Hansard: Debate on Vote No 20 – Sport and Recreation South Africa
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 23 May 2013
Summary
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Minutes
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Thursday, 23 May 2013 Take: 594
START OF DAY
THURSDAY, 23 MAY 2013
PROCEEDINGS OF EXTENDED PUBLIC COMMITTEE – COMMITTEE ROOM E249
________
Members of the Extended Public Committee met in Committee Room E249 at 14:08.
The Temporary Chairperson, Mr J D Thibedi, as Chairperson, took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayer or meditation.
FIRST ORDER
Start of Day
APPROPRIATION BILL
Debate on Vote No 20 – Sport and Recreation South Africa:
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: Chairperson, hon Ministers, hon Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, on 21 May 2013 we visited Iqhayiya Secondary School in Khayelitsha and Tafelsig Secondary School in Mitchells Plain, where as part of our school sport programme we donated sport apparel, equipment and attire to encourage all our schools to participate in school sport activities, including physical education.
At the same time, on 22 May 2013, we visited Rocklands in Mitchells Plain, the birth place of the UDF, which was founded 30 years ago, to hand over a community outdoor gym facility as part of the launch of a nationwide roll out of outdoor gyms to the disadvantaged communities of South Africa.
Whilst we were doing this work, we took advantage of the opportunity to honour Gary Kirsten for his role and participation in cricket, both as a player and coach. We presented Gary with a collage of pictures and a bouquet of proteas as a symbol of the emblem of our national cricket team, the Proteas.
We also took advantage of the opportunity to honour Lusapho April for his sterling work in athletics and for winning the Hannover Marathon in Germany twice in three years. We showered Lusapho with gifts of athletic equipment and a bouquet.
I want to take this opportunity to congratulate both men on their achievements. I would like to congratulate the Springbok Sevens on their historic achievement in rugby of being ranked number two in the World Sevens Series.
Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate all sportsmen and women for their individual and collective achievements in sport and recreation during the 2011 to 2012 period. You did South Africa proud and we love you.
I also want to welcome all sportsmen and sportswomen in the gallery, who came here today to grace this important Budget Vote debate with their presence.
Ladies and gentlemen, it will be remiss of me not express our deepest gratitude to all stakeholders and spheres of government for the successful hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations, Afcon, 2013. We are looking forward to the same success as we prepare for hosting the African Nations Championship in 2014.
Let me to start by invoking the words of the late ANC President, Oliver Reginald Tambo, and I quote:
Racial discrimination, South Africa's economic power and the use of sport and culture for oppression and exploitation of all black people are part and parcel of the same thing.
As a direct and structured response to the assertion of Oliver Tambo, at the Sports Indaba on 22 November 2011, delegates representing the broad spectrum of our sport and recreation sector unanimously adopted a declaration, and I quote:
As a country and as a people we have inherited an inequitable, unequal and divided sport and recreation landscape. The racial practices of the former apartheid regime resulted in a fragmented sport system that had a detrimental impact on the development of sport and recreation in South Africa.
Our Vision 2030 does not only give meaning to our strategic objective of an active and winning nation, but it also gives purpose to the essence of our existence and spells out the core values that enjoins us, as a sporting fraternity, to transform and develop sport for the better. Therefore, today we are gathered here to take stock of how far we have traversed.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are pleased to report that the National Sport and Recreation Plan has been costed. We will present it to the Treasury for endorsement and thereafter to Cabinet as a matter of urgency. Cabinet will have to budget at least an approximate amount of R10 billion toward the fulfilment of the objectives of the national sports plan. This is possible.
It is also fulfilling to learn that the national sports plan has been anchored in the heart of the National Development Plan. We are enthused by the fact that the national sports plan rests on the giant shoulders of the national development agenda of this country. Our 2013 budget speech seeks to answer the question: How far have we gone to foster nation-building and nurture social cohesion as we continue to make a case for sport?
One of the simple answers to such a question is the electrifying experience when Amabokoboko won the World Cup in 1995 in extra time, with Joel Stransky scoring a drop-goal. Nelson Mandela, together with Francois Pienaar, hoisted the trophy in jubilation, symbolising a nonracial and united nation.
This victory alone was one that made the country dance and sing in unison, regardless of colour, race or ethnicity. Indeed, the country was united in action. The hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa propelled our commitment to build national unity and foster social cohesion.
Our 2010 Fifa World Cup close-out report attests to this when it states that, and I quote:
The social impact of the World Cup includes contributions to the image of South Africa and Africa, social cohesion and nation-building.
In the same vein, together with all South Africans, we witnessed during the Super 14 finals in 2011, the Blue Bulls playing against the Crusaders at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, for the first time in the history of South Africa. The clash between the Blue Bulls and Stormers at the same venue also had the same effect of uniting our people.
The whole world continued to witness our people, black and white, standing side by side, united behind Amabokoboko, at these matches. During these historic events, our people, black and white, were sharing boerewors, pap and umqombothi in the shacks of Soweto; singing Shosholoza and Nkosi Sikelela iAfrika in an electrifying spirit. This is the force that sport has to unite people and undermine the man-made barriers of hatred.
Our undivided commitment to the promotion and support of women in sport has been one of the flagship programmes of Sport and Recreation South Africa, SRSA, and we have stood firm behind many women in sport, including the likes of Noni Tenge, Marcia Meresca, Caster Semenya, Nathalie du Toit and many other icons in women's sport.
Our support for Netball SA, and our zeal to officially launch the first-ever netball league in South Africa, speaks volumes of this commitment. Our noble support for the South African women's hockey team is an indication of our resolve to change the quality of life of all our women in South Africa. We don't mince words when we say: Wathint'abafazi wathint'imbokodo, uzakufa! [You strike a woman, you strike a rock, you will die!]. Finish and klaar! [Applause.]
We stood firm behind Mark Boucher when he was accidentally struck in the eye during the match between South Africa and England in Britain in 2012. We continue to stand firm behind Joost van der Westhuizen in his battle with motor neuron disease and have even awarded him the Steve Tshwete Life Time Achievers Award.
We were there when Baby Jake Matlala was embarrassed by the huge medical costs he faced during his illness; and we hosted a Baby Jake Matlala gala dinner to raise funds for the payment of his medical costs and other related matters.
We stood behind Caster Semenya during her ordeal with international sport bodies when she was being discriminated against because of her gender.
We did the same for Oscar Pistorius, when he challenged the world and changed perceptions about the ability of the people with disabilities. Inspired by our spirit of ubuntu, we knocked at every door possible with cap in hand to raise resources, some of which we managed to use to give descent burials and send-offs for many of our sportsmen and women. Today many family members and friends of these fallen sport icons are convinced that the ANC-led government cares. [Applause.]
It is this courage and bravery that keep some of us going. It is this commitment to the good of our people that gives support to our lives. It is through the commitment to work and the spirit of robustness that we are managing to continue changing the face of sport in South Africa today.
We are escalating our efforts to change the school sports landscape since we came into sport and recreation. Again, schools are not all the same because of the history of the Republic of South Africa.
Today, in South Africa, schools are becoming centres of learning and play. Schools today in our country are fast growing into institutions of education, innovation and recreation. Physical education has been declared compulsory in this country. What we need to do, going forward, is to make physical education a stand-alone learning area in all public schools of the Republic.
Last year, when we launched the school sports programmes, we also announced our Ministerial School Sport Bursary Scheme aimed at supporting students from disadvantaged communities, who excel in sport and are also academically deserving.
The bursary comprises an amount of R100 000 paid towards the education and sport requirements of a learner. We believe that this intervention is also a lifeline and a lifeboat for many poor families, who cannot afford to send their children to better schools in our country. [Applause.]
The revival of the school sport in South Africa has opened many windows of opportunity for numerous South Africans. It has opened opportunities for sports veterans, legends and retired sportsmen and sportswomen.
Many of these veterans, legends and retired sportspersons have enroled and been registered on the SRSA database as coaches, technical officials, sport administrators and the likes. We are not going to support individuals. We will support people who come to us and are registered. If you are not registered, please come closer so that you can be registered and then you can use your skills to support our children.
In an effort to recognise our sporting greats, icons and legends, preliminary engagements are underway to investigate the feasibility of establishing a national sport hall of fame. Coupled with this vision, exceptional athletes, coaches, administrators and technical officials will have the opportunity to be profiled, while they are living, in the little green book.
The second edition of this book will be produced in July 2013. No hall of fame run by individuals will be recognised by us.
In line with the above, again in November 2013, we will celebrate and reward achievements in sport and recreation. We will provide a platform for luminaries in sport, on and off the field, to be acknowledged by the nation at the prestigious SA Sports Awards. The SA Sports Awards for 2013 will take place in November at the Sun City Superbowl. It will be a humdinger of a razzmatazz, such as has never been seen before. [Interjections.]
You love Beyoncé, and we will deliver her for you!
As we will engage with our counterparts in the Ministry of Higher Education to reintroduce sport and recreation education at the teacher training colleges, as well as including it in the curriculum of Fet colleges, SRSA together with the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority, Cathseta, has launched a postgraduate bursary scheme for postgraduate and Ph D students in sport and recreation to the tune of R3 million to study towards a Masters and Doctoral Degree in sport and recreation.
The Post Graduate Development Programme in Sport Sciences is supported by providing access for students to SRSA administrative resources to assist them with their studies. This wealth of knowledge will be shared with many coaches and sports science professionals in order to assist in school sports, grassroots sports development and high-performance sports. As part of building social cohesion and nation-building, this year we will pay a fitting tribute to Nelson Mandela for his contribution to the struggle for freedom and democracy.
This event will be consistent with the government programme to give 67 minutes of our time in honour of Nelson Mandela and the United Nations resolution on the Nelson Mandela International Day. We will honour the work of struggle heroes by hosting an inaugural Nelson Mandela Sports Day, which will be launched in June 2013, in partnership with the SA Rugby Union, Saru, and the SA Football Association, Safa. [Applause.]
It is important to first reflect that we did all of the above with a simple budget allocation of only R848,4 million for the 2012-13 financial year, with an increase of only R45,7 million from the previous 2011-12 financial year. Of this amount, R525 million rand was allocated to the Mass Participation Programme, which made up 62% of the budget.
This was mainly due to the mass participation conditional grant where the focus is on increasing participation in various sports codes by supporting school sports, club development and sports hubs.
During the same period, the school sport budget of SRSA increased from R27,3 million in 2011-12 to R42,6 million in 2012-13. Here the emphasis is on supporting the delivery of sport programmes to learners and continuing with empowering educators in code-specific coaching, technical officiating, team management and sport administration, with the focus on the 16 priority sporting codes.
With these limited resources at its disposal, SRSA is progressively improving the delivery of sport and recreation services as outlined in my opening remarks. We should all redouble our efforts to vigorously continue making a case for sport. The government's swift response to our case for sport will allow us to continue with delivering our programmes, as expected, in the face of competing priorities.
Although the resources allocated to SRSA in 2012 were meagre, the department was able to successfully deliver the following flagship programmes: sport and recreation equipment and attire for schools; construction of multipurpose community fields in poor communities and schools; roll out of the school sport programmes; national school sport championships; support for Olympians and Paralympians before, during and after the 2012 London games; reviving netball and support for the Netball Diamond Challenge; reviving basket ball and support for the basket ball league; enhancing the work of Boxing SA and SA Institute for Drug-free Sport, Saids; support for the work of the Africa Cup of Nations Organising Committee; and hosting of the SA Sports Awards, There are many more projects.
It is against this background that our comment in the House this afternoon is that the 2013-14 budget allocation for the department remains minimal in real terms. Of the current year's allocation of R1, 073 billion, 73%, which is R815 million, is transferred to provinces, municipalities and sports federations. Therefore only R258 million will be utilised by the department for all its activities as well as salaries.
The department received a special allocation of R156 million for the 2014 African Nations Championship. This amount is divided between the Chan Local Organising Committee; R36 million and R120 million for host cities.
In order to breathe life into the above statement, SRSA tabled its strategic plan for the fiscal year 2012 to 2016, in Parliament in March 2012, and again presented the strategic plan as well as our Annual Performance Plan for the 2013-14 financial year on 7 and 8 May 2013 in both Houses of Parliament.
With these documents we aim to give the nation a clear picture of the planned programmes and activities of SRSA for the next five years, as well as the budget allocations and estimates for such years. They are broken down into the annual plans and activities that are aimed at realising the stated objectives on our plans going forward.
