Hansard: EPC: Debate on Vote No 20 – Sport and Recreation
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 17 Jul 2014
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
"Old Assembly Main",Unrevised Hansard,01 Sep 2014,"Take 196 [Old Assembly Main].doc"
"Old Assembly Main",Unrevised Hansard,17 Jul 2014,"[Take-196] [Old Assembly Main][90P-4-082A][ns].docSTART OF DAY
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 196
THURSDAY, 17 JULY 2014
PROCEEDINGS OF EXTENDED PUBLIC COMMITTEE – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Members of the Extended Public Committee met in the Old Assembly Chamber at 16:35.
House Chairperson Mr C T Frolick, as Chairperson, took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
APPROPRIATION BILL
Debate on Vote No 20 – Sport and Recreation:
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: Chairperson, Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation, Mr Gert Oosthuizen, the chairperson of the parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation, MECs from various provinces, the director-general, hon members, distinguished guests and all our invited guests from different sporting codes in the gallery ...
IsiZulu:
... sanibonani. [I greet you all.]
It is now exactly a month since the President, his Excellency J G Zuma, delivered the state of the nation address in this august House, setting out a clear programme of action that this government will be pursuing and executing in the next five years. The President's address is indeed a clarion call for action to all of us, more so to the sporting sector, concerning the direction that this nation will be taking in the next five years.
We return to this House this afternoon reinforced and emboldened by the appointment of eight new members of the provincial executive councils for sport, with one having been retained. Please join me in congratulating the incoming MECs and the returning MEC and, of course, I wish the colleagues a successful run in their term of office. [Applause.] We congratulate the incoming chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation and we are looking forward to a closer, more dynamic and enhanced working relationship with the portfolio committee and the MECs. The appointment of a female chairperson of the portfolio committee alongside seven women MECs is indicative of the ANC's commitment to gender parity. It is a good omen for the development of women in sport and augurs well for transformation in the sport and recreation sector.
IsiXhosa:
Wathinta abafazi, wathinta imbokotho. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Malibongwe! Igama lamakhosikazi! Uza kufa qha.
English:
As the Deputy Minister and I have been retained, I would like to have a round of applause for that. {Applause.] In the last financial year, we took deliberate and direct action to ensure that as many as possible South Africans participate in sport and recreation activities. Indeed, this is beginning to bear fruit, as we saw over the three past financial years that 61 694 people were given access to participation in sport.
In the past two financial years, 2011-12 and 2012-13, support was provided to 1 461 athletes and 77 coaches, while in 2012-13 alone 90 athletes were supported. At the end of the year under review, 58 athletes and coaches were assisted by means of scientific support programmes. The support provided to these sportsmen and women contributed towards their achievements nationally, continentally and consequently internationally.
Development remains the critical foundation for progress at grassroots level through to elite sports and high performance. Hence our theme for this year's Budget Vote speech is correctly coined "accelerating sport development, our non-negotiable mandate". We implore all stakeholders to walk hand in hand with us to address the issues of development across all the sporting codes in South Africa, in particular the 17 priority sports codes that we have identified.
We reflected in our National Sport and Recreation Plan, I quote:
World-wide sport strategies are focused on increasing levels of participation in sport and recreation as well as achieving success at an international level.
International experiences have shown that, indeed, successful sporting nations do not just derive their success from the air. Meaningful investments are required from an early age for enhanced and effective participation in sport. As we have further argued in our National Sport and Recreation Plan, no country can expect to achieve and sustain success at an elite level without a strong participation base in the community. We have therefore identified school sports as the central starting point for sport development in this country. We shall indeed not end there, as we will also be putting in place facilities in communities, working together with the municipalities and the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. In his response to the state of the nation address the President reflected, and I quote:
One of the success areas of every nation must be its ability to compete with the nations on the sportsfields. We have to improve our sports performance.
In this regard, the President has given us a commanding instruction to work with various stakeholders in investing in school sport, and the provision and maintenance of adequate sports facilities in our residential areas.
We have met with all MECs and stakeholders and mapped a way forward and plotted a strategic way forward in terms of what needs to be done. In sport and recreation, we know very well, we can be all over the place and want to do everything that everybody wishes us to do, but we have identified four to five areas that need real emphasis in the next five years and even beyond.
Arising from the implementation of the national sports plan, firstly, is school sports. School sports provide a platform for all learners, skilled or unskilled, with an opportunity to develop their potential at a very early age. Our philosophy, approach and belief are that school sports is the bedrock of our entire sports development continuum. It sets a foundation from which some of the great sportspersons can develop their potential.
Abigail Pakisi, on Facebook, has made the plea that we should help to improve school sports as it is central to development. Abigail, you will be pleased to know that we take the issue of school sports very seriously as we concur with you that there cannot be any meaningful development without grassroots development, which is mainly provided at schoollevel.
In 2011, we made a commitment with the Department of Education, whose aim is to ensure that each and every learner at school participates in sports. I've said at the time that we needed to move away from a situation where school sports are not just an extramural activity, but a core element of the school curriculum. Currently, there are about 24 000 schools in South Africa, comprising about 12.2 million learners. Of these schools 18 786 are registered to participate in the league system. As a department we intend to set aside 25% of our budget, which is approximately R400 million, for school sports development.
When we started with this programme in 2012 there were only 5 137 participants across eight codes at the 2013 national school sports championship in Mangaung. There was a total of 11 780 participants across 11 sports codes. This programme is growing exponentially on an annual basis.
At this year's championship we will further include new sports codes. Swimming and goal ball have been added to the championship and a further addition has been two new codes for indigenous games, kho-kho and kgati. We anticipate that the number of participants will increase to 15 000 at the 2014 championships. It is our stated policy commitment that all schools and all children in our country should be afforded the opportunity to play at least one sporting code during their schooldays.
It is from this programme that we seek to identify talent to harness, incubate, nurture and develop it to elite performance level. We will also continue to integrate the rest of the priorities, sporting codes and indigenous games into the school sports system over the medium term and to pursue the alignment of the school code structures and the federation structures.
The co-operation between Sport and Recreation SA and the Department of Basic Education lays the foundation for the delivery of an integrated school sports programme. One of the biggest challenges facing the school sports programme is teacher involvement and capacity of educators in the delivery of sport. It is imperative for the two departments to put focused emphasis on empowering educators.
A further challenge in delivering sports in schools is the shortage of suitable sporting equipment and apparel. In some cases when schools do get equipment it is of inferior quality, despite the exorbitant prices being charged by service providers. To address this the department is implementing norms and standards regarding the specifications of what sport equipment and consumables can be purchased and distributed..
One of the most important policy initiatives government has undertaken is the national norms and standards for the building of new schools. Although this policy clearly directs that all new schools that are being built should have sport and recreation facilities as part of the establishment process, this has unfortunately not yet been implemented.
We are also going ahead with an initiative to register at least two schools per sporting code per province as specialist sport schools. This work will ultimately see the accreditation and operation of 890 schools across the breath of our country, representing the 16 priority codes of schools sports. We have already accredited 12 such sports-focused schools and are exponentially increasing this number to reach the desired target by 2032. The second phase of this initiative, which is under way, will see schools from KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Cape included.
As I stand before this august House today, learners have already been identified at the National School Sports Championships held in 2012 and 2013 for placement in the specialised schools. These learners are fully funded to ensure that they receive quality education, while developing as athletes in various codes.
Despite the signed agreement between the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Sport and Recreation, there are still structural challenges that need to be addressed. Our consistent call to have physical education delinked from Life Orientation and made a stand-alone subject has been ignored and disregarded. We strongly and firmly believe that physical education is key to ensuring that sport at school becomes an integral part of the curriculum. We believe that there should be dedicated teachers for physical education. It remains our call that the Department of Basic Education should ensure that there is adequate availability of skilled physical education educators in all schools and a dedicated period for physical education, outside of Life Orientation, on which learners must be assessed, with particular focus on schools in rural areas.
Following the success of the school sports league system, the option of introducing a university sports cup, and supporting leagues, will be explored. This will provide a clear developmental pathway for talented athletes as they leave school. The importance of school sports for the development and growth of sport in our country is reflected in the growth in expenditure over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework period. The main activity in the school sport subprogramme is the National School Sport Championships. The amount allocated is R32,2 million at national level, and R210 million, which is 40% of the conditional grant. But, as I have reflected, this amount is too little to meet the objectives that we have set ourselves for school sports.
Given the magnitude of the school sport programme and the limited available public funds, we have commenced with a process of mobilising private partnerships and funding to increase the participation base for school sports, particularly the age-specific league programmes within specific sports codes. We have formulated a new funding model to finance the National School Sports programme.
The second aspect we have identified is club development. Even though an integrated and sustainable club structure is recognised as a prerequisite for the foundation of the South African sports system, currently there is no accurate picture of which clubs exist and their membership status, and many of the clubs that had been developed were not been sustainable. To this effect, we have produced a club toolkit to assist with classifying and grading clubs and conducted a pilot study in the Mopani District Municipality in rural Limpopo province, and eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, where we are piloting a franchise system of club development. The outcomes of the pilot study will determine the extent of the further roll-out of the system. We will also be conducting a comprehensive audit of clubs linked to 16 of the 64 recognised national federations that are supported.
The third aspect is community sports. Sports participation opportunities will continue, in 2014-15, to be provided to communities through our community sports subprogramme. We will continue to fund loveLife with the funding choices aligned with the objectives of the sports plan and the department. LoveLife will continue its focus on developing the capacity of young out-of-school and unemployed people in rural and marginalised communities that have limited opportunities. A new crop of SRSA-specific groundbreakers from communities surrounding the 2010 Fifa legacy pitches will be supported.
As regards facilities, which is the fourth aspect, this financial year we will continue to lobby for facilities and to co-ordinate the provision of sport and recreation facilities by municipalities and we continue to lobby that the municipal 15% grant must be wholly allocated to the Sports and Recreation Department, because this money, whilst it is allocated to municipalities, stands to be diverted from time to time because of the challenges that municipalities are faced with. If the total figure of 15% is allocated to us, on which we have done thorough work in terms of looking after it, we are convinced that we would be in a position to implement the roll-out of infrastructure and facilities at all levels in the communities. We will continue to roll out outdoor gym infrastructure this year and we have allocated R10,4 million to achieving this particular purpose.
The other aspect is the academy system. We have, through the National Sport and Recreation Plan, made a commitment to support the development of South African sport through a co-ordinated elite sporting academy system. The essence of this system will be to create centres of excellence that will support and enhance levels of performance of talented athletes and to create a new generation of coaches, administrators and technical officials. We have signed a co-operation agreement with the government of the Kingdom of Lesotho on the High Altitude Training Centre at Ha Rapokolana in the Lesotho Highlands – sorry, Basotho. [Laughter.] We have, further to this, established a national training centre for South African elite athletes in partnership with the Free State Department of Sport and Recreation, the South African Sports Confederation and the Olympic Committee, Sascoc, the Free State Sports Science Institute and the Free State Sports Confederation.
We are pleased to announce that the Netball Premier League and the Basketball National League, which we have always promised to implement, have successfully seen the light of day. [Applause.] We are also planning to implement the roll-out in diversification of sport to a volleyball premier league and also a national professional hockey league for South Africa. The scoping exercises will be concluded in the current medium-term period. We believe these leagues will contribute immensely to the professionalisation of sport in South Africa and contribute to the transformation process in sport.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Minister, you have two minutes to conclude.
The last point that I want to emphasise is transformation, right at this point. Engagements we have had with different stakeholders indicate how narrowly some of us view transformation. Despite the transformation scorecard that highlights different elements, such as governance as part of transformation, public discussions have always degenerated into the simple equation of colour and quotas as part of transformation.
Nonetheless, we realise that our approach to transformation is bottom-up; it is not imposing it horizontally on federations. Transformation will be executed in the context of the implementation of the scorecard and the transformation charter that has been agreed upon. All the other aspects that we have outlined as our priority areas, such as the academy system, school sport and community sport and so on are integrated plans that would enhance the full implementation of transformation in South Africa. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Ms B N DLULANE
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 197
Ms B N DLULANE: Chairperson ...
IsiXhosa:
... yasuka yahlala, ninganyebezeli kuza kudlalwa. [Uwele-wele.]
English:
Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon MECs ...
IsiXhosa:
... andimboni owasekhaya ...
English:
... hon members, the sports fraternity and distinguished guests, I wish to take this opportunity to convey our sincere condolences to the Ntwanambi family, who lost their daughter, who was also a Member of Parliament and a leader in the women's struggle in this country within the ranks of the ANC Women's League. She was also a national executive member of the ANC and the deputy president of the Women's League. May her soul rest in peace.
Equally important, I wish to pause at this moment and congratulate Brazil on successfully hosting the 2014 Fifa Soccer World Cup. We know that Brazil and South Africa are members of the Brics group, and that we share some similarities with regard to our socioeconomic landscapes, but most importantly our passion for sport. We know for a fact that Brazilians are exceptionally passionate about football, but are equally focused on eradicating inequality in their country. They feel the same way we do. The 2014 Fifa Soccer World Cup was organised in such a way that it will be remembered for years, leaving a positive legacy for society as a whole, just as it did in South Africa. We are still reliving the memories of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, Minister.
As a global citizen, allow me also to congratulate the German national team on winning the 2014 Fifa Soccer World Cup. At one point in life the German national team they were embarrassed by their early exit from Euro 2000, but now they can boast being both Champions League finalists and the 2014 Fifa World Cup champions thanks to a system that values coaches and nurtures indigenous talent. Indeed, a few lessons can be learnt from the patience of ensuring that development structures are established and programmes are in line with building a strong foundation from which talent can be identified, rather than just throwing money at every problem.
Forced into the overhaul of youth football, the Deutscher Fußball-Bund, the DFB, the Bundesliga and the clubs decided that the development of more technically proficient, home-grown players would be in everyone's best interests. This led to the creation of academies right across the top two divisions. This approach of building structures to support a whole system can be transplanted and implemented, as captured in the National Sport and Recreation Plan. The pillars of an efficient sports system are its composite structure and the co-ordination thereof.
This year we are celebrating 20 years of freedom and democracy in South Africa. It is indeed a remarkable achievement that we have managed to come this far, where we can indeed make observations about the progress our country has made in many different spheres of government and also highlight the challenges that still confront us 20 years later.
Linked to this is that many years ago, before this democratic Parliament, I dedicated my entire life to waging the struggle against the gruesome system of apartheid. We used netball to recruit young comrades and as a cover to conscientise those cadres about the evil laws in the workplace. I used to play in position no 7, which was called "goalkeeper" or "defender" at the time. [Applause.] It was never easy as we were subjected to all forms of injustice. Those were trying times that characterised the days of our lives back then, when we utilised netball to advance our struggle against oppression. At that time, there was absolutely no good story to tell compared to today.
In silence and obviously suffering grinding pain, the voice of Pixley ka Isaka Seme kept me going, especially his conviction that one day Africa would rise. Indeed, Africa proved to be a sleeping giant, one that has reawakened, and this has been through the focused resilience of the displaced and the oppressed, especially in our country.
As we celebrate 20 years of democracy, which on its own is a good story to tell, I must reiterate what Minister Mbalula mentioned about transformation. It appears that transformation has been as slippery as an eel and very difficult for the sports sector to get to grips with over the past two decades. Different people at different times have had a different understanding of the term "transformation", with no common understanding or definition. It is no wonder that 20 years into our democracy the sports sector is still not transformed. The sector has not even met its own targets. This is really sad, because in the end it is our athletes that have not been afforded the opportunity to develop and perform to their highest potential. Of course, there are those who prefer this misunderstanding as it serves their purpose in delaying transformation. They have apartheid hangovers.
IsiXhosa:
Yibhabhalaza ke leyo.
English:
History does not lie.
IsiXhosa:
Imbali ayixoki. Into eyenzekayo iya kuhlala kusithiwa yenzeka.
English:
Ours is to learn progressively and correctly to avoid repeating history's heartless blunders. In 1958 in this country a certain Mr Donges, who was the Minister of Sport in South Africa, adopted a sports plan that gave priority to rugby and cricket to the extent that a white child was supported and funded eight times more than a black child.
Today, there are still some amongst us who find solace and pleasure in perpetuating Mr Donge's irrational ideology of putting a black child at a disadvantage. There is no better example to illustrate this point than what happened to Thami Tsolekile recently. The late Maya Angelou, in her poetic, flowing works, encouraged us to rise in times like these. She said:
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.
By making radical changes, we must rise on behalf of the Tsolekiles of this world and have more good stories to tell as we are an ocean that leaves behind the nights of terror and fear. Politically, we are the dream and the hope of the slave.
From the progressive forces of our people we have received a clear and consistent mandate to change Mr Donge's plan of 1958. This has been asserted in the past two ANC conferences, that swiftly endorsed the case for transformation of sport in our country. Such a process led to the birth of the National Sport and Recreation Plan, which was adopted by the Cabinet two years ago.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon member, you have two minutes remaining.
Ms B N DLULANE: This is a beautiful, but unfunded mandate.
Minister, we have had a briefing, and we are sure that we want to see this change take place. Regarding this mandate of yours, which is unfunded, we will be doing our own oversight over it as a committee. We all agree that we are not happy about the fact that in the rural areas there are no recreational facilities such as halls and whatever.
Before I sit down, I want to say, with regard to those provincial MECs who are not taking sport seriously, we can't give government 15% of our budget. There are only three provinces - the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape - that are topping up the money allocated to sport. Why is that? We are doing oversight, and we are not happy with the SA Local Government Association, Salga. We want them to tell us whether or not they are downing tools regarding this money, or receiving it late. This is a new committee, and we will be all over, wanting to see what the black and white children are getting. [Applause.]
The ANC supports this budget. [Applause.]
Mr M S SESHOKA
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"Old Assembly Main",Unrevised Hansard,17 Jul 2014,"[Take-198] [Old Assembly Main][90P-4-082A][ns].doc"
Ms B N DLULANE
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 198
Mr M S SESHOKA: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, fellow hon members, future sports stars in the gallery, ladies and gentlemen, we were once again reminded of the uniting power of sport with the 2014 Fifa Soccer World Cup. It's a pity that we had to be content with watching other national teams because our own Bafana Bafana did not qualify for reasons that are obvious to this House. The World Cup was yet another sad reminder that we are a lightweight football nation that is a distant mile away from competing with the heavyweights. [Interjections.] Our failure as a country in sport is not because there is a lack of talented youngsters who want to become sports champions. [Interjections.]
Mr I M OLLIS: Chairperson, this is the member's maiden speech and he is a new Member of Parliament. Could we just ask for his protection? [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon members! Hon member, your Whips have not indicated that this is the member's maiden speech. In future, I would encourage the Whips of your party to inform us so that we can announce it when that is the case. In the meantime you can continue, hon member.
Mr M S SESHOKA: Chairperson, I'm unshaken by the intimidation. [Applause.]
Several of our sports stars and sports teams have had, and continue to show, glimpses of greatness across different sporting codes. The Springboks' courageous victories in 1995 and 2007 were testament to the strength of domestic rugby structures to produce world-class talent.
Bafana Bafana's metamorphosis from football minnows to champions of Africa in 1996 was proof that limited resources are not always an obstacle to achieving success in sport. The sight of Josia Thugwane, who was a security guard who became a long-distance runner ... [Interjections.] ... sprinting to gold medal glory at the 1996 Olympic Games ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon members! Continue, hon member.
Mr M S SESHOKA: ... remains one of our country's truly inspirational sports stories. Chad le Clos' unbelievably powerful strike to win the gold medal in the 200 m butterfly at the London Olympics was the culmination of years of hard work, complemented by quality coaching from an early age. The success of the under-19 national cricket team, who are the current world champions in their division, and the Baby Boks, who are the runners-up in their division, are evidence that some sports federations have more solid youth development programmes than others.
The common denominators of the unimaginable achievements of these athletes and teams that I have mentioned are proper development structures and exceptional individual resilience. These are rare victories in the midst of thousands of talented and aspirant sports stars throughout the country.
However, we can begin to change this by producing a generation of champions, if only our federations and sport administrators are committed to good governance in sport.
The two federations that have produced the most medal winners at the
Olympics and Paralympics, these being Athletics SA and Swimming SA, have often been bedevilled by prolonged periods of internal instability. As such, the interests of swimmers and athletes were relegated to the backseat as administrators were in self-destruction mode. Our elite swimmers and athletes often grapple with the rigorous task of competing at the highest level with relative, if any support from their federations. It is no wonder that some of them often opt to move overseas to prepare themselves adequately to compete against their peers, who receive substantial support from their domestic federations.
Hon Minister, the truth is that in sport, what happens in the boardroom has a direct correlation with what takes place on the field of play. We have become serial underachievers in sport because our administrators are architects of what you often call mediocrity in sport. This ranges from the absence of concrete youth development programmes in some federations and poor governance models in other federations.
Many of our federations repeatedly bemoan the increased withdrawal of sponsors from sport without at least some introspection. The reality is that our administrators don't value the importance and difference that good governance plays in sport. The levels of financial mismanagement and a blatant refusal to account to sport authorities, including some federations that get funding from your department, are harming the prosperity of sport in our country. Unlike your predecessors, hon Minister, this is where you have real power to change this.
The grants that your department provides to federations – as correctly alluded to by the chairperson of the portfolio committee, totalling R97 million for the 2013-14 financial year, and which has increased to an allocation of R113 million for the current financial year - are your instruments of upholding good governance in sport. No federation, and I repeat, no federation that receives a dime of public money should continue to do so if it consistently fails to account for every single cent that it receives from your department. [Applause.]
For our part as the portfolio committee, we will assist you by regularly summoning federations to appear before the portfolio committee to account for their management of taxpayers' money. Hon Minister, we hope that you will not dither in appearing before the portfolio committee, so that we can hold these federations accountable for all the grants that you allocate to them for sports development, so as to ensure that these monies are spent on producing the next generation of talented sports stars that our country needs to compete at the highest level.
Good governance in all sports federations is a non-negotiable requirement for success in sport. In this regard, I urge the Minister to prioritise the improvement of governance in sports bodies by supporting them with the provision of training in financial management and corporate governance, using the already available expertise in the department, led by the director-general. We expect the department and the Minister to lead by example in promoting financial prudence in sport.
This brings me to the Minister's self-professed and insatiable appetite for mega-events and razzmatazz. [Laughter.] [Interjections.] Hon Minister, we appreciate the energy you have injected into this portfolio to revitalise sport in the country. We congratulate you for launching the netball and basketball premier leagues. However, we are concerned about your affinity for excessive costs to celebrate modest milestones. Surely, spending over R50 million on the annual SA Sports Awards between the 2011-12 and 2013-14 financial years is an unnecessary and extravagant transaction in the face of repeated pleas for additional funding for investment in decent sports facilities in the rural villages, where they are needed most, as the hon chairperson said. [Applause.]
Hon Minister, please don't get me wrong; we are all for celebrating the exceptional achievements of our athletes whenever they reach the pinnacle of glory in sport. What we are not in support of is a process whereby we invite global entertainment has-beens, at exorbitant cost, to come to the country in order to headline these sports awards, when we have equally, and in many cases, more than talented local entertainers that are available at a very modest cost. [Applause.]
We are concerned about the dire state of boxing in the country. However, it was refreshing to learn that the current board of Boxing SA is dedicated to upholding good governance practices in the organisation. We commend the swift action of the current chairperson, Ntambi Ravele, to launch a preliminary investigation that resulted in the ultimate suspension of the current acting CEO for allegations of maladministration and fraud. We hope that Dr Ntambi Ravele's team will herald a new era of clean, efficient and sound management of boxing to revive the sport to its former glory days and hopefully return the sport to the public broadcaster so that it can be broadcasted for the joy of boxing fans throughout the country.
Hon Minister, it was worrying to learn during the two briefings that the department had with the portfolio committee in your absence that the department has no recourse to act against provincial governments and municipalities that receive grants to spend on sports infrastructure and activities – a point that was also mentioned by the chairperson of the portfolio committee. Central to this is the failure and the lack of a mechanism to hold accountable those provinces that are either underspending or reassigning funds for sport and recreation to other activities. We urge you to use all available co-operative governance channels, including the prospect of declaring intergovernmental disputes, to ensure that these provinces, whether they are governed by the ANC or the DA, account for these funds.
However, I have reliably been informed by my colleague in the Western Cape provincial government that since you took office the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport has managed to spend over 98% of the sport conditional grant that you gave them.
Hon Minister, the Mass Participation Programme, which accounts for over 55% of the total sports budget, has the potential to generate widespread participation in sport, and set us on the path of producing the next generation of sports champions that our country desperately needs.
However, its management is devoid of efficiency, resulting in missed targets and generating no real value for the money it receives. For example, firstly, less than half of the targeted 4 652 schools, sports hubs and clubs received sports equipment from the department; secondly, a further 8 648 participants, out of a target of 42 000, took part in sports promotion projects managed by the department under this programme; and thirdly, in addition to this, approximately half of the targeted 18 000 coaches, administrators and technical officials received training from the department.
These figures show that the model for mass participation used by the department simply isn't working well. There is scope for improvement if the department aligns its management of the programme with the best practices of the Western Cape provincial government's Mass Participation, Opportunity and Access, Development and Growth, MOD, Centres Programme.
There are currently 181 MOD centres in the province, each equipped with well-trained and accredited coaches in netball, volleyball, table tennis, soccer and rugby. These centres provide the ideal space for youngsters to play under the guidance of qualified mentors and to be fed the nutritional meals that they need to develop properly as athletes.
Hon Minister, this brings me to transformation in sport. A significant part of the ongoing debate in the sport community has unfortunately been misplaced. We should be wary of reducing the debate about sport to the racial composition of senior national teams, as some have attempted to do.
Transformation should not be reduced to a numbers game. It should be about equitable access to world-class sports facilities across all codes. The best way to transform sport is to give all youngsters the option to participate in whichever code they choose, in their own communities, with access to quality facilities and proper coaching, so that they can develop to be competitive on the global scene, and so produce the bunch of winners that we all want our sports stars to be. [Applause.]
If this government is truly serious about investing in world-class facilities, it must be consistent in all spheres of government. We can't have a situation where President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead has, not one, but two astroturf football pitches ... [Interjections.] ... that have ... [Interjections.]I repeat, we can't have a situation where President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead has, not one, but two astroturf football pitches, that have now become grazing fodder for his cattle, when soccer players ... [Interjections.] ... in the same village ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON: (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon members! Continue hon member.
Mr M S SESHOKA: ... when amateur football players in the same village of Nkandla, in my own home village of Moduane and in many other rural villages, as indicated by the hon chairperson of the portfolio committee, play on dusty grounds.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): You have two minutes left, hon member.
Mr M S SESHOKA: I would like end my speech by wishing Team SA well for the Commonwealth Games. We will be rooting for them to bring home more medals than their predecessors. I would also like to acknowledge the colour of the hon Minister's suit, yours, as well as mine. We seem to be telepathic. Ke a leboga.[Thank you.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: Hon Chairperson, on a point of order: In order to maintain the decorum of the House, I allowed the member to complete his maiden speech before rising. I allowed that, hoping that the Whips would have imparted the knowledge that if you deliver your maiden speech, hon member, you should not be controversial.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you, hon Deputy Minister.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: If you are controversial, we are going to attack ... [Interjections.] ... and not respect you. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon members! Order! Calm down! Thank you.
Mr P G MOTEKA
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"Old Assembly Main",Unrevised Hansard,17 Jul 2014,"[Take-199] [Old Assembly Main][90P-4-082A][ns].doc"
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick)
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 199
Sepedi:
Mna P G MOTEKA: Modulasetulo, ke opa leopo ke le Tau ya mariri, ke re madume šeao.
English:
Mr P G MOTEKA: The position of the EFF is clear on sports and recreation. We cannot expect sports to be normal in an abnormal society; above all, the success of sports where the majority are black athletes have been a total failure, like Bafana Bafana.
Hon Minister, it is not true that blacks can't swim, can't play hockey or can't play tennis. Our observation is that 20 years into democracy, blacks and rural schoolchildren are still excluded from proper sports facilities and participation. This is because there is no comprehensive sports development programmes that aim to diversify participation across geographical and class divisions. Hon Chair, the most popular places in townships and rural villages are not sports centres, but shebeens and the use of drugs.
Honourable Minister, you will be embarrassed and extremely ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon members.
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: Chairperson, on a point of order. Is he saying "horrible" or "honourable"? [Laughter.] [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon member. Hon Minister, you were rising on a point of order. What is your point of order?
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: You know, I was just saying that I am not "horrible"; I am "honourable". [Laughter.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): I think that he got the message, Minister. Hon member, continue.I It's "honourable".
Mr P G MOTEKA: The hon Minister has a problem with his ears. He can't hear. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon members!
Mr P G MOTEKA: Hon Mbalula, you will be embarrassed and extremely ashamed if you visited the following public schools: Malekutu Senior Secondary School, Maputhe Primary School in Sekhukhune, Tshilala Secondary School in Venda, Umgaga High, Shumayela High and Tshelabantu Primary in KwaZulu-Natal, Visisani Primary in Northern Cape, Boiketlong Primary in Katlehong and Katlehong High in Gauteng, Katamelo Primary in Botshabelo, Bokamoso School in Matatiele, Mphebatho Primary, Marubising Secondary in North West, Imbali Primary in Mpumalanga, Mothomeng Primary in Tzaneen, Tlokwe High School in North West and Stormont Madubela Primary here in the Western Cape.
Our country is diverse, with a black majority, but sporting codes do not reflect the reality of the country. The hon Minister is bullied into contradictions by minority lobby groups. The issue of transformation in sports cannot be a top-down approach. It must be from the bottom up and should develop strong junior teams in all sporting codes across the geographical and class divide, with equitable infrastructure in areas where this is needed most.
The department shows no determination or intention to diversify sporting codes in townships or rural areas. It's soccer all the time. The rest of the money goes to paying international artists, as we almost paid Beyonce millions of rands.
More budget must be allocated for infrastructure in rural areas and townships to enable the previously disadvantaged in the transformation of sports. Corporations must not make profits at the expense of the development of athletes. Sponsorship seems more interested in profits than the development of sports in our communities.
The Department of Sport and Recreation must partner with the Department of Basic Education to implement physical education in all schools, with professionally trained coaches for all sporting codes, in order to encourage healthy lifestyles.
The EFF wants to emphasise the need to provide support for female and disabled athletes in order to increase their diversity and participation in sports and recreation. Millions of rands are spent on sports awards - whose legitimacy we are here to question the hon Minister on - rather than to develop a concrete, comprehensive plan to diversify participation in sports.
Dear Minister, we have heard from the presentation of your department that you are underspending. What you have said here is very nice, but to us it is still paying lip service, because you never used what you had been allocated in the previous year. You underspent too much. On that basis, the EFF is rejecting the budget. [Interjections.]
Sepedi:
Bobo tšea, bokoloti ke bjoo. [Applause.]
Mr K P SITHOLE
Mr P G MOTEKA:
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 199
Mr K P SITHOLE: Hon Chairperson, firstly, the IFP is saying that they support Vote No 20. [Applause.] Chairperson, we do this because of the urgent need for holistic sports development of our youth. We do this because there are still large disparities between sports structures, facilities and equipment in our urban and rural schools as well as sports clubs. We do this because the time for talking about transformation in sports is over and the time for actual transformation in sports is now at hand. We must now walk our talk. Minister ...
IsiZulu:
... asingazosinisa amahleza lapha, inguquko akube yinguquko. Ngeke ukhulume ngenguquko noma ngeke sikhulume ngenguquko kuze kuphela iminyaka eyishumi. Inguquko kufanele yenzeke manje ...
An HON MEMBER: Hayi kusasa...
Mnu K P SITHOLE: Hayi kusasa ... SiyiNkatha yeNkululeko asifuni ukukukhumbula ngengoNgqongqoshe owakhuluma ngenguquko kepha wangayenza.
English:
When we talk about transformation, we are talking about financial management. We are talking about implementation. When are we going to see the implementation in sports, because we cannot just talk about transformation without implementation?
Chairperson, we must ensure the levelling of the playing field for all South Africans who wish to engage in sporting activities. We cannot have proper sports development when the large majority of our citizens do not have access to proper equipment and training.
Chairperson, the training must start at school level, as the Minister emphasised.
IsiZulu:
Izikole zethu azinazo izinkudla zemidlalo ezisesimweni esihle. Sisuka ezindaweni ezahlukene. Sisuka ezindaweni zasemakhaya lapho kunezingane ezinamathalente ahlukahlukene. Kufanele sikwazi ukuzisiza ukuthuthukisa amathalente azo ukuze zibe yizingqwele zakusasa. Kuzobakuhle ukuthi umnyango uke uphume uye ezindaweni ezisemakhaya ukuze mhlawumbe kutholakale izinhlobo ezahlukene zamakhono nasezindaweni zasemakhaya.
English:
This was a day on which all pupils were encouraged to participate in many sports disciplines, from cricket, rugby, athletics, netball and hockey to swimming. We need days like these back in the school curriculum.
IsiZulu:
Sisebancane kwakuthi njalo ngoLwezithathu kube nosuku lwesikole olwalwaziya ngokuthi wusuku lwezemidlalo. Sicela lubuyiswe lolo suku ezikoleni.
English:
We had all the equipment and we had proper sports fields. If one takes a look at the large majority of sports fields today, all we see is crisis. The fields are unkept and the equipment is in a state of disrepair.
These disadvantages not only impact on our youth, but also on our country, as young sports talent cannot be easily identified and nurtured into future sports stars. In this respect, it is imperative that the Minister and the department focus on and send scouts particularly to our rural areas. That is where young sports talent can be identified and then sent to sports academies for further training and development of their individual talents.
Chairperson, South Africa has an abundance of raw sports talent. If we want to have an active and winning nation, we have to identify and nurture those talents.
Sport also brings people together; it unifies the citizens and engenders national pride and patriotism. It is in this spirit that we urge the department to get behind drives to bring sports to all of our communities and to encourage greater community participation in local sports events.
Our national sports teams should also be more active at school level. Let the children meet their favourite sports heroes. Then, let them be inspired and seek to follow in their footsteps. Let us build a strong and healthy nation with sport and recreation as one of our core and fundamental pillars.
IsiZulu:
Ayikho ingane engakhula ngokuphelele uma singakwazi ukwenza inkundla yezemidlalo ibe yindawo lapho izingane zingathokozela ukudlala kahle kuyo futhi zithole yonke inhlobo yamakhono, ngaphandle kokubheka ibala lesikhumba. Angithokoze.
Mr M S MABILIKA
Mr K P SITHOLE:
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 199
Mr M S MABILIKA: Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister and hon members, the NFP supports the budget that you have presented ... [Applause.] ... although it is noted with great concern that the department underspent on its previous budget. This is not acceptable, no matter how hard the officials may try to explain it. Sports in this country continue to disappoint after all the efforts that you, Minister, and the department have been putting in to rescue the situation.
Why is Boxing SA spending 60% of its allocated budget on staff salaries when there is no development at all, and what are these staff members doing? Our Bafana Bafana is a mess. We only qualify when we host, other than that, we do not look anywhere closer to competing with countries like Germany, but the department continues to pump in money that renders no value.
IsiZulu:
Sisilindele ngamehlo abomvu isimemezelo somqeqeshi ozothatha.
English:
Minister, 3% of the Mass Participation Grant is to assist provinces with the establishment of the sports councils, but for now these councils seem not to be clear with regard to their roles and responsibilities. So, it is necessary that their roles are clearly defined for the purpose of spending money.
Minister, provinces and municipalities build sports facilities as they are given grants by your department. However, it is worrying that some rural municipalities do not have plans for utilising those facilities, as you sometimes find a municipality with a zero budget for sports, as if sport is not important.
As regards the School Sport Mass Participation Programme, as one of the key projects for this financial year it remains to be seen how this programme will be carried out, because sport in school is not compulsory. In the seven hours of schooling, sport is not catered for, and educators cannot be forced to remain behind to train learners. Schools participate by choice, depending on the money they have. This is because they have to affiliate in order to participate and have money to transport learners if they are to go and participate in sports.
Lastly, Minister, something needs to be done about the sports hubs. They exist, especially in rural areas, but they are not taken good care of. They lack resources and facilitators are not well paid. Otherwise, they are developmental, Minister, I must say.
IsiZulu:
Iyona nto enikeza izingane zasemakhaya ithuba lokungena kwezemidlalo. Kukhona izingane esezikwazi ukuyomela izwe lethu ngaphandle ngenxa yalezi zinhlelo zemidlalo, ikakhulukazi emidlalweni yesintu. Isikhathi esiningi zonke lezi zinhlangano zemidlalo eziningi kangaka azibonwa ezindaweni zasemakhaya, ngingazibala ezinye zalezi zinhlangano zemidlalo; inhlangano yebhola lomnqakiswano, inhlangano yezesibhakela, inhlangano yebhola lombhoxo, inhlangano yekhilikithi njalonjalo, i-Safa iyazama ukusondelana nabantu basemakhaya.
English:
Minister, it is expensive for rural poor, especially the young ones, to participate in Safa games, because you need to affiliate and have money to pay for this and that. So, it becomes very difficult for poor rural children to be able to participate. So, we request the Minister that that should also be looked into. Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mr S G MMUSI
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"Old Assembly Main",Unrevised Hansard,17 Jul 2014,"[Take-200] [Old Assembly Main][90P-4-082A][ns].doc"
Mr M S MABILIKA
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 200
Mr S G MMUSI: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister of the Department of Sport and Recreation, Deputy Minister, director-general, members of the portfolio committee, MECs of Sport and Recreation present today, hon members and guests in the gallery, I greet you all in the spirit of oneness and unity in sport.
Before I commence with my speech, I am actually tempted to respond to the so-called maiden speech of hon Seshoka. [Interjections.] I am saying so-called, because as far as I know, when you deliver your maiden speech, you need not be controversial. [Interjections.] Chairperson ...
Mr G R DAVIS: On a point of order, Chairperson.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon members, the point was raised that no one notified the Chairperson who was in the Chair at the time that the hon member was making his maiden speech. That must be announced in this House. Thank you.
Mr G R DAVIS: On a point of order, Chairperson: The Chairperson before you was notified, and the heckling continued. And I would like the hon member to point out what was controversial, because everything that my colleague said was the truth. [Applause.] [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon member, let him actually point out where the controversy is. It is not for you, hon member, to then pontificate at this stage. Thank you.
Mr S G MMUSI: Hon Chairperson, firstly, may I indicate that when Bafana Bafana play, they not only represent the ANC, but they represent the entire nation, including the DA. [Applause.] Secondly, may I indicate to hon Seshoka that the culture of the boardroom is foreign to us in the ANC ...
Ms S P KOPANE: On a point of order, Chairperson.
Mr S G MMUSI: In the ANC we have revolutionary houses. We have a revolutionary house, and not a boardroom.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Can you just ...
Ms S P KOPANE: Hon Chair, I think the hon member is misleading this House. Maybe he has a problem with listening, because ...
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): What is the point of order, hon member?
Ms S P KOPANE: He is misleading this House, because that is not what our hon member said in his speech.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): It is not a point of order. Please take your seat. Hon member, continue with your speech.
Dr D T GEORGE: On a point of order, Chairperson! On a point of order: My colleague is quite right. It is a point of order. [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon member, hon member!
Dr D T GEORGE: The hon member can explain himself if he is being misquoted.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon member, I have answered the hon member who raised the point of order and I have made a ruling on that. Thank you very much. Continue, hon member.
Mr S G MMUSI: Thank you, hon Chairperson, for protecting me. The DA does not tell people like hon Seshoka what they discuss in their boardrooms, for example that the Cape Town Jazz Festival, which they host every year, operates at a loss year in and year out. Of course, because it happens in the boardrooms of the DA, hon Seshoka does not know anything about it. [Laughter.] [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Order!
Mr S G MMUSI: Hon Seshoka, I want to believe that the only time you will know about this would be when you leave for Harvard University. [Laughter.] Watch out, hon Seshoka, you are on your way to Harvard University. [Laughter.]
The challenge is that most of the detractors of the work of the department and the transformation agenda do not give themselves the time to read the documents of the department. I doubt that hon Seshoka from the DA has ever read the National Sports and Recreation Plan, let alone read and understood the Transformation Charter and its scorecards. I believe that the Sport Transformation Barometer is too complicated and abstract for him. Sport is not transformed today because of puppets, like some of them in the DA. [Applause.] I do not see anything wrong with the SA Sports Awards.
Mr G R DAVIS: On a point of order, Chairperson.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): What is your point of order?
Mr G R DAVIS: The hon member referred to my hon colleagues as puppets and that is offensive. [Interjections.] That is offensive language in terms of the Rules, and I would like you to make a ruling on that, please.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): I'll look into the matter and report back. I say so is that it is not unparliamentary for your own ... [Interjections.] ... No it's not, and we are not going to argue about that. Thank you. Continue, hon member.
An HON MEMBER: Madam Chair, madam Chair ...
Mr S G MMUSI: Hon Chairperson, I have not yet started, but they keep on interrupting me.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Continue, hon member.
Mr S G MMUSI: Hon Chairperson, I was saying to the House that I do not see anything wrong with the SA Sports Awards. In actual fact, with the SA Sports Awards we are given an opportunity as South Africans, and as a nation, to get to know some of our best sportspeople in the country. For example, most of us did not know Lucas Sithole. It was through the SA Sports Awards that a number of us happened to learn that there is an athlete like Lucas Sithole. [Applause.]
I want to begin by indicating that I want to speak about here is funding for sport and recreation. We have heard the Minister with all the good stories and the achievements of the department and the ANC. Of course, we understand and want to accept that there would always be challenges along the way when we try to transform the legacy that was left us by apartheid. [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon member, you have two minutes remaining. [Interjections.]
Mr S G MMUSI: Thank you, Chairperson. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon members on my left, I am pleading with you right now. Stop interrupting the person who has been given the chance to make a speech right now, please.
Mr S G MMUSI: Hon Chairperson, they ...
Ms S V KALYAN: Hon Chair, may I address you on a point of clarity? Are you saying expressly that the members to your left are not allowed to heckle? Is it what you are saying, Madam?
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon member, with due respect, you understand clearly what I meant.
HON MEMBERS: No, we don't!
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): No, you did! I am answering you and I am not answering anybody else. [Interjections.] Kalyan, please. [Interjections.] Hon member, please. Please, hon member, let's not waste time unnecessarily. Hon member, continue.
Mr S G MMUSI: Unlike the DA, I think we in the ANC want to take the blame for Bafana Bafana's perpetually poor performance. If I may give an example. They were knocked out in the group stages in 2010 when they were the host; they did badly in the Chan games; and they failed to qualify for the 2014 Fifa. Now we are asking the question: What is actually happening with Bafana Bafana? Is it a question of funding? Why does it look like some Bafana Bafana players are more loyal to their individual clubs than they are to the national team? Is it true that what they get in the national team is a pittance compared to what they get in their respective clubs? What do we do then, if that is the case? Do we look at it and let it go on with impunity, or do we just do something so that it should not continue? With this, we are beginning to see the signs of failure of patriotism. Something needs to be done about this before it's too late. We call upon the Minister to act swiftly, and I know that he will do so; politely so. Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SPORTS AND RECREATION"Old Assembly Main",Unrevised Hansard,01 Sep 2014,"Take 201 [Old Assembly Main].doc"
Mr S G MMUSI"Old Assembly Main",Unrevised Hansard,17 Jul 2014,"[Take-201] [Old Assembly Main][90P-4-082A][ns].doc"
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 201
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: Hon Chairperson, hon members, I join my hon Minister, Fikile Mbalula, in expressing our gratitude and thanks to President Zuma and the ruling party, the ANC, for deploying us to the same positions. It is good to be in the same team, Minister, and we are going to move this thing forward.
Chairperson, may I, right at the beginning, just say that there are some of the newer members in the House, and that if you have got nothing to say, please don't say it here ... [Laughter.] ... because it is recorded. And you, madam, have not learnt anything in five years! So, be quiet, because you may learn something now. [Laughter.]
Hon members, the Minister has elaborated on some of our priorities for the next five years ... [Interjections.] ... namely, school sports, club development, community sports facilities and transformation ... [Interjections.]
Ms S V KALYAN: Madam Chair, may I address you on a point of order? [Interjections.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: I suggest you take your seat and buckle up, because we are going to move now. [Laughter.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon Deputy Minister, take your seat. What is your point of order, madam?
Ms S V KALYAN: Madam Chair, my point of order is that the Deputy Minister of Sports ... [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Would you refer to me as "honourable".
Ms S V KALYAN: Hon Chairperson ... [Interjections.]... the Deputy Minister of sport pointed in this direction, gesticulated and referred to "you", and I submit that the gesture and the referral to "you" is unparliamentary. I would ask you to rule on that. You have just now made a ruling that we should not be heckling on this side, but with aggressive attitudes like that from the other side, Madam, I suggest that you apply the Rules consistently.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon members, I am referring to all of you. Please let us try to be very polite when we address each other in this Chamber. In that way, we could be able to save some time that right now is being wasted unnecessarily. Continue, hon member.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: Hon Chairperson, like I said, we must buckle up, ee are going to move now. So, I will now focus on the critical work of our department. [Laughter.] It is wonderful to participate in this debate, and to have the humour back into sports because that is the glue that takes us all forward. [Laughter.]
However, we have to speak about the priorities that will enable us to deliver adequately on our mandate and the MTEF. And in keeping with our vision of an active nation, I would like to draw your attention to recreation and that programme of ours.
The Ministerial Advisory Committee on Recreation continues to assist the department to actualise the essence of recreation in our country. This committee has completed a report on recreation in our country focusing on, amongst others, the successes, strengths, weaknesses and failures of the current recreation landscape. The Minister will soon release the report for public comment.
In the meantime, the department will continue to provide secretarial support to the committee and will, over the medium term, develop a single governance framework for recreation to strengthen the delivery of our programmes.
The National Youth Camp will once again be held in all nine provinces in October this year to coincide with the school holidays. Let me say once again that the purpose of the camp is to teach young people leadership skills, life skills and national pride by using practical lessons in social cohesion in a rural, outdoor environment. As part of the 20-year celebration of our democracy, the 2014 National Youth Camp will focus on 20-year-old participants, the so-called "born-frees". We are expecting 3 000 youths, representing diverse cultural groupings, to attend and we are looking forward to having a wonderful time.
In keeping with the NDP's proposal for an initiative to encourage South Africans to walk, run, cycle or play team games on the second Saturday of every month, our department will continue with its Cycle4Life programme. To this effect, we will continue to work with the Burry Stander Foundation, Cycling SA and other government departments such as Transport, Health, Basic Education the Defence Force, SAPS and all of those that can help to ensure the effective promotion of this programme.
The Big Walk will be staged on the first Sunday of October this year with the view to encourage participation in physical activities by all of us in this country. In delivering the Golden Games, we will again partner with the Department of Social Development. These competitive events for older persons are hosted with the conviction that people can significantly improve their quality of life by staying active and fully engaged in life.
As department, we provide scientific support to our stakeholders. To this end, the athlete residential support initiative will be phased out in the current financial year and replaced by the Ministerial Sports Bursary Programme. The new approach will focus on setting the agenda for sport in South Africa and, let me also say, achieving excellence.
A talent identification and development strategy was developed in 2013 and is being implemented in conjunction with a holistic academy system. Assistance will be provided to support private initiatives such as the Dr Khumalo Football Academy and the Grant Kgomo Rugby Foundation, where we aim to groom talented young stars for excellence so that they can represent our country in future. In this regard we will also approach the SANDF, the SAPS and Correctional Services with the view to investigate the possibility of talented young athletes being supported by their respective infrastructures.
In other African countries this initiative has produced exceptional athletes and good results. Programmes catering for the specific needs of the sport and recreation sector will be supported by a comprehensive research and development programme. Strong emphasis will also be placed on establishing and maintaining a knowledge management system.
Students benefitting from the Postgraduate Development Programme of our department, which is being implemented in partnership with the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority, Cathsseta, in sports science, will be supported with access to the department's administrative resources assisting them with their studies.
The students will also present their research findings at the SA Sport and Recreation Conference, SASReCON, which is, as you knoaw, South Africa's primary bi-annual sport and recreation conference, which is a valuable forum for South Africa's sport and recreation community to exchange views and knowledge on topical issues in multiple disciplines within sport and recreation.
This conference also assists with creating an interface and facilitate knowledge-sharing between coaches and the scientific professionals with the intention of ensuring that coaches continuously improve their skills and apply scientifically validated coaching methods.
Another platform for intellectual debate within the sector is our ThinkSport Journal, whose publication each year is coupled with a very good seminar.
Hon members, the department will partner with Sascoc on the roll-out of the talent tracking system to ensure that the athletes who succeed at national competition level are supported to develop into elite athletes. As Sascoc is the implementation agency in this area, the role of the department is to ensure that systems are in place from district to provincial level to ensure a flow of talent to the national level.
The NDP also acknowledges that South Africa has also been, and I quote, "positioned as a conference and sports event destination". In an effort to perpetuate this, selected national and international sporting events, exhibitions and conferences will continue to be used to showcase this wonderful country of ours as a sports tourism destination.
The department will provide institutional and intra-governmental support to approximately four major events approved in line with the regulations for bidding and hosting of international sport and recreational events.
In the current financial year, the scientific support programme received an additional allocation of R4,5 million to support the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport, the view of which is to ensure that our agency complies with the World Anti-Doping Agency code. The expenditure on contractors in the scientific support subprogramme grew significantly from the 2010-11 to the 2013-14 financial year due to the department intensifying support to our elite athletes through our high-performance centres in preparation for major events over this period, including the 2012 London Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this year.
Fluctuations in the transfers to nonprofit institutions are due to once-off allocations of R84 million in the 2012-13 financial year to host the Africa Cup of Nations, and R36 million in 2013-14 for hosting the African Nations Championship.
As a result, spending in the major events subprogramme of the department fluctuated in the 2010-11 and the 2013-14 financial years. The available funds decreased to only R10,3 million for the current year, which poses a serious challenge as we have to fund our Ekhaya project and our sports tourism initiatives from this budget.
One of our other important programmes is sport support services. Federations are graded to ascertain their overall assessment of needs. The department works closely with those federations requiring institutional support, including financial management, fundraising and project management to enable them to be sustainable.
In the future, funding to all federations will be instituted according to the Recognised Sport Bodies Grant Framework. Funding to federations is provided across two tiers, namely guaranteed funding, fundamentally for administration, and conditional funding, meant for performance, which will constitute the bulk of the funding that will address issues of governance, development and, yes, transformation.
The department will continue to assist federations to ensure that they are able to submit the required documents in the format required, so that all targeted federations will receive their financial support early and timeously in the financial year.
The department will ensure that good governance prevails in all national federations. Steps will be implemented to address any alleged misconduct. Workshops to capacitate our national federations in this regard are planned and are under way for 2014. In addition to providing institutional support, the department will also prioritise federations and ensure that prioritised federations are capacitated to optimally deliver their programmes to realise the sector's vision of an active and winning nation.
Factors influencing the prioritisation of a federation will be support for school sport, and include, amongst others, the promotion of mass participation; exerting a strong presence with a national footprint; facilitating the easy roll-out in terms of affordability and sustainability; and, yes, the promotion of equity principles, namely redress and transformation.
A federation to receive intensive support will be selected each year. I want to remind the House that in 2012 additional assistance was rendered to netball, and in 2013 tennis was the beneficiary. Basketball has been identified as the 2014 beneficiary and the National Basketball League is currently underway for the second year, and it is very successful.
The department will continue to support the Sports Trust, whose primary focus is on assisting communities by providing them with equipment, facilities and other resources required for the development of sport and recreation. The funds allocated to the Sports Trust are mainly used for priority projects identified by the department.
In the 2014-15 financial year, the department will continue with the establishment of the Thabang Lebese Player Benefit Programme with a view to assisting indigent athletes with their identified social and insurance needs. In terms of international relations, we will continue with the strategically focused approach that commenced in 2013.
In this regard, the agreements and programmes of action will be informed by the international relations strategy, and we will continue to build on and strengthen bilateral relationships to support sport and recreation development in South Africa by executing exchange programmes with international partners.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon member, you have two minutes remaining.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: Hon Chairperson, South Africa has so many things to report on. I am happy to report that two weeks ago South Africa was re-elected as Chair of the Sport for Development and Peace Thematic Working Group as well as Chair of the executive board of Sport and Development of Peace.
Our input in terms of sport for gender-based violence was unanimously accepted. And, yes, let me say that it is now going to the UN to be adopted. Another good story, hon Chairperson, from the government of South Africa. [Applause.]
Hon members, time is not on our side and we have so many things to say, but let me say this. Although the road ahead is still long and challenging, we have the National Sport and Recreation Plan to guide us as a sector. Linked with the NDP, we cannot falter, but it will need all of us in the sport and recreation sector to pull together and to work as one unified force towards success. Then, I am sure, we will achieve it, because as we speak, and as a Ministry and a department, we are winners; we never lose. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mrs B L Abrahams
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The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 202
Mrs B L ABRAHAMS: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members and guests in the gallery, I just quickly want to respond to the EFF member who spoke earlier. Yes, the ANC agrees with you that it is not true that blacks can't swim; blacks can swim. By the same token, it is also not true that if you wear a red overall and a beret, you won't be able to participate in sport. Maybe you should just get into some sports gear! [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, I would like to quote our former President Nelson Mandela:
Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite in a way that little else does.
I believe that sport can unite and heal our nation. Each person just needs the opportunity to show that it is possible and it can be done.
I am looking forward to the day, hopefully very soon, when we see all our children participate in sport together, united, and building a nation that is not divided by race, class, religion or culture. Let's all work together to move South Africa forward so that our sportswomen and sportsmen can achieve their best results and be proud to represent our beloved country, South Africa.
South Africa is now indeed a better place to live in than it was in 1994. I clearly remember how my dad, my brothers, my husband and many other South Africans could not participate in soccer because of apartheid. Sadly, because of that, they could not represent their country. My father was allowed to be a soldier and to fight for his country, but he was not allowed to participate in sport. Upon returning from the battlefield, he was not allowed to participate in any kind of sport. Never. It breaks my heart to think that he could have been killed, but he was not allowed to participate in sport. That was what apartheid did. It killed and robbed not just people like my father, but many, many other South Africans simply because they were not the right colour or race.
Today, I stand here in this august House and say without a doubt that South Africa is indeed a better place to live in now than prior to 1994. [Applause.] I am proud to be a South African, where there is a place and an opportunity for all of us. I will never ever be part of any system that promotes apartheid. I won't be.
I think everybody knows Smiley Mosa. Imagine this; he could not play for his own country! He had to change his name to Mister. That is so sad. People used to call him "Mr Williams". He was one of the best dribblers a country could ever dream of having. People would wonder in amazement how a white guy was able to play and dribble so well. That is what apartheid did to us.
I would also like to quote the late Hassan Howa, who said: "You can't play normal sports in an abnormal society." That is what apartheid did to us. There is no denying that South Africa is indeed a better place now than it was prior to 1994.
As the Minister mentioned, sports infrastructure development and maintenance has been identified as a key priority. It was identified as such in the National Sport and Recreation Plan of 2011. In addition, the need for a multipronged and multilevel approach to the development and maintenance of sports infrastructure has also been identified.
Development of sports facilities without maintenance should not take place, hon Minister. The department needs a continuous maintenance plan for all facilities.
As stated in the ANC's 53rd conference resolutions, social transformation is important. We need to redress past imbalances. We need to work together towards the implementation of the 2030 NDP as a long and sustainable vision that can serve as the basis for partnerships in society so that we can attain the South Africa of our dreams, our rainbow nation, in which the colour of one's skin will not determine who one is and what sport one may participate in, but that such determinations would rather be based on equality and fairness.
The ANC-led government will continue to fight against any form of discrimination that poses a threat to social cohesion and nation-building.
After 20 years of democracy many infrastructure developments have taken place throughout our country where previously no infrastructure existed. There are still many facilities that are not available for use by communities that live but a few metres away from them. Such communities then have to travel long distances to another facility because the one closest to them is not available to them to use. Government sports facilities must be available for use by all South Africans. In some instances, it is costly for people to travel to other facilities, and this where they drive past facilities that are used only by certain communities. This is still happening in the new South Africa. This is not acceptable if we claim to be a South Africa for all the people. This needs to change sooner rather than later, Mr Minister. It is long overdue.
In both rural and urban areas all communities should have access to local sports facilities. We need to have outreach programmes in rural areas and townships across the country through which we can distribute sports equipment and roll out outdoor gyms and other sport and recreation materials and facilities to those communities.
Developing outdoor gyms throughout the country is a good idea. It has been proven that the outdoor gyms in Soweto and Eldorado Park have broken down barriers separating communities. People are allowed to use these gyms even though they do not reside in the area. In Mitchells Plain an outdoor gym was installed and the community is ecstatic! They are very happy. This is an innovative initiative that can be replicated in all communities. These outdoor gyms have proved to enjoyable to the whole family as everyone in the family can go to the park and participate in walking, cycling and just enjoying themselves. This is indeed a good and a healthy story to tell.
This sort of development has built our nation as facilities developed in the various provinces are used by everybody. Sporting facilities and equipment in rural schools and communities are important for future development in our country. The absence of these facilities in disadvantaged communities must be ranked as one of the cruelest legacies of apartheid. That is why it is important to build more sports and recreation infrastructure, particularly in the townships and rural communities.
The Rural Sport Improvement Programme, under the guidance of the National House of the Traditional Leaