Question NW1050 to the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture

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08 June 2020 - NW1050

Profile picture: Mhlongo, Mr TW

Mhlongo, Mr TW to ask the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture

(1) Whether, in light of the fact that the National Olympic Committee of South Africa (NOCSA) was a better organisation assisting the federations that needed representation at the International Olympic Committee, his department intends to (a) revive (i) NOCSA, (ii) NOCSA Able Bodies and (iii) NOCSA Disabled Bodies to accommodate smaller sporting codes, while allowing soccer, rugby and cricket, which are affiliated to International Federation of Association Football , World Rugby and the International Cricket Council respectively to manage themselves and (b) only deal with Commonwealth and Africa Games; if not, what is the position in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case; (2) Whether, with regard to the R70 million that NOCSA had in the bank when it was changed to SASCOC (details furnished), he intends to institute a forensic audit into how the money was spent; if not, why not; if so, (a) by what date and (b) what are the further relevant details in this regard?

Reply:

1 (a) Prompted by what was perceived to be poor performance of the South African Team at the 2000 Olympic Games, the then Minister of Sport and Recreation, Mr Ngconde Balfour convened a session of Stakeholders on 27th of November 2000. The result of this session was the appointment of the Ministerial Task Team (MTT) which was charged with the responsibility of investigating High Performance Sport in South Africa, identifying shortcomings in the system and formulate possible interventions. The outcome of this process saw the dissolution of the South African Sports Commission, Disability Sport South Africa, United School Sport Association of South Africa and the National Olympic Committee of South Africa to create the South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee. This with the fundamental rationale of streamlining the sport structures in South Africa.

(b) In November 2011 the entire sport and recreation fraternity converged in Midrand to review the sport landscape and its pillars. This process resulted in the affirmation of the existing sport structures. The sector emerged with the National Sport and Recreation Plan which has guided sport and recreation development in the country thus far.

(c) It therefore follows that empirical evidence and a well thought out process would guide future review of the institutional and structural arrangement in sport with the sole purpose of optimizing administrative effectiveness and efficiency in order to promote performance of athletes and teams.

2) The Ministry has not been presented with any information and or tangible evidence relating to the use of R70,000,000 that NOCSA had in the bank account when changed to SASCOC that warrants an investigation including forensic audit.

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