At the same time, our department will, on an annual basis, position itself to integrate the National Sports Plan as adopted by Cabinet.
To this end, in order to fulfil the obligations of the National Sports Plan and the Annual Performance Plan 2013-14, SRSA together with Department of Basic Education are continuing to implement the school sport programme in 2013.
This programme will rest on the giant shoulders of the school sport leagues across the country. It will, again, culminate in the national school sport championship in December 2013.
To provide a solid foundation, our department will continue to roll out the school sport programme underpinned by the following critical pillars: physical education; top school leagues; SA schools national championships; and the national multicoded age group tournaments.
As the national School Sport League unfolds, the role of the sport clubs at each level will be to make available talent scouts to identify talented sportsmen and sportswomen as well as officials.
Our Ministerial Sports Bursary Scheme will continue this financial year and will offer bursaries to talented children identified at the national multicoded sporting events. Although we have made progress, the successful roll out of school sport is currently hampered by, among other things, a shortage of facilities, a lack of accredited capacity and inadequate parental support.
As we announced last year in the House, our appointment of the Eminent Persons Group on Transformation, one of the key components of the National Sports Plan is the Transformation Charter and Scorecard. The baseline of transformation in South African sport ... Thank you very much. Time is against me. [Applause.]
Mr M R MDAKANE
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION
Mr M R MDAKANE: The hon Chair, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon members, our sports community and distinguished guests, thank you for giving us the opportunity to participate in the Budget Vote 20: Sport and Recreation debate on progress made in the sporting sector.
The face of sport and recreation has changed for the better under the ANC government. In this regard, the ANC government's achievements have been progressive since 2009 and has removed many barriers to entry into sport.
In its fifty-third national conference at Mangaung, the ANC reconfirmed its commitment to ensuring that we build a socially cohesive society by emphasising that sport plays an important role in promoting community development, social cohesion and sharpening the minds of young people.
Today's Budget Vote will explore the path from the racially divided past, which was inherited from apartheid regime, to one seeking to redress the legacy of apartheid through the development of the first National Sport and Recreation Plan.
The ANC government has acknowledged that there is still a need to ensure the organisation and development of all spors codes in the country. In this regard, we welcome the adoption of the new sports and recreation plan, which seeks to ensure the development and growth of the sports sector and the welfare of the sporting fraternity.
The National Sport and Recreation Plan is a binding agreement that was initiated by the department. Its main function is to say here are all the challenges in sport, and here are the possible solutions.
The department has tabled its Annual Performance Plan with regard to the 2013-14 financial year and has indicated that the National Development Plan is being phased in in all departmental programmes. The department has found that the sport plan requires resources in order for it to be implemented.
Keep in mind that the objectives of the plan were put together by multiple stakeholders such as the federations, who are the custodians of sport.
The role of the Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation is to conduct oversight over the department to ensure that the departmental strategic plans are implemented in line with the National Development Plan. However, we must say that as the committee, we appreciate the innovativeness of the department in finding alternative sources of income to continue on the road to transformation.
There are a number of exciting programmes that are linked to recreation, such as those for modified sport, cycle for life and recreation clubs just to mention a few. These activities are intended to provide leisure and recreation opportunities to all citizens of this country regardless of age, gender or race.
We hope all hon members will participate because it is important for Members of Parliament to go to play to enjoy themselves after they have worked very hard. [Applause.]
The department's achievements are both on the field as well as within our society. Our consistent ability to host major tournaments was evidenced early this year when we hosted the African Cup of Nations.
Hon Minister, as the committee, we are of the view that the cup was a great success. Of course we didn't win it, but one day, we hope to win it again. We hope to develop our national team to ensure that they don't let us down when it comes to the Africa Cup of Nations.
We have also witnessed the SA Olympic Team's wonderful performance and achievement at the London 2012 Olympic Games. This has been hailed as the best ever Olympic Games for the country since the ANC enabled South Africa's readmission to the international sporting community.
Such tournaments have a positive impact on social cohesion because they create a common identity, a common cause and establish common values among all South Africans.
Therefore, it is against this background that we evaluate the work of the department and note its linkages to greater levels of transformation through the National Sport and Recreation Plan and the National Development Plan. Transformation in some of the sporting codes in our country is painfully slow. This has to be addressed with the necessary speed. There is absolutely no reason why sport cannot be transformed.
In fact, when meeting with all sport federations, we have never found any reason why they can't transform because all of us enjoy sport. I don't think anyone of us is forced to play sport. Even hon Lees enjoys sport. There will be no reason why ... [Interjections.]
Mr T D LEE: I can tell you that I played cricket.
Mr M R MDAKANE: Yes, I know. There is no reason why sport federations don't transform at the speed that is necessary. Our view, hon Minister, is that you must try to push them. We persuade them, but we also push them, to ensure that they attain the goal of transformation. [Applause.]
Today's Budget Vote highlights what has been achieved and what still needs to be done. The ANC government has always campaigned for a fresh perspective and a transformation drive. This is a perspective that talks about equality, unity, access and excellence at the centre of national discourse.
We have always known that it will take time to eradicate the legacy of the apartheid. We have never laboured under any illusion that we will address the legacy of apartheid within 20 or 50 years.
We always knew that it's going to take time and passion for all South Africans to address the legacy of apartheid. Therefore, we hope that the Members of Parliament will appreciate that all the mess that was created by apartheid can't be sorted out within a period of 20-years. It is going to take longer than that for us to address this legacy; we have always known this.
The establishment of an Eminent Persons Group, under the leadership of Dr Somadoda Fikeni, is a welcome move which will speed up the issue of transformation in sport. It will also develop a standard approach to monitoring and evaluating organisational capacity and commitment to thorough-going transformation of sport in our country.
Many sport federations signed the Transformation Charter for SA Sport at the 2011 Sports Indaba and have promised to deliver on its mandate. The committee is just as committed to ensure that all sport federations deliver on this mandate. There shouldn't be any reason why they fail to deliver on this mandate because they have committed themselves to it.
Hon Minister, I think we should push them to deliver qver the next two years on the charter that they have signed. There shouldn't be any excuse except for their not do what is right for the country.
We bear in mind, of course, that all federations are custodians of sport. However, sport does not belong to them; sport belongs to all of us, but they are they are the custodians thereof. Therefore, they should always try their level best to do what is appropriate in developing sport in our country.
It is the responsibility of this government to fundamentally change the status quo and ensure that South Africa has national teams that are a true reflection of the national demographics. On this issue the 53rd national conference of the ANC resolved that the utilisation of transformation charters and scorecards to transform sporting franchises, sporting councils, federations and the high performance centres must focus on local talent development.
This includes targeting developing sporting codes that are historically not available in other parts of the country. There are very few swimming pools in many areas of our country. They are located in urban areas more than in rural areas. The point that we want to emphasise is that these sporting codes should also be spread throughout the country in order for our young people to get involved in swimming.
Hon Bhoola, our children should not go to swim in the uThukela River, but at properly maintained swimming pools. [Interjections.] Hence, we urge the private sector to support sport activities with funding for greater transformation of sport federations.
The National Lottery makes provision for about 22% which is used for sport and recreation purposes. It will be important that this provision is made to enhance the objectives of the sport plans. The National Lotteries Board needs to continue to engage all relevant stakeholders in advancing this vision in order to speed up the allocations which it makes to sporting bodies.
It is important for the National Lottery to speed up the allocation of money. It doesn't assist us to have money allocated towards the end of a financial year. It doesn't assist the sports federations to even develop their plans. We think that it is important to persuade them to do so.
Hon Minister, we hope that as you engage them, you will raise this point. There is no other reason because there is 22% that is allocated for sport and recreation.
Surely this should be given to the sport and recreation bodies in our country. It should also be done with the necessary speed. It shouldn't be delayed. They shouldn't apply and wait for two years before they are given resources for them to be able to develop their plans. [Applause.] It can't be right to do that. We think that we should address these issues.
Funding is generally a scarce resource for the development of sport. Whilst there is funding for high performance although not enough, there is need for more funding at development levels. Perhaps we need to revise the funding model in order to support the development of sport.
Liquor companies are one topic that will be important because there are a lot of discussions about this matter. Liquor companies are some of the major sponsors of sport all over the world because sport, in general, is underfunded. There has never been enough money to fund every competing interest in any country, but liquor companies are playing a very critical role in this matter.
As we all know, sport relies heavily on sponsorships, some of which come from the liquor industry and various other industries such as the clothing, food and footwear industries.
Sport sponsorship is intended to fund sport and not to promote substance abuse. In fact, we think it is obvious that, in order to become a successful sportsperson, substance abuse must be avoided at all costs.
In fact, if the department is to contribute to increased employment levels by 2030, as per the National Development Plan, then sport has to be funded accordingly. But this is an ongoing debate with other stakeholders. I hope that they will reach a solution that will benefit everyone involved.
Growing the number of people who play sport is fundamental to the National Development Plan and Sport and Recreation Plan. Hence the department will allocate almost half of the budget to the School Sport Mass Participation Programme, SSMPP, this year.
The committee noted that over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, the aim for the 2013-14 financial year is to encourage active, lifelong participation in sport by delivering sustainable sport and recreation programmes to 25 000 South Africans annually. There will be an emphasis on women, youth, persons with disabilities, senior citizens and rural communities.
We appreciate the steady increase of participants in the programme to more than 28 000 people in the 2011-12 financial year. With the expansion of the programme and more funds allocated to it, more can still be done.
The increase in the budget from R529 million to R553 million is indicative of the commitment to transforming sport by putting resources where they are most needed.
The SSMPP is an example of such a complementary programme in schools. However, since the signing of a memorandum with the Department of Basic Education on co-operation, little progress has been made, if any, with regard to the development of physical education as an independent learning area which should lay the foundation for the development of future sport-specific skills.
Whilst the SSMPP continues to be rolled out in schools, more opportunities of developing learners can be enhanced through physical education.
We request that these two departments share ideas and information about the way forward with regard to funding school sport programmes. The committee is pleased that both departments are talking to each other about how to resolve this situation.
Sport is a multibillion-rand industry. It is important that the federations should establish sound business practices. Good governance is very important in sport because the major causes of the problems in sporting federations in our country – of course, not all of them – is precisely the poor governance in that area. We suppose, therefore, that it is important to move on. [Time expired.]
Chair, let me conclude. The struggle to transform and develop sport in our country continues and we need to encourage more sport activism in our communities. The ANC supports the Budget Vote.
Mr M W RABOTAPI
Mr M R MDAKANE
Mr M R MDAKANE
Mr M W RABOTAPI: Temporary Chairperson, hon Ministers, Deputy Ministers, hon Members of Parliament, officials from the Department of Sport and Recreation and sportsmen and sportwomen in our midst, we are all in agreement that sport plays an important role in promoting nation-building, social cohesion and a healthy lifestyle.
Unfortunately, however, our sport sector has been plagued by corruption allegations, mismanagement of funds and power struggles -all of which hinder our progress with regard to developing our beloved nation. The challenges facing our sports sector have an adverse effect, not only on sportsmen and sportswomen, but on every South African citizen.
We need to actively engage on these challenges in order to ensure that we are progressively tackling these issues so as to allow for the smooth and efficient roll-out of the National Sport and Recreation Plan.
We have also noted that it is important for the Department of Basic Education to start realising that it is a key partner, in as far as school sport is concerned, and it therefore needs to act swiftly in engaging with the Department of Sport and Recreation for the sake of our kids and a healthy nation.
Because of the fact that we are currently at a developmental stage with regards to sport, we need to ensure that allocated funds are being utilised appropriately for programmes and projects that add value to our society as a whole.
We read about shortages of funding that adversely affects our sportsmen and sportswomen, such as insufficient funding for sports programmes, inadequate funds to cover costs of athletes travelling to sporting events and so forth.
We also read about the lack of sporting and recreational facilities in various areas where the youth has no sport or recreational outlets available to them. The response is generally that there are budgetary constraints, hence the failure to provide communities with solid sporting and recreational infrastructure.
We read about the 2013 SA Sports Awards which has a planned budget of R65 million. [Interjections.] Of the total R65 million, R21 million has been allocated by the Department of Sport and Recreation, and R44 million is to be sourced from partners and sponsorships.
To spend R65 million on a sports awards event is ludicrous when our athletes complain about funding and our communities lack sporting and recreational infrastructure. Let us break down this R65 million and see how it can be better used to help our development plan – we could build 86 multipurpose sports fields at R750 000 each!
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): There is a point of order, hon member.
Mr M M DIKGACWI: Chair, on a point of order: Is this hon member a member of the committee? He has read everything that he says. Is he not part of the committee? [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Please take your seat, hon member. Take your seat. Proceed.
Mr M W RABOTAPI: We can build 11 AstroTurf rugby fields at R5,5 million each, 13 soccer fields at R5 million each, and purchase 1 625 000 soccer balls at R40 each, all of which would contribute to mass participation opportunities and access to development centres. It is logical that these funds would be better spent developing the nation rather than a one-night sports awards event.
According to the Sunday Times of 19 May, it was reported that the Golden Lions Gymnastics Club, home to hopeful gymnasts from impoverished areas ...
Mr J H STEENHUISEN: On a point of order, Chairperson ...
Mr M W RABOTAPI: ... who performed at the lavish awards ceremony last year at the Sandton Square, have yet to receive payment. [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Hon member, there is a point of order. Hon member, hon member!
Mr M W RABOTAPI: The department spent R27 million on the awards last year, but yet they failed to pay the Golden Lions Gymnastics Club.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Order, hon member, there is a point of order! There is a point of order, sir. You cannot talk whilst listening at the same time. What is the point of order?
Mr J H STEENHUISEN: Chairperson, I rise on a point of order regarding Rule 47, which says that a member is not to be interrupted. It's very difficult. We can't even hear what the member is saying, because the members on that side are howling so loudly. [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Hon member, that's not a point of order. [Interjections.]It's not a point of order! My role here is to maintain order in the House, and so far I think I have managed to do that. Continue, hon member.
Mr M W RABOTAPI: We need to ask why, almost six months later, have they not been paid the R18 000 they were promised? We need to seriously look at how funds are being managed and administered.
I continue. Hon Minister, considering that the 2016 Summer Olympics is just three years away, South Africa's preparations should already be well under way. The DA believes that, by now, Athletics SA, ASA, should have a high-performance programme in place to support South African athletes in preparation for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Hon Minister, your assertion that ASA athletes also qualify for the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee's Operation Excellence programme is little consolation, if we consider the fact that the programme only supports the handful of South African athletes already in the top world rankings and not the scores of others struggling to get there and to the Olympics.
The Road to Rio is already a long and arduous journey for most of our athletes and, at the moment, it would appear that ASA, an organisation meant to support them, will be their greatest obstacle. The DA is very concerned and wants the way to be cleared for our athletes to ensure that all deserving athletes make it to the Olympics and bring back medals. [Interjections.]
Our municipalities have a history of failing to deliver services for our communities because of incapacity and corruption. Mass participation programmes account for more than half of the total sport budget, and the DA's concern is that not much is happening in previously disadvantaged areas, particularly the rural areas.
We have been relying on the 15% our municipalities ring-fenced for building facilities throughout South Africa. I know the hon Minister is equally concerned about this particular matter, about whether the step to take away the 15% from the municipalities is a relevant one.
The DA's response to this is that if we have competent people in place to manage the funds, there would be no need to take away the 15% for the benefit of all our citizens in this country. We need seriously to address the issue of mismanagement of funds. If funds were used appropriately instead of on activities that do not add value for the greater South Africa, such as the SA Sports Awards, there would be sufficient money in the budget to assist in the progress of developmental initiatives such as the Mass Participation, Access to Opportunity and Development and Growth, Mod, centres, in addition to the building of new facilities in areas that have none.
There are currently 174 Mod centres in the Western Cape that provide sport and recreational activities to over 12 000 learners from disadvantaged communities. The programme has expanded dramatically since 2010, and now provides employment and skills development to over 500 community members. MOD centres provide access to the following: recreational and sports skills development, development of life skills, healthy lifestyle initiatives, community-based facilities, safe environments, employment and training opportunities, etc.
Setswana:
Ke fetsa ka gore jaana motsogapele a tleng a re: "Susu ilela suswana gore suswana a tle a go ilele". [Nako e fedile.] [You need to respect others in order for them to do the same to you. [Time expired.]]
English:
The TEMPORARY HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): I thank you, hon member. Order, hon members! Please, once more, maintain the decorum of the House. Please do not make too much noise and drown out the speakers.
Mr G P D MAC KENZIE
The TEMPORARY HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (MR J D THIBEDI)
Mr G P D MAC KENZIE: Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister, colleagues, chairperson of the portfolio committee, guests, federation heads and athletes, it gives me great pleasure to address you today on Budget Vote No 20.
Before I begin my speech, I would like to pay tribute to Donald Lee who, if you don't know this already, is retiring at the end of the current parliamentary year. Donald, I want to say that this portfolio committee will miss you and South African sport will miss you. We hope you are not going to be lost to the game. Thank you. [Applause.]
The budget of sum of R1, 000 billion is in our estimation way too low to achieve the stated goals and objectives of this department. We understand, however, that funds are in scarce supply. We are very encouraged that a bulk of these funds are going to mass participation and, therefore, strong oversight is needed in this area to ensure that we get value for our money. I must remind you that at every portfolio committee presentation from a federation, without exception, the common theme is that we do not have enough money or funds. It is problem.
To this end I would like to suggest, somewhat controversially possibly, that we consider the following solutions:
Firstly, we possibly can consider a levy on all sports tickets sold. I am not for taxes, nor is my party, but I think we have to do so in order to get extra funds.
Secondly, there should be a levy on all sports gambling and thirdly, a levy on sports bar licences.
Fourthly, there is the Lotto; and let me say that the odd 20% we currently get from that amount is totally inadequate and we believe that it should be 35%. If that is not achievable, then I suggest we have a separate sports lotto which is held on different days to the current lotto.
Fifth, tax return options: In many overseas countries you can tick a box at the top of your tax return that says you can donate money for a certain event, and I will encourage us to do that.
This department has four main policy areas that align to the NDP. They obviously embrace healthy lifestyles and social cohesion and include governance or federations; mass participation particularly at schools; infrastructural development of facilities; and international relations.
In terms of governance, Minister, many of our smaller federations don't understand the word "governance". Their constitutions either need to be amended or completely rewritten.
In this regard, I would suggest that the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, Sascoc, takes the lead to assist the smaller federations to get up to speed in terms of compliance and general governance.
Sascoc also needs to engage with federations and not give the impression of interfering with the federations. Sascoc has an incredibly important role to play in the forward movement of sport in this country.
Regarding school sports, this is the cornerstone of this department's policy. I am very pleased that 17 sports have been prioritised. The Department of Basic Education, however, has led down school sports incredibly.
Firstly, n 2011, we issued a joint statement of intent, an agreement if you will, and to this day and this year's 2013-14 budget, not one cent in the Department of Basic Education budget has been put aside for sport. It is a shocking indictment of what is happening.
Secondly the South African Democratic Teachers' Union, Sadtu, teachers are unwilling to support sports unless they are paid. The roll out of school sports, although partially successful and at the encouragement of the Minister, deserves and needs full co-operation from the development of basic education to achieve its projected outcomes.
The department needs to be congratulated on the facilities database audit. I agree with the Minister, we need to make use of our existing facilities, many of which right now are either in a derelict state or hardly used at all. The problem is management and operation. In this regard ring-fencing the Municipal Infrastructure Grant fund – that is a 15% portion – and possibly transferring it to the department in your negotiations with the Treasury must be applauded. However, we are worried that the management of these facilities needs to be a joint venture between this department, the municipalities concerned and sports federations.
Minister, the idea of a sports history museum is commendable and sports personalities in our dark days of apartheid such as Elijah "Tap Tap" Makhathini, Precious McKenzie, Papwa Segolum, E G Desai, to name but a few, need to be remembered and honoured. Minister, I have listed a hall of shame and a hall of fame of excellence which has both tarnished and made us proud over this past year. Never again must there be another series of scandals and maladministration in our sport as we have witnessed this year.
One, allegations of match-fixing and financial irregularities against Safa have put a dark cloud over sport in this country and have reverberated around the world. Two, that our national swimming champions are held in a dark green swimming pool in Port Elizabeth is shocking. Three, lack of governance - and I have touched on it briefly – Athletics South Africa, ASA, Safa and some other federations, often resulting in legal battles, for example, this latest ASA battle - R3,6 million. Who is going to pay for that? We at Cope say that there should be no more law suits but arbitration please.
Four, lack of funding of our school children when undertaking local and oversees tours. Let me say, I have spoken to parents and the crying shame is that when tours are undertaken, kids who have the funds get selected but not the ones who don't have the funds. That is a crying shame. Five, world cup stadiums are in disrepair including the small ones that were upgraded in the townships during the world cup. I am suggesting that we do a joint venture with our municipalities and sporting codes to ensure that these facilities are used.
I would also suggest that we look out of the box and look at commercial ventures around those things, such as putting incentives of high performance and possibly commercial enterprises, like retail ones, attached to those in the appropriate areas. Six, the Sadtu teachers want money before coaching school kids. This never used to happen in the dark old days but is happening today.
Seventhly, Minister this one is really a shocker – Bokkie Week. Bokkie Week is being held this year in Naboomspruit and I am telling you under the guise of a cultural organisation. That week is going ahead when it's nothing but a racist organisation. I am shocked to say that trials have taken place on some school facilities round the country, under government school facilities, and by teachers who are employed by the government. I think the government needs to do something about it. Last year it was an issue about hockey and this need to be addressed right now.
My colleague has touched on the nonpayment of Golden Lines gymnasts who are from disadvantaged backgrounds after performing at the sports awards who are still owed, I believe, R18 010. Sponsors of the sports awards, and let men say Minister, I am coming form a different angle. I don't have a problem with the sports awards, I am saying they should go ahead but the forty odd million ... [Time expired.]. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr M MHLENGWA
Mr G P D MAC KENSIE
Mr M HLENGWA: Hon Chairperson, the IFP, supports Budget Vote 20. The support of the IFP for this Budget Vote is based on the premise that the failure of government hits hardest the ordinary citizen in the street, who bears the brutal brunt of that failure. Our support for this Budget Vote is in line with our firm commitment to constructive opposition.
Mr Minister, there comes a time, when enough is enough. Quite frankly South Africans have had enough of the chaos, mudslinging, instability and child-like behaviour currently characterising the SA Football Association. The state of affairs in Safa is totally unacceptable, and whilst we welcome the intervention of the hon Minister and the extent of the trouble through which he went, travelling to Zurich to engage Federation of International Football Association, Fifa, the leadership drama we witnessed before the start of Afcon, was at best regrettable, embarrassing and plainly disgusting. South African Football Association is not a spaza shop, and as such should not be run like one.
In the same breath the chaos at Athletics South Africa is equally disturbing. This Budget Vote comes hot on the heels of the glorious success of our Olympians and Paralympians in London last year. Once more, on behalf of the IFP, I congratulate all of our athletes for having represented our country with esteemed success.
Their success, of course, is not in a vacuum nor is it sheer luck. It is a result of hard work and access to quality sporting resources and infrastructure for training purposes, which enabled them to compete favourably on the global stage.
There is an urgent need for a massive roll-out of quality sporting infrastructure, which is easily and readily available throughout the country, particularly in rural areas, where athletes still find themselves trailing behind when it comes to access and development.
Sporting infrastructure is an underestimated catalyst for transformation. No effort should be spared in levelling the playing fields to ensure that those from previously disadvantaged communities, which still find themselves presently disadvantaged, are on par with those coming from previously and presently privileged communities. Transformation will remain elusive, against the continued absence of sport infrastructure. We therefore, welcome the initiatives of this department and the Sports Trust in this regard.
The infrastructure should be coupled with the necessary human resources in terms of coaches and mentors, and with unemployment standing at a staggering 25,2%, the IFP expects the Department of Sports and Recreation to come to the fore and also create jobs through programmes of its own.
South Africa is riddled with idle youth, who have turned to drug and alcohol abuse, threatening the wellbeing of many communities throughout the country. We rely on sport and recreation to be deterrents, and give youth purpose and direction. Therefore, sport should not be approached, Mr Minister, with a humdinger or razzmatazz attitude, but with the seriousness it deserves as an agent for social change and nation building.
School sports need to be instilled fully as part of the school curriculum, to enhance sport development and fight the looming crises of obesity. We must at the end of the school career have developed young men and women, who are academically and social fit, and are healthy.
Since 1994, promises have been made that every school, will have a sports facility, yet this has not happened. The continual absence of these things entrenches inequality.
The IFP congratulates and offers its fully support to Netball South Africa for its hard work and efforts, albeit the challenges, towards netball development, which contributes positively to women emancipation. [Applause.] The IFP looks forward to the Netball Premier League, and we urge the private sector to support, fund and sponsor this all important initiative of women development.
Many, if not all, the sporting bodies and federations that have come before the portfolio committee, have made a clarion call for more funds. Whilst, we understand the money constraints are confronting the department, the IFP, calls on the department to set up a fundraising unit within itself to assist specifically cash-strapped federations, and also avoid the squabbles at SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, Sascoc.
The department must be applauded for its drive to celebrate and reward the achievements of our sports heroes. However, the reported plan of spending R65 million on an awards show is beyond excessive. If we want to celebrate sports in this country, Mr Minister, we must do so by giving the different codes all the resources they need rather than throwing an extravagant party's that caters to the desires of the elite.
Mr Minister, the IFP wishes you and your department well with your plans and endeavours. We hope that your energy and that of your department will be translated into visible programmes at the grassroots level, where sport is most alive and appreciated. [Applause.]
Mrs G K TSEKE
Mr M HLENGWA
Mr M HLENGWA
Mrs G K TSEKE: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and hon Deputy Minister, Members of Parliament, officials from the department, the leadership of federations present and guests in the gallery, I have been taught that I should not start my speech with negatives or challenges, otherwise the audience will lose interest. I should not be like Ntate Rabotapi!
I am pleased to participate in this Budget Vote debate for Sports and Recreation SA, and I must also mention that I am inspired by the value and contribution that Sports and Recreation adds to our society. Sports and Recreation has proven to be the relevant instrument for social cohesion and nation-building.
There is, of course, a need for one to reflect on the best moments that sport has brought to the South African population. It was used by our political legends on Robben Island as a means to communicate about freedom; to restore the spirits when the apartheid regime wanted to break them; and it is the pulse and heartbeat of a healthy nation.
South African society still enjoys the fruits of good lessons learnt, from the likes of the Rangers and Manong football clubs on Robben Island, that through sport we can mutually ignite each other's crushed spirits. All of you still have sweet memories of 1995, when our icon, Tata Nelson Mandela, raised the rugby cup after a thrilling performance by the Springboks.
Who can forget the euphoria and excitement that filled the FNB Stadium when Bafana Bafana won the African Cup of Nations in 1996? Who can forget the heightened excitement when Simphiwe Tshabalala scored the first goal of the 2010 World Cup?
Let us not forget the beauty of rainbow that recently graced the Cape Town Stadium when our squad walloped the Central African Republic in March this year. People of all races celebrated the victories by our national teams. This shows national unity and social cohesion.
I thank the ANC-led government for showing brilliance in using sport and recreation as knitting needles with which to close the holes of the very cold, tattered and porous racial blanket left by the apartheid regime. I invite you to come closer and enjoy the comfort of this warm, multicoloured blanket provided by the ANC. We lead, we provide and we care. [Applause.]
Through sport, we climb cliffs and mountains to see the panorama of our beautiful land, South Africa; hence, it is against this background that we, as the ANC, give our outright support to this Budget Vote so that the nation can continue to enjoy the comfort of this blanket.
Setswana:
Re dirile kgolagano le setšhaba sa Aforikaborwa; re itlamile gore re tla tokafatsa matshelo a bona; re ikanne gore re tla ba neela ditirelo tsa maemo a a kwa godimo; e bile re tshepisitse gore re tla ntšhwafatsa mabala a metshameko kwa metseselegaeng. Ke ka fao batho ba itumelelang puso e e eteletsweng pele ke ANC, puso ya batho.
English:
As the ANC government, we lead, we provide and we care for sport and we open the doors to it. We want to voice our appreciation to the Minister for coming up with the National Sports and Recreation Plan, which is in line with the NDP. Yes, for the first time in the history of the country, we have a plan that is supported by all sporting fraternities.
Let us look at the intention of the late Comrade Steve Tshwete for introducing the lottery. This was brought about by the fact that few resources that were available in the government fiscus. The Lotto was meant to help sports development and transformation in the country; but what is happening now? We are last on the list.
We are also impressed by the ministerial outreach programme through which the Minister, in conjunction with the traditional authorities, will distribute sports equipment to sports teams in our rural areas. I must say that this will be a breakthrough, as the young boys and girls, who come from disadvantaged families, have no soccer boots or kit to play with.
We urge all federations and other sporting entities to support the programme and join our government in making sure that we develop our rural areas. Yes, we change the lives of our people for the better. The ANC, as well as National Sports and Recreation Plan, are all about doing this.
It is integral to strengthening federations because it places the department in a strategic position to support sports development. Sports houses will also be a suitable way to centralise the administration of federations within the same buildings of the department. This will give jobs to skilled and qualified volunteers in federations, who will deliver better in a very structured setting. This current year's Budget will contribute to fast-tracking the process of setting up the sports house.
I now come to the loveLife initiative. It offers a variety of community and outreach programmes for young people. [Interjections.] Keep quiet! These programmes are implemented by the national volunteer corps known as groundbreakers and a team of iimpintshi who are volunteers.
The programmes are implemented in schools, loveLife youth centres and community centres. The programmes, amongst other things, include the loveLife Games, which promote a healthy, positive lifestyle amongst the youth and give them a platform to express their talents.
Our challenge, as Members of Parliament, is that from 2009 we have not see the intended outcomes of loveLife programmes, even though money is disbursed to them every year.
However, to date, the department has agreed with loveLife that their programmes will be aligned to those of the department and, furthermore, to all the sporting codes as outlined in the Sports and Recreation Plan. In terms of accountability, they will submit their business plans and reports to the department for proper co-ordination and monitoring.
Even though sport is run by volunteers across the country, we recommend that loveLife prioritises and makes sure that the iimpintshi and groundbreakers are given an allowance to assist them with travelling from one area to another. It is heartening to see such foot soldiers working so hard, organising successful events and making a difference in people's lives without receiving a cent at the end of the day.
Setswana:
Re simolola go bona diphetogo ka iketlo le fa di sa tlale seatla. Motswana o buile a re sedikwa ke ntšwapedi ga se thata. Le teng, maano ga a site go sita a loso.
English:
Working together, we can do more! There is a need for this House to revisit the legislative mandate of Boxing SA and to see to it that it strive for equilibrium with resources it receives so that it can prosper. No promoter must get an unfair or bigger share than others when it comes to broadcasting stakes. Those who want to monopolise boxing must continue going to court.
We have not forgotten that some of our boxers lost their titles outside the ring because of their legitimate demands for better earnings; and this was due to international friendships, which our promoters enjoy with the international federations, such as the International Boxing Federation, IBF.
The private sector must also come to the party and assist Boxing SA to grow. It cannot be government's responsibility alone.
Let us admit that the turnaround strategy of Boxing SA is doing quiet well under the experienced chairperson, Mr Balfour. Currently, the department is assisting them with negotiating with the SABC, so that they can fully own the broadcasting rights.
Recently, I heard that Boxing SA has been distributing sports equipment in the rural areas of Hammanskraal, in Dilopye. This suggests that they are on the right track to sports development and transformation. We applaud the department for its efforts and intervention made through the leadership of Minister Mbalula and our vibrant Director-General, Mr Moemi.
Setswana:
Maloko a Palamente, re rata go leboga le go ema nokeng mokgatlho wa Aforika Borwa o o kgatlhanong le diritibatsi, e leng Setheo sa Aforikaborwa sa Metshameko e e Gololosegileng mo Diritibatsing, SAIDFS, ka mokgwa oo ba tsamaisang mokgatlho wa bona ka ona. Ba kgona go bontsha boetapele, boineelo le botswapelo mo mokgatlhong le mo tirong ya bona.
Ba fitlhelela dipholo tsa madi tse di tlhapileng e bile di itumedisa ngwaga le ngwaga. Re leboga maikemisetso a lona kgatlhanong le tiriso ya diritibatsi mo metshamekong ya lona e bile re a tshepa gore mananeo a lona a tla fitlhelela le bana kwa dikolong mo nakong e e tlang.
English:
The Sports Trust has also been led by committed people who need to be acknowledged and appreciated. The Sports Trust is a strategic partner that provides athletes with equipment and builds facilities in schools and communities. It also provides athletes with the necessary support.
Such partnerships are encouraged by the ANC, as they promote not only intergovernmental co-operation, but also partnerships with key stakeholders in the South African development, such as business and NGOs. The partnership that has been provided here is a strategic one because Sports Trust is a source of resources for schools, clubs and community structures and provides access to sports and recreation opportunities.
We support this initiative and further give Sport Trust the task of providing facilities where they are needed. I am talking about areas like Phake in Dr J S Moroka - a very deep rural area without proper basic services and where unemployment is high. It is a poverty-stricken area with a very big population.
The community there has no multipurpose facilities where kids can be taken off the streets, away from crime and substance abuse. We call on Sport Trust, in consultation with sport councils and wards committees, to take a lead in making sure that facilities are built where they are needed.
On the specific question of transformation achievement, we have picked up that netball, as one of the most popular women sport in South Africa, needs a helping hand from the department. Participation levels in schools and clubs is doing quiet well. However, the challenge begins ... [Time Expired.] The ANC support the Budget. [Applause.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION
Mrs G K TSEKE
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: Chairperson, allow me to add my voice to that of the hon members who wished the hon Lee well in his retirement. I want to say that we will really miss you, Donald.
I want to convince him, hon Minister, to reconsider retiring. He must stay here, and I will tell you why. After listening to his colleague hon Rabotapi, I am convinced that he has lost the plot.
I have a calculator which I will give to him for free. It is not a fake from China; it is the real McCoy, a Casio. Do your recalculations, and then talk sense. You know, sir, whatever you say in this august House is recorded by Hansard for generations to come.
People out there take out their calculators. They do the calculations, and you look like a fool. I don't object if you want to be a fool, but I object if the hon member projects all of us as being fools. [Applause.] So, please, hon Lee, don't retire. Stay and guide your colleague. [Laughter.]
To the hon MacKenzie, I agree with you.
Afrikaans:
Bokkie Week is uit soos apartheid. Dis 'n klompie bedompige mense wat vir hulle ophou met Bokkie Week, en van ons kant af sal ons toetree. Wat ons moet doen, sal ons doen om daardie Bokkie Week op die regte pad te kry of uit die pad te kry, maar dit is so uit soos apartheid vir ewig. Klaar.
English:
Chairperson, as the Department of Sport and Recreation, we can report that we have aligned all our strategic documents 100% with the National Development Plan, NDP. Every reference to sport in the National Development Plan is covered both in the National Sport and Recreation Plan and our operational plan for the 2013-14 financial year.
We have done this because we fully support the National Development Plan in that it recognises that sport plays an important role in promoting health, wellness, nation-building and social cohesion. As indicated by our Minister, we have identified projects in support of the priorities of the National Development Plan.
I want to elaborate on one of the areas, that of international relations. The NDP acknowledges that in the area of sport there is a need to showcase South Africa and promote its presence and leadership with regard to strategic issues as part of its soft power in international relations.
As a middle-income African country, we need to have a comfortable fit between critical domestic socioeconomic demands on the one hand, and on the other, regional and continental obligations and international co-operation through Brics and the world.
Our foreign policies, hon members, cannot be disassociated from these demands and obligations. These policies should be shaped by engaging with all relevant players which ultimately constitutes the relations between countries.
We are therefore taking a direction which dictates that international funding of our programmes should be in line with our priorities, as stipulated in the National Sport and Recreation Plan. To this end, we will continue to use international sporting events and exhibitions to showcase and market South Africa as a sports tourism destination of choice.
In fact, the sport scene this year opened with the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. We wish once again to thank fellow South Africans and Africans, in general, for their support of this great tournament. Despite the limited time and resources, the collective support of our Cabinet and the sport and recreation sector contributed to its success. In fact, the success of the 2013 Afcon solidified our position as a country of choice for hosting major events.
Following the Afcon success, we look forward to hosting the 2014 African Nations Championships. I have no doubt that our people will once again show their pride in being African during this tournament.
During the 2012-13 financial year, we continued to participate in international organisations such as the Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting. At a continental level, we have played a leading role in the various forums of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa.
Hon members, during the 2012 London Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, we hosted the Ekhaya Hospitality Centre, which created a home from home for our athletes and all South Africans who were in London.
The success of our Olympic and Paralympic teams is well documented, and we wish to thank everybody who participated for being good ambassadors of this great country, South Africa. We are very proud of all the athletes who won medals. There is no doubt that with more support they will perform even better come Rio de Janeiro 2016.
We will also host the World Anti-Doping Agency conference in Johannesburg in November this year. The spin-offs from this conference need to be capitalised upon and integrated into sustainable programmes.
We will also host the 19th World Transplant Games scheduled for July and August in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The 2nd World Gym for Life Challenge international gymnastics extravaganza will be held from 10 to 14 July here in Cape Town. Worldwide there is an increasing acknowledgement that sport and recreation has the potential to promote social cohesion, prevent conflict and to enhance peace within and among nations. In this regard, the United Nations, UN, General Assembly has adopted a series of resolutions on Sport for Development and Peace.
In South Africa, we have also experienced how national sports teams can be an inspiring force for peaceful change. It is not only our national teams that have this potential - the use of sport to promote peace is extremely effective in programmes at the community level, since they directly involve those affected by conflict and social tension.
South Africa is playing a leading role in the work of the United Nations' Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group. In fact, at its meeting in Geneva last year, South Africa was nominated as the chair of the Thematic Working Group on sport and peace. [Applause.]
At the third session of the Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group last year, South Africa also gave a presentation on the role of sport in peace-building and development since democracy.
Mr Minister, we can proudly report that it was well received by the delegates. In fact, all the inputs from South Africa on the Action Plan on Sport for Development and Peace were approved by the member states. South Africa was also elected as chair of the executive committee of the Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group, with Britain as our vice chair.
The developments within the United Nations regarding sport for peace and development confirm that our department is on the right track by including specific outputs related to the sport for development and peace initiatives in our updated White Paper, the National Sport and Recreation Plan and the 2012 to 2016 strategic plan of our department.
In 2012, we declared Netball South Africa as the federation of the financial year. This meant that we have refocused some of our resources on this federation with a view to their achieving most of the developmental initiatives that they have been shelving because of a lack of resources.
It was through this elevated support and the need to broaden the pool of netball players in our country that we hosted, in August 2012, the Netball Diamond Challenge in co-operation with our federation. The tournament included South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Malawi. Yes, South Africa emerged as the champion of this tournament.
Despite the financial and other challenges that we are experiencing with launching a professional netball league – which will ensure that Netball South Africa will have approximately 220 full-time professional and elite players to select onto the national team – we are committed to this initiative, because it is the right thing to do. [Applause.]
In 2013, the focus federation is Tennis SA. Among the benefits to this federation is our financial support for the Soweto Tennis Open, which has proven to enhance the successfull development of tennis in our country.
Hon members, the ever-expanding complexities of doping in sport such as combating organised crime; the classification of health foods; and controlling the manufacturing, importation, and distribution of doping products requires both new capacities in and commitment from both governments and national antidoping agencies.
The department will continue to financially support the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport, Saids, and the laboratory in Bloemfontein, with a view to ensuring that South Africa complies with the code of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Wada. Particular attention is being given to ensuring that Saids delivers on its international obligations and to co-ordinating its responsibility to the Central Drug Authority.
At a ministerial level, we have been appointed onto the Unesco anti-doping subdivision and the Wada executive committee, respectively. Our department is also represented on the Central Drug Authority and on the Intergovernmental Committee on Substance Abuse. So, hon Rabotapi, that is why we travel, my brother. That is why we move around, the Minister and I.
Hon members, boxing remains a sport in progress. With the new direction that is provided by the sports plan, we deem it important to call key boxing stakeholders to a meeting to thrash out all challenges that we are still experiencing in boxing. To do this, we will host a boxing indaba later this year to be attended by people who can add value to the success of the sport of boxing.
The Sport for Social Change and Development programme will be repackaged and expanded. Sport will be used as a vehicle to catalyse change in sport in the environment, HIV/Aids programmes and the Sport against Crime campaign, just to mention a few. These programmes will be grouped under the banner of Sport for Social Change.
Our department, as the hon Tseke alluded to, will continue to fund loveLife, but the funding will be aligned with the objectives of the National Sport and Recreation Plan. The loveLife message, which is focused on building young sport leaders for a HIV-free future, will be spread by using sport and recreation as the medium.
This will form the initial semblance of a genuine sport-for-change initiative. Specific youth leadership and healthy lifestyle programmes targeting young participants will be delivered at school sports events nationally, junior sport federation championships, community recreation activities and our youth camps.
One of the projects we will be engaging in again this year is the National Youth Camp. The department will assist the provincial departments to ensure that the delivery of this project is a great success. It will be held in all nine provinces and is scheduled for September this year.
Its purpose is to teach young people leadership and life skills, national pride and practical lessons on social cohesion in a rural, outdoor environment through adventure and other fun activities. We envisage that approximately 3 000 youths, representing diverse cultural groupings, will attend the National Youth Camp. Perhaps, Minister, we should consider also inviting Bokkie Week.
The National Sport Volunteer Corps Programme was successfully launched in 2012. At the end of the 2012-13 financial year, we had 864 sports legends registered on the National Sport Volunteer Corps Programme.
The focus of the volunteer programme is to register and to keep a record of sporting greats in the form of sports legends and former players, athletes, coaches and administrators. This is done to utilise their experience in developing sport in our schools.
Hon members, we all know that most public and rural schools do not have specialist coaches to train their teams and to run their leagues. This initiative will assist to overcome this particular shortcoming.
A further novel idea to attract the youth to participate in sport will be the introduction of our sports bus. The sports bus will have a retro-bus look, working on a similar basis to the old-fashioned ice-cream van that attracts people with an easily identifiable tune. I am trying to influence the director-general to use the Waka Waka, but he doesn't listen to me, by the way!
We will, however, take delivery of 12 sports buses in 2013. These buses will transport sport stars who conduct training at our schools and around the country. We trust that it will encourage the youth to come out and see what is happening in the community and be absolutely keen to go out and participate.
In conclusion, I wish to emphasise that an increased and focused commitment at all levels of sport would be advantageous, since this could reap great health, economic, social and international benefits.
In short, expenditure on sport and recreation must be considered as a worthwhile and, indeed, a necessary investment in the future of our country and its people.
Comrade Minister, I would like to thank you, the director-general and all the senior officials in our department for working together very well as a team. We do what our ruling party says: Working together, we do more, eradicating the barriers of poverty and increasing the quality of life of all our people. Amandla! [Applause.]
The TEMPORARY HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Order, hon members! We thank the hon Deputy Minister, particularly for his time management.
Mr S G MMUSI
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION
Mr S G MMUSI: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation, the director-general, the MEC present here, hon Members of Parliament, distinguished guests in the gallery, dumelang.
This is the country of my birth and I am not a refugee.
Let me take a moment to salute all the sports people who have made this country proud with their effort and winning performances, particularly women in sport and people with disabilities who have to fight equally hard, in order to make headway in sport.
The ANC supports this Budget Vote.
You see, this progression did not come easily. Whilst we were sobbing and nursing the wounds of apartheid, others were reeling after apartheid had ended because they enjoyed the pain segregation caused others.
Just as the ANC was guiding us from the painful past into democracy, we won the Rugby World Cup in 1995, and hosted and Bafana-Bafana won the African Cup of Nations in 1996.
Without the struggle for liberation, we would never have won the rugby World Cup. In fact, the ANC liberated all South Africans and propelled them into the international world. The opening up of the doors to sport in 1994 guaranteed the right of participation to all, irrespective of race, colour, gender or ability.
If you want to know whether the opposition parties are transformed you need to do the following.
Firstly, look at the DA's policy position on the transformation of both cricket and rugby, before they claim easy victories, as they do with having fought against apartheid.
Secondly, ask them why in rugby and cricket, a black player normally replaces another black player and never replaces a white player, while white players can replace anybody.
Thirdly, why does it seem that certain positions are reserved for black players? If Makhaya Ntini did not retire from international cricket, would Vernon Philander ever have got the opportunity to play at international level? Are we represented by progressive people in these federations?
Fourthly, ask them how many sport and recreation facilities they have built in this province, particularly in black townships? I think it is none. None!
When it comes to international sporting relations, which is what I am here to talk about, the fundamental policy of the ANC, the Freedom Charter, proclaims, and I quote:
There shall be peace and friendship between South Africa and other countries!
We note with grave concern the utterances and unprofessionalism of Ajax Amsterdam with regard to Ajax Cape Town, especially when they are threatening to terminate their international relations through the media, rather than following proper channels such as bilateral platforms.
It is no longer the colonial era and that should sink into their minds wherever they are. I think both the South African Football Association and the Premier Soccer League should take note of this.
We have risen from the ashes of apartheid into a new dawn where fair and transparent relationships with other countries have become a democratic norm. We have noted that sound programmes for international liason work have been developed by the department and I will cite a few examples.
Later this year the department will roll out international relations strategies that will give the country a chance to choose the relationship it wants to pursue with other countries.
The department wants to sign bilateral agreements with different countries such as France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Serbia, among others. We would like to understand the specifics of what the country and athletes will gain from these positive interactions, especially athletes from marginalised communities. [Interjections.]
Chairperson, let me cool my engine!
The TEMPORARY HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Prof L B G Ndabandaba): You are welcome to do that, hon member.
HON MEMBERS: Cheers!
'n AGB LID: Praat nou mooi, praat nou mooi!
Afrikaans:
Meneer van die DA, ek probeer my beste om mooi te praat. [Interjections.]
'n AGB LID: Jy kry dit reg, hoor.
English:
Mr S G MMUSI: As a committee, we are curious to find out how effective the bilateral relations we have with other African countries are, especially in the era of the re-awakening African revival. Take, for example, long-distance runners from Kenya and Ethiopia where they don't have high-performance centres like we do in South Africa.
In South Africa we still have a sad situation where Mzonke Fana, an excellent boxer, was stripped of his belt because promoters were unable to secure fights for him. Will these bilateral agreements in any way resolve such existing sporting challenges through international bodies like the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Organisation, and the World Boxing Association?
More importantly, the ANC government has created a society that is nonracial and nonsexist, yet there is little progress regarding sport for the girl child.
When are we going to start creating long-distance runners similar to those in Kenya and Ethiopia? When will tennis produce more athletes like the William sisters and Monica Seles? In the era of the 50-year celebrations of the African Union, I am compelled to enquire about the whereabouts of a girl child, as we cannot rely on Caster Semenya alone. Where are our daughters playing? Apart from netball, where else do they participate?
A great example of the development of grassroots athletes and their potential impact on the economy is Floyd Mayweather. They call him "Pretty Boy" and some call him "Moneyweather". He is an undefeated American professional boxer. I love this young man. He is perfect, he is good and you would not want to exchange blows with him. [Laughter.] He is rated as the best pound-for-pound boxer. Because of his loaded hammer, he will knock you down. Notably, he never drops his guard. I love Mayweather! [Laughter.] [Applause.]
Floyd comes from a poor background and a family of boxers. He was trained to box by his father whom he employs, along with uncles in the family, as trainers. This means that the family plays a crucial role in the athlete's development. So parents must be encouraged to come on board.
Floyd also employs other people and has stimulated the economy of America. Can you imagine how the sky would fall on us if South Africa produced multiple Floyd Mayweathers here in Khayelitsha or in Queenstown or or even in the rural area of North West – Tsowe in Heuningvlei. [Interjections.] There would be an economy generated by the income from sports-related activities.
We should remember that at one point we had great boxers in the making, like Simon "Tsipa" Skosana, Peter "Terror" Mathebula and others. We need to start establishing a sporting environment that can produce excellent sportspeople, straight from our poorest communities, starting from grassroots.
The committee recommends that the department consider academics of every sport code in all nine provinces to groom youngsters into sports people like Mathebula and Mayweather.
Under apartheid it was not surprising that segregation killed sport across the board. Under the ANC democratic government there is greater scope for the department to harness 19 years of freedom to improve progress in sport. The department needs to rise up to the challenges in the years down the line. [Time expired.]
Adv A de W ALBERTS
Mr S MMUSI
Afrikaans:
Adv A de W ALBERTS: Voorsitter, eerstens wil ek baie geluk sê aan die Leeus rugbyspan wat ten spyte van sterk teenkanting en onmoontlike eise die Vodacombeker gewen het. Ek is seker mnr Cheeky Watson het 'n naar gevoel op sy maag gekry toe hy sien wat hulle reggekry het.
Minister, Suid-Afrika is 'n sportnasie en ons is trots op ons sportmanne en -vroue wat wêreldwyd presteer. Sport word baie deur die regerende party gebruik om te poog om mense saam te bind. Hierdie gebruik van sport kan egter negatiewe gevolge hê, aangesien dit die enigste metode blyk te wees om sosiale kohesie te bewerkstellig.
Die gevaar daarvan is dat Suid-Afrika van sportgeleentheid tot sportgeleentheid strompel om eenheid te bewerkstellig, terwyl ander belangriker aspekte van sosiale kohesie, soos sosio-ekonomiese regte en veiligheid, nie na behore tot vervulling kom nie.
English:
Minister, while I admit it is not fair to that we, as a country, lay the problems face at your door, sport must be evaluated holistically for the political role it plays as it is being used a political tool in various ways.
While sport is used to foster social cohesion, it also creates divisions due to racial policies. This is one of the reasons why sport needs to be depoliticised. It should become more community-based and developmental; and the Minister should be commended for really trying to walk that path.
One of the challenges we are still facing is the correct use of taxpayers' money. There is a perception out there that administrators are raking in money and are freely spending funds, which should have gone to athletes for their development and participation in local and international events.
Mismanagement in organisations like Athletics SA, Asa, has given all sports bodies a bad name. Corrective measures have been taken, but the Minister must act more constructively to ensure appropriate funding for sports development and participation.
Our athletes are tired of begging for financial assistance and good corporate governance. Why does the department, for instance, find it fitting to arrange a sports gala event, costing the taxpayer millions of rands, when our star athletes do not have funding to participate in international events and not enough sport development is taking place? Surely, there is something to be said for rational priorities.
Afrikaans:
'n Verdere probleem in rugby het onlangs sy kop uitgesteek. 'n Slim administrateur het die hele rugbygemeenskap in Suid-Afrika uitoorlê, onder die voorwendsel dat hy sal toesien dat die Southern Kings geleenthede aan agtergeblewe gemeenskappe sal gee, indien hulle toegelaat sal word tot die Superrugby-toernooi.
Soos die span tans daar uitsien, moet mens hard soek na daardie kandidate wat hy kwansuis sou help. Die vraag is of mnr Cheeky Watson, soos die Guptas, kan kry en maak wat hy wil weens sy knusse verhouding met die ANC. Gaan hy skatryk word bloot omdat hy 'n kader is wat gekonnekteer is?
Laastens, Minister, soos ons voorheen geadviseer het, wil ons jou aanmoedig om nie terug te deins indien sportliggame steeds bly klem lê op kwotas in stede van ontwikkeling nie. Sport en prestasie is aan mekaar gekoppel en dra by tot die positiewe stigting van ons sportmanne en -vroue.
Indien ons verby die punt van 'n blote rasse-sensus in sport beweeg en fokus op ontwikkeling, sal ons vinniger nuwe sportsterre kweek wat ons met trots op die internasionale arena kan verteenwoordig. [Tussenwerpsels.] [Tyd verstreke.]
Mrs L L MJOBO
Adv A de W ALBERTS
Ms L N MJOBO: Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, MECs present, hon Members of Parliament and distinguished guests in the gallery, good afternoon.
Chairperson, as a movement dedicated to transformation, the ANC's 1955 Freedom Charter called for sport to be available to all South Africans irrespective of race, class and gender. However, the implementation of any full-blown transformation plan requires an adequate and sizeable budget to match the task. After all, the Department of Sport and Recreation is tasked with a broad range of responsibilities linked to national sports management, delivery and funding, all within the frame of the ANC's transformation agenda.
Finding the balance between sports delivery and transformation is not easy when you are working within a constrained budget that must fund the backlog of infrastructure created deliberately by the apartheid regime.
Facilities are lacking in most provinces, but mostly in rural areas, where facilities are also inaccessible to the poor and people cannot play their sport of choice. In fact, rural areas represent the poorest of the poor, and development of such areas is aimed at redressing inequality.
The challenge with infrastructure delivery is that building sports facilities also requires them to be maintained, otherwise they fall apart, and the cost of fixing them is higher than their original cost.
When you go to a disadvantaged community, you will find that the local school does not have space for a sports field and there is no funding for sport infrastructure. The funding structure for sport and recreation facilities is complex and involves three different departments such as the Departments of Co-operative Governance, Basic Education and Sport and Recreation. In all cases, where service delivery is slow, the poorest schools suffer as a result.
The challenge began when the funding of the Department of Sport and Recreation was amalgamated with the Municipal Infrastructure Grant, MIG, in 2003. The steady decline in delivery of facilities is because municipalities that have their own historical backlogs are diverting the MIG fund towards basic services and not sporting facilities.
In order to reverse this trend, the National Sport and Recreation Plan has called for 15% of the Urban Settlements Development Grant to be ring-fenced for building sport and recreation facilities.
Such initiatives are aimed at balancing the disparities between urban areas, where there are far more sporting facilities and fewer needy people, and rural areas. We commend the Department of Sport and Recreation for spending more on rural areas this year and planning to do so in the future.
There is an amount of R9,3 million that will go towards building sport and recreation facilities for all sectors of society this year. However, this budget will be absorbed by the backlogs created by the apartheid legacy; hence the department is currently conducting and verifying sport and recreation facilities in each province.
The facilities audit intends to clarify the number of facilities that exist; the type of facilities; and the primary needs, including their location in each municipality. In this way, the department will be able to ensure that there are norms and standards for their delivery.
Management and maintenance plans for recreational facilities have been developed to address this backlog. These plans will be supporting the provision of sustainable sport and recreation infrastructure.
This process has revealed the substandard and inferior nature of the infrastructure inherited from the previous regime. The department cannot be expected to develop a winning nation or high-performance sportsmen and sportswomen if there are no sporting facilities.
As the ANC is the first party to open the doors of sport to all, it has also fallen up the Department of Sport and Recreation to uncover all challenges and provide solutions for the future of our nation. The ANC supports the Budget Vote.
Mr I S MFUNDISI
Ms L N MJOBO
Mr I S MFUNDISI: Chairperson and hon members, there was a time when South Africans strongly believed that sport and recreational activities were likely to play a significant role in our racially divided society. Unfortunately, that has not been seen to be happening. Participation in sports is very low, especially in our schools, which explains why we are not doing well even with our national teams.
There are obviously many benefits in sport participation, especially for children. We therefore need to interrogate the cause or causes of our lack of achievement. Could it be that our children feel so despondent because even if they have obvious talent, the chances of them advancing in sport are determined by arbitrary unwritten conditions?
There seems to be no coherence in the manner in which the government departments work. The Department of Human Settlements, for instance, will boast about the number of houses they have built for people in an area, but when you visit that area, you will find no sporting facilities. It is as if they are saying that children in that area do not deserve to take part in sports.
Transformation in sport remains something we pay lip service to with no commitment from decision-makers. National sports teams remain skin-colour-coded. If we are lucky, we will see one black player in the cricket or rugby team, despite the fact that many black children participate in these sports at school. Similarly, you will find only one or two white players in the national soccer team.
The burden of disease weighs heavily on South Africa, and therefore it is in the interest of the Department of Health to have citizens participating in sports as part of a healthy lifestyle. Young people engaged in sport are generally well behaved compared to their counterparts. Physical education, as the Minister has indicated, has to be enforced in all the schools; after all they say, mens sana in corpore sano.
There is a general lack of sports facilities as much as there is poor upkeep of those that are available. Stadiums such as those in Mabopane and Mmabatho are left to rot and fall into disuse, yet another one is rising in Soshanguve, a stone's throw away from the other. A closer look can be taken at the circumstances surrounding the glaring omission of Caster Semenya from Sascoc's Operation Excellence, Opex. This can be looked into.
We, in the UCDP, pray for strength for the Minister and want to dissuade him from pursuing, as he has promised, the 2012 Comrades Marathon champion, Ludwick Mamabolo's case. He promised that it would be followed up, while Dr Victor Ramathesele, the Chairman of the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport, Saids, has said it will be dropped, as far as they are concerned.
We are very grateful, Minister, that there is no other place than Sun City where events of importance can be held. That is the product of the UCDP! [Laughter.]
Mr R B BHOOLA
Mr I S MFUNDISI
Mr R B BHOOLA: Hon Chairperson, one of the rallying calls during the struggle for the liberation of our people and country, was for a nonracial sporting environment. It was an essential part of the struggle for our freedom. Madiba wrote in 1994 that sports serve to bring communities together.
Sport is a very powerful career opportunity and a society that shows a preference for a particular class or gender, is hampering the development of sports. This has no potential positive benefits, as it will not contribute to a fair and equal opportunity for all. Once this is accomplished, it would then contribute to our country and nation-building.
Hon Minister, your aggressive campaign which ensures sports equipment, infrastructure and amenities becomes a reality for every ward, is very gratifying. It will certainly advance the growth and development of sport in our country. Operation Sukuma Sakhe is the correct approach. Since the department is represented, yes indeed, it will also constitute sports organisations which will be represented and add value and impetus.
Hon Minister, the strong support that you give to major events is pushing sports forward in our country, and of course, KwaZulu-Natal must be commended, top gear, for their organisational abilities.
The DA should not run with the hares and hunt with the hound. The Western Cape was developed a long time ago. Hon Rabotapi; in a soccer match, dribbling is not important; what is important is the scoring of the goal. [Applause.]
Hon Minister, as you march forward to build a strong, vibrant sporting rainbow nation, remember there are no poor soldiers under a good general; there are no weak troops under a good commander; and there are no bad sports administrators under the watchful eye of a good Minister.
Regardless of the challenges, we laud your efforts. [Applause.]
For as long as participation in sports is dominated by one particular race, people will be prejudiced. Our country has had a brain drain, let us not have a sports drain. Whilst we have come a long way, since 1994, sport is still lacking in schools. Physical education has to be part and parcel of the school curriculum. Martial Arts, which instil discipline, were introduced as a subject in Japan. Discipline is scarce in black communities, so this could equally benefit the youth tremendously.
The former leader of the MF said: "No child should be deprived of his or her talent based on poverty." Let us continue to advance sport in our country – flying under one flag and one banner and proudly South African – and build a strong sporting rainbow nation.
The MF will support the vote. [Time expired.]
Ms G S SINDANE
Mr R B BHOOLA
Ms G S SINDANE: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon members of the House and distinguished guests, it gives me pleasure to rise in this House to debate Budget Vote 20: Sport and Recreation. Kindly pardon me - I said even if I do have the flu, I have to take part in the debate.
This Budget Vote comes two days before the 50th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity, now known as the AU, chaired by Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. As the ANC, we take pride in having developed a cadre of such high quality on the continent.
It is befitting to mention that, as South Africa is signatory to the sports protocol of SADC, we have a role to play in the development of sport and building the continent of Africa.
Allow me to express appreciation for Africa's sporting legends as our torchbearers and ambassadors in the quest to unite the continent through the noble cause of social cohesion. I will cite a few of them.
We have the legend, George Weah, from Liberia; Zola Budd, Francois Pienaar, Bruce Fordyce, Hansie Cronje, "Tap Tap" Makhathini and Hazel Gumede from South Africa; and Abedi Pele from Ghana. The list is endless. We hope, Minister, you will take stock of these legends so that we can put them on the database. Then, as we celebrate the centenary of the AU, we can take stock and see how many we have developed, as a continent.
We shall be failing if we do not take stock and reflect on the sports struggle, pre-1994 to date. Some in South Africa do not want us to talk about that. South African sport has undergone immense struggles. Black sportsmen and sportswomen endured pain but never gave up.
We would like to cite the example of the first black golfer, "Papwa" Sewgolum, who won the Natal Open Golf Championship in 1963. He was refused entry to the whites-only clubhouse to receive his trophy and was made to receive it in the pouring rain by the then apartheid government. [Interjections.]
As communities, we acknowledge and agree that sport is a human right. We can get more information about what I am saying by reading the booklet, Meet the Heroes of the Sport Struggle. It is a booklet developed in the Department of Sport and Recreation. We commend you, hon Minister; you are a real champion. [Applause.]
The Sport and Recreation Strategic Plan 2012-16, specially Programme 3: Mass Participation, has set targets to create elite-level participation through school sports. [Interjections.] I must say, without being disturbed by my counterpart here, we call upon the Minister to come up with a structured and monitored programme for the participation of all schools.
Siswati:
Ngisahleti lapha phansi ngilalele bantfu labangati kutsi kwentekani etikolweni. Kuyasebenteka etikolweni, tikhona temidlalo etikolweni. Inkinga lekhona, Ndvuna Yelitiko, sikhatsi. Kufanele sati kahle kutsi kucalwa nini ngoba ngivile kuphocwa bothishela. Bothishela bayasebenta futsi bafuna kulinganisa umsebenti ...
English:
... of the schools' curriculum and also meeting the targets for sport. We therefore need your department to come up with a circular, like you did when you introduced the school leagues. It must come from your department so that scholar transport can also be regulated ...
IsiZulu:
... ukuze abantwana bakwazi ukubamba iqhaza kwezemidlalo futhi nothisha bangasebenzisi kakhulu isikhathi sabantwana ekwenzeni umsebenzi wokuqeda uhlelo lwezifundo.
English:
It is very important.
We acknowledge the 16-plus-one prioritised school sports codes.
Siswati:
Ngicela kusho kutsi loku kunye nguloku lesikubita ngekutsi yimidlalo yendzabuko.
English:
We acknowledge that you are introducing these indigenous games in the previous model c schools.
Siswati:
Lemidlalo ifaka ekhatsi umlabalaba, tingendvo naleminye leminyenti. Kodvwa-ke Ndvuna ngitsandza kusho kutsi ...
English:
... from what you have actually initiated, you also fall under the leaders that went before you, but according to you the youth come up with their own initiatives. You have set four initiatives. I must share this with you. Samuel Ntokana, a learner from Gomolemo in the North West, who has come up with his own indigenous sport which is called Lesego.
Minister, I would love you to invite that young man to the Schools Olympics to see what this indigenous game entails, so that it may perhaps, also be included. This young man comes from the constituency of Comrade Mmusi. We applaud you, Comrade Mmusi. [Applause.]
As we say that, we call upon all government departments, the business sector and NGOs to make an effort to give financial support so that the NSRP will work.
Siswati:
Solomane siyakhuluma sitsi; imali ayikho.
English:
We have added millionaires to the country. We have also added billionaires to the country, but we do not know where they invest their money. Let us have each and every millionaire donate R1 million or more to one of the 17 prioritised sporting codes, as highlighted. [Interjections.]
As we do so, we commend the department for the support given to the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme in rural areas. However, the impact of the CRDP is a long way off from addressing all the previously disadvantaged communities. To cite an example ...
Siswati:
EMpumalanga kunabomasipala labangu 18 kepha ngulabasiphohlonga kuphela labanalama-CRDP. Uma uwabuka akahambi ngendlela lefanele, esigodzini saseHlanzeni kunayinye kumasipala weNkomazi bese kuba nalamane kumasipala waseNkangala.
English:
You can see that we are a rural province, so it is important, as we do that, that we also make provision for other initiatives for the previously disadvantaged schools. For the rural areas, mass participation is the nerve of the development of sport, because they have nothing. They only thrive by having sporting activities and making the communities come together.
As I conclude, we request that Safa spends its R450 million legacy funds as part of its efforts to boost sport in the country. However, as the committee, we call upon the department to monitor the use of the legacy funds by federations to ensure that money is well spent. To create athletes, who will perform all over Africa and internationally, requires effective federations whose systems are working and who are funded accordingly.
Siswati:
Ngekusho njalo sitsandza kubonga kutsi yonkhe lemidlalo lebungatwako iyachubeka ngoba siyati kutsi kukhona tinkambu telusha, tindzawo talabaluphele tekutilolonga kanye netinhlangano tetemidlalo tekugucula nekutfutfukisa tenhlalo.
English:
Therefore, we call upon everyone to rally behind them and support sport. [Time expired.]
Mr T D LEE
Ms G S SINDANE
Mr T D LEE: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and hon Deputy Minister, friends in the gallery, my colleagues and the department, this is my swansong.
Hon Graham, thank you very, very much for your kind words. I see that hon Kora is the last speaker, so thank you in anticipation for your kind words, Kora. [Laughter.]
I first came to this Parliament in 1994. Over the past 19 years, during which I have had the privilege of serving at the heart of our democratic order, I have seen three distinct phases.
The first, I would call the phase of hope and fear. For the first five years of South Africa's new democracy, our actions were defined by these two impulses. We saw the great potential that freedom brought and with it the possibility that we might create, out of horror and prejudice, a new order and testament to everything that is wonderful about South Africa.
With that came much fear, as the possibility of failure always generates doubt and insecurity. It was an age of great aspiration and great trepidation. I think we have generally done well in keeping that hope alive and those fears fairly constrained.
The second phase is best described as one of self-awareness. Over the next 10 years, we came to realise that our hopes could not be instantaneously realised, the eradication of problems required hard work and our fears would become very real if ever we neglected or failed to be vigilant in our duty. Often, this was the case.
During this time the true nature of those obstacles we had to overcome were quantified – a terrible legacy of poverty and injustice that was as daunting as it was disheartening. Too often we supplemented rather than countered the problem.
Afrikaans:
As gevolg hiervan, is ons nou in die derde fase – een van twyfel. Ons het gesien hoe ons hoop verflou toe die harde werklikheid ons tref. Ons probeer nou die vraag beantwoord: kan ons oorleef?
Hoe goed ons hierdie uitdagings hanteer sal 'n bepaling vir ons toekoms wees. As ons in onsself glo, eerder as om te twyfel, is ek seker dat ons oor ons problem sal triomfeer. As ons ons oorgee aan 'n swak selfbeeld sal ons misluk.
English:
I have observed all of this from a sports perspective. Sport is my passion and my great love, and I think a wonderful metaphor for our democratic journey. Few things better capture South Africa's potential for excellence, and the realisation of our hopes and dreams, than sport. At the same time, few things better capture our collective despair, when those high ideals are crushed.
During my time, I have seen many speakers from the ANC come to this podium, but it has never been my impression that they held a fundamental belief in our potential; rather they have always indulged our fears.
In reflecting, I asked myself why it is that after 19 years I have never heard an ANC speaker come up to this podium and clearly and precisely set out what excellence is – because there sits excellence if you look over on that side – and how it should be a defining ideal around which our sporting policies and programmes are shaped.
How is that possible? Surely that is the defining ideal when it comes to sport and indeed, with regard to so many public concerns. Without the pursuit of excellence as a cornerstone, what is the purpose of competitive sport?
Afrikaans:
Daarteenoor, het alle ander woorde prominent in die ANC-woordeskat geword – woorde soos "transformasie", "kwotas", "demografiese verteenwoordiging", maar nooit "uitnemendheid" nie. "Uitnemendheid is vir hierdie administrasie en dié wat hom voorafgegaan het, 'n vloekwoord, 'n woord wat vermy moet word en weggesteek moet word agter ander belange.
English:
Another statement which I have never heard is that the administration of South African sport will aspire to make excellence its pursuit and the fundamental purpose of every decision it undertakes and every outcome it pursues. Why is it, I asked, that we have never heard a commitment like that being made?
My colleague, Dr Wilmot James, has written that, and I quote:
The best antidote to our fears and insecurity is excellence, and that when we take risks to act and succeed, is when we confirm to ourselves and others that we are worthy.
I think that is a profound insight. Excellence is the answer to the questions we are currently grappling with. If we want to overcome our low sense of self-worth and the effects of decades of degrading treatment imposed on the majority of South Africans, we need to embrace excellence. We need to believe that we can be the best and then be the best, in order to set the standard and then to exceed it.
Can there be any better answer to self-doubt? Is there any greater source of confidence? My party and I have always advocated for this. Our party's sports policy – and I am proud today to say that I am the author of that policy – which is the pursuit of excellence, is testimony to this ideal.
This is because we believe that every South African is first and foremost an agent and not a victim, and that given the right opportunities, everyone can succeed. Unfortunately, it is an answer the ANC seems unwilling to consider. I am asking today, please reconsider this.
I will leave this debate with the following suggestion: Let us use sport to give South Africa the self-confidence it needs. Let us embrace excellence, not shun it. Let us make it the light that guides the decisions we make. Let us outlaw mediocrity and victimhood. Let us emphatically answer the question as to whether we are a great nation capable of great things, and that this is how we are going to dispel our doubts and realise our dreams.
Excellence is indeed the antidote to our fears. Let us start to distribute the cure and stop comforting the disease.
Chairperson, before I end, let me today convey my thank to many people, including the administrators present, to Gideon for the wonderful job that he is doing, to cricket, rugby and all the sporting codes. They give South Africa hope and everything that is good.
As I have said, sometimes we lose and sometimes we win, ... [Applause.] ... but we must lose not because we did not pick the best team but because we played against a better team.
Chairperson, I forgot to mention the department. To you ladies and gentlemen, thank you for all the assistance that you gave us, specially to me, over all these years. [Applause.] I don't see Phumzi or Cori here, but thank you for all your assistance as well.
Finally, Chairperson, I was a little hesitant to speak here today because, for the first time, two of my children are also here. The one, Lauren, who is sitting there, represented South Africa at acro-gymnastics. Next to her is her sister and her husband. [Applause.]
My children, thank you for your support over all these years. I have neglected you, but I hope it was worthwhile for South Africa. [Applause.]
Mr M M DIKGACWI
Mr T D LEE
Mr M M DIKGACWI: Hon Chairperson, to save time let me say, "All protocol observed" because if I were to acknowledge everyone, it would eat into my time. [Laughter.]
I'm not going to deal with my speech in the fashion in which I thought I would, because of some of the utterances that were made here.
I want to begin by quoting the words of our icon, Baba Mandela. He said, and I quote:
Sport has the power to change the world. ... It has the power to unite in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers. It loves in the face of all types of discrimination.
I would have ended my speech with this quote, but I just thought that my time could catch up with me.
I want to respond to a few things before I get into my speech. Hon chair of the committee, I think we will have to change the procedure of how we run the committee. We must have the committee meeting first and eat later. I have picked up that when we eat first, these hon members get drowsy and they don't hear what is happening in the committee. [Laughter.]
An HON MEMBER: It's your members!
Mr M M DIKGACWI: You see, the hon member of the FF Plus is not here. He does not understand as he has never attended any committee meeting. That is why he brought in the issue of the Guptas here. We are talking about sports here, and the Guptas are debated in another committee.
Hon Hlengwa, you speak about corruption in sport. The Minister has addressed those things and he is still busy with it. When the Minister comes to address us, people must listen. Please, don't come and grandstand as if you were not informed about what is happening. [Laughter.]
We went to Argentina with hon Rabotapi – Argentina is far. [Laughter.] In that trip the only thing which came out of him was about his cattle and nothing else. [Interjections.]
Mr G P D MAC KENZIE: Chairperson, on a point of order: What goes on on tour stays on tour. Thank you. [Laughter.] [Interjections.]
Mr M M DIKGACWI: No, you must understand these things. Mr Lee, I agree with the Deputy Minister that it's too soon for you to leave this man on his own as he will cost your party votes. [Laughter.]
As for the issue of this 15% Municipal Infrastructure Grant that you are talking about and worrying about it being taken out of municipalities, there is no municipality in this country which we have not been to, and that 15% is used for toyi-toying, water installations and all those kinds of things.
About three weeks ago I was in the Southern Cape, in Knysna, Goerge and Hessequa. I met with the officials. I took people there. Do you think those people had time to listen to us?
Mr N J VAN DEN BERG: Change them.
Mr M M DIKGACWI: I can't change them, they have been placed there. It is in the Western Cape where this is happening. [Laughter.] You must get your house in order, not me. I can sort out ANC matters, but not these people.
Let me come to my speech which I have drafted; I first wanted to deal with these peripheral issues.
Not too long ago, the Reconstruction and Development Programme recognised sport as one of the cruellest legacies of apartheid. [Interjections.] In 2010, at that time when the ANC took over the Oudtshoorn Municipality, which is my constituency, the DA was trying to squander R8 million on installing lights in a stadium that already had lights. [Interjections.]
When the ANC took over, it redirected that R8 million and built a pavilion in Bridgeton, which is a coloured community.
The municipality received R4 million from the Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant and part of it was used to complete the Bridgeton project and the rest went to Bongolethu, which is its neighbour. As Africans, we share.
They need a further R3 million to complete the stadium at Bongolethu. Minister, they have also indicated to me that they have invited you to go and open it, but I don't know about this.
It is not surprising that what has brought us here today is not just the issue of the limited budget that Sport and Recreation has to work with, but also the question of transformation which the ANC government has found is happening too slowly. I know after this speech many people are not going to like me, but I was born like that on 16 December! [Laughter.]
In fact, transformation and funding are interrelated, despite what some people want the public to think. Sport cannot transform itself. That's why federations play a big role in implementing government policies. Transformation policies are aimed at creating a competitive and winning sports industry in the country.
Hon Jola, I'm sure that nobody needs to be reminded of the potential role of sport in nation-building. Indeed, we often lament the lost chances of the 1995 Rugby World Cup. We didn't really use that opportunity. That was our chance to get the country together. We were getting everyone together during that time, but after that things fell apart again. We must make sure that we make use of these things.
The test rugby match on June 16, about 10 years ago, between the Springboks and the French national team at Ellis Park, constituted part of the Youth Day celebrations and this, in fact, was clear testimony that we had made some progress – and I underline "some progress" – towards unity and indeed, transformation.
The South African Football Association, Safa, also hosted a match in Durban about 10 years ago, on 17 June, as part of the Youth Day celebrations. The players visited Umlazi as part of the event. The commitment shown by this federation brought hope.
IsiXhosa:
Sithetha ngethemba apha. Andazi ke Jola nokuba bebebanjwe nguwe kuba umkhala wawutsalwa nguwe kwiYouth League ngelo xesha.
English:
So you said that if you don't go there, there will a toyi-toyi by the youth league. [Laughter.]
An issue that came out of this good work is that of match-fixing in football. The Minister met with Safa to get a better understanding of the problem instead of just reading about it in the newspapers.
The Minister then decided to appoint a judicial commission of inquiry to get to the bottom of the matter, but Safa wants an independent thing that will just fihlafihla lapha [hide].
The problem with this is that you won't get to the bottom of the problem. Why should they be investigated selectively? And I have asked them this question.
The committee supports you in that endeavour, Minister. We must get to the bottom of that because I don't want people to say that this committee is hard on cricket and rugby, but it puts on kid-gloves when it comes to soccer.
Resistance to change among selected federations has entrenched a culture of poor governance, misappropriation of funds and no growth in the quality of the athletes they produce. We should relentlessly challenge any sport federation that undermines the efforts in this regard. You will recall that at one stage sport was the leading protagonist for change in this country.
IsiXhosa:
Mamela, mamela, mamela! Uyabona apha, sizizinja ezingenamazinyo, nangona ukhona umgaqo osikhuselayo, ukuze sikwazi ukulelwa amazinyo silume. Thina siyamfumfutha kuba sifakele amazinyo emboleko. Sintlantlatha ithambo kodwa ngekhe sifike kumongo osethanjeni.
English:
These administrations don't want to see good governance and proper administration because this would ensure that government exposes their activities.
I'm coming to the issue of excellence which the hon member, the pensioner to be, has spoken about. [Laughter.]
The administrators and the convenors are failing our black athletes. I want to site an example. Both Thami Tsolekile and A B de Villiers were selected together and went on the tour to India. When they came back, Thami Tsolekile was dropped like a hot potato and de Villiers was given the opportunities to be where he is today. [Interjections.]
Can you see the problem? Our kids are given one chance, and no second chance. There are people like Loots Bosman – an opening batsman – who, when he opens, he scores six runs. But we don't see them in the T20. What's wrong with them?
Now we have been told that after Boucher got injured this new boy, Thami, was then called up to tour Australia. But he didn't play a single match. Now Boucher has been tasked to groom Quinton de Kock, but Thami Tsolekile has proven himself with bat and bowl. Go to the franchise where he has been placed now. In the T20 he made no less than 40 runs.
These are the things our sporting codes must get right if excellence is to be evaluated on the same level, hon pensioner Donald. [Laughter.]
An HON MEMBER: What about soccer?
Mr M M DIKGACWI: We are coming to that – can't you listen? Comrade Minister, on a similar note the sports committee has fought hard for the franchise of the Eastern Province Kings. The idea was to unearth black rugby players - Africans in particular. But that is not happening. We must talk about these things and not talk about them in the corners. Let us raise them here. Anyone can phone me and I will answer that as well. [Applause.]
Hon Minister, the other problem we have is that of sponsors. Sponsors are very selective and I can understand that. Also, you can't make them sponsor a federation that cannot handle its issues. Sponsors go to where there is financial discipline. If you can get that right, we will get there.
I want to call upon the ladies present. You usually go to those places where you do your hair, nails and other things. Speak with the owners and tell them there is a netball team or woman's hockey team and that they should come and sponsor them. [Interjections.]
Hon Donald, I will talk with you when you are alone because I don't want you to cry. [Laughter.]
Quickly let me touch on this issue which deals with rural areas. Minister, I'm coming to the 5% which you say you will make a point of it that it will be there for equipment in rural areas like Nxadule and all the other places.
That must happen as there is talent there, Minister. Look at this, hon Minister. [Interjections.]
Hon Mackenzie, Where did you get your mvovo [nectar from the flowers of an aloe]? You got it from the rural area. [Laughter.] Tell the truth! [Time expired.]
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION:
Mr M M DIKGACWI
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: Hon Chairperson, as I did with Orlando Pirates last year, I want to acknowledge and congratulate Kaizer Chiefs for winning the Premier Soccer League this year. [Applause.]
I want to thank the entire staff of the Department of Sport and Recreation, including the director-general, for their excellent work and commitment, and for focusing on the ball. I also want to thank the Deputy Minister, Gert Oosthuizen, and the rest of the staff members in the Ministry.I
First and foremost, let me say that sport has given us unlimited opportunities. During our short spell in Sport and Recreation – after being deployed by the ANC – we have taken groundbreaking strides. Thank you to the ANC for giving us the opportunity to prove our worth. [Applause.]
I want to refer to the issue that the EPG Confederation and Sascoc, have the primary and urgent task of ensuring that the Transformation Charter and Scorecard are implemented.
In this Budget Vote I want to say we are very clear about the task ahead in terms of transformation as well as about what we have done. We don't pay lip service to transformation, but we walk the walk. We don't polarise the nation between black and white.
There are members of the EPG here who are guiding us on the matter of implementing the Transformation Charter and Scorecard, as mandated by the Sports Indaba, to ensure that quotas are implemented. We said that they are counterproductive, but the Sports Indaba said that they must be implemented. So to cry foul because there are no black players and Africans in sports teams will soon be something of the past.
The Transformation Charter, equally, is underpinned by a strong developmental movement because there is an uneven development of players in our country. A child who attends St John's and another child, who attends iQhayiya, are totally different. That is why a child who went to St John's will enjoy the privilege of being selected. He may even play for the Springboks or Proteas. The child who goes to iQhayiya does not have that capacity.
Did you know that the majority of our children eventually go into early retirement precisely because of ailments and injuries because their development is unequal? Their nutrition is not the same. The coaching they receive is not the same.
Our kids from iQhayiya are on their own because they don't even have parental guidance or get the proper nutrition. When players play football for Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, they start having problems and ailments, like tendonitis and others. They suffer and have injuries so, it's not the same.
That is why we are fighting for equal development. People come here to grandstand, but they don't know about these realities. Our task and programme of action is to ensure that things do happen.
Of course, there are fundamental problems with selection if youngsters who are capable are not selected in many instances, and those who are selected are not selected on merit.
I don't want a South African rugby team that is black. I want a black and white, nonracial team. That's what I want [Applause.] I don't want to say, lets give all black people a chance and let all of them go. [Laughter.]
We seem to believe this myth, among other things, that black people can't swim and that white people are born with the ability to swim and that is why swimmers will only be white. But it's because we don't have training.
There's nothing you can do. Listen to the story of Chad le Clos and where he came from. He did not become a swimmer at the age of 20. He was born with the ability and he was supported by his parents. Where are these black kids going to learn to swim when they are being neglected? Sheer talent, endurance, ability and a sense of belief is what has made them.
We are not complaining. We are on track and on course in terms of changing the situation. I'm not going to blame any federation. We are going to come to the party.
Hon Khoarai, you were right for having raised the issues you did, as were all other members. We have the Scorecard and the Transformation Charter. We have agreed that those who transform will be incentivised. We will name and shame those who do not transform; and there will be consequences for them not transforming their teams, whether it is rugby or cricket - it doesn't matter. They have to transform and give youngsters the opportunity to actually play.
I didn't come here to complain. It's the first time in South Africa that we have a National Sport and Recreation Plan. We have never had that before. It is aligned and has been costed out. Some people like to judge South Africa according to First World standards by looking at Australia.
We are not Australia. We are a liberated country. Australia was liberated long ago, as was the UK and the US, before we were there. We judge ourselves according to Third World standards. That's where we are and we are on course in that regard. So in 2030, in line with the NDP, we will be able to talk about a South Africa that is different.
Gideon Sam is the president of Sascoc. He can promise us approximately 20 medals. Who gives money to these athletes to support themselves? As I'm speaking to you now, Australia is in preparation for Rio de Janeiro because they failed in the UK. They have invested more then A$20 billion in their plan because they mean business.
Here we are still discussing the Opex, who's in or who's out. We are not complaining. We are on course. We understand our journey and where we come from. The ANC would have loved to spend R20 billion on sport, but we have houses to build and people to feed. [Interjections.] That is what we must understand. [Applause.]
We are on course in relation to what we want to achieve. People came to grandstand about many other issues such as facilities. We are on course with regard to facilities. There is the Municipal Infrastructure Grant and we have asked the Treasury to reinvest.
Get my full and unedited speech online or on Youtube. This is Parliament and we are given limited time to speak. It's not like we can pass on our time to each other. If you want the benefit of hearing the speech, it is online.
The MIG that will be reinvested will be costed, we will be given the money so that we will be able to allocate facilities to all areas. That is what is going to happen. Let's not speak as if there are no facilities. There are many facilities. Some of them are dilapidated and not well looked after, but we have to revamp them and ensure that they benefit our youth in different areas.
My last point refers to people who spoke about the Sports Awards and they spoke about excellence. I don't pay lip service to this. I am going to organise the Sports Awards. If the DA wants to stop me, then they should do that. I will stop them, but I'm not going to stop the Sports Awards to reward excellence.
You stand here and grandstand about older people whom we honour at the sports awards with green jackets and other things. But you are hypocrites because you sponsored Manchester United with over R10 million to come and play at Green Point Stadium. [Interjections.]
I don't pay Manchester United. Your premier and mayor here in Cape Town are persuading the PSL to bring Liverpool here, yet you don't even give a cent to Chippa United and Ajax that are here in Cape Town. [Interjections.]
You sponsor golf tournaments. You come and grandstand by misinforming the public that I spent R65 million. Thank you to the SA Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, and Supersport for giving me the airtime for the Sports Awards. [Applause.]
That was not money that came from us, it was in kind. Today you celebrate Chad le Clos and everybody else because you saw them at the Sports Awards. [Interjections.] We are prepared and we are still going to support them. All of these athletes are beneficiaries of the Sports Awards.
You are invited to the Superbowl. The razzmatazz is not going to stop. [Applause.] It's going to be with you and it's going to engulf you. It has graduated from razzmatazz to being a humdinger. [Laughter] Please, sort yourselves out with a suit and proper shoes. You will be welcomed at the door. [Laughter.] We are rocking and there's is no going back. Forward ever, backward never!
I want to thank the many great people whom I have met in sport ... [Interjections.] ... and I think, Lee, you will be thanked properly.
An HON MEMBER: Hon Lee.
The MINISTER: Mr hon Lee! [Laughter.] You joined the wrong party. That is the problem. You should have been with the ANC from the beginning. Thank you to everybody who has touched our lives. As the president says: ...
IsiZulu:
Isende le ndlela; asikakafiki sisaya.
English:
The good things have just begun. Thank you, Chairperson and hon members. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
The Committee rose at 16:45.
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