Question NW2688 to the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
26 October 2023 - NW2688
Joseph, Mr D to ask the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
(1) What form of national or provincial government support was given to tennis players who participated in the 2023 Roland Garros in Paris France. (2) what support was given to wheelchair champions Kgothatso Montjane and Donald Ramphadi? NW3077E
Reply:
(1). The Department gives Tennis South Africa an annual grant to support their programs including wheelchair tennis programs and some of the programs are in preparation for the world events. In 2022/23 financial year the Department provided special financial support towards the ITF’s World Team Cup which Donald Ramphadi and Kgothatso Montjane were part of, together with ten other athletes with disabilities. The ITFs World Team Cup is crucial for Paralympic eligibility, as players are required to compete in a prescribed minimum number of events within of two (2) years in a four-year Paralympic cycle.
(2). Kgothatso Montjane and Donald Ramphadi are part of Tennis SA’s High Performance Programme who participate in international tournaments:
- a)Each player receives annual financial support which covers coaching fees and international tour expenses.
- b) Leading up to the Roland Garros, Tennis SA provided a total of R1,224,480.00 to high-performance players, excluding accommodation.
- c) Tennis SA high performance athletes were housed at the University of Pretoria's High-Performance center with a monthly food allowance; however, housing support was discontinued due to the loss of title sponsor, Growthpoint.