to ensure the convention’s objectives were achieved and with the federations to ensure their compliance. The Department would also sensitise the other government departments. The ratification process held no financial applications.

Mr Boshoff said that Cabinet had approved the ratification document in principle, subject to approval in both houses. Legal advisers were involved. The Portfolio Committee would meet the next Monday and would recommend that the ratification process should be endorsed.

Mr Sulliman proposed that the ratification of the convention be recommended to NCOP. The proposal was seconded by Ms Masilo and was adopted. It was decided that Mr Sullinam would speak on behalf of the proposal at the NCOP.

The minutes of the meeting of 10 May 2006 were accepted with minor changes.

The meeting was adjourned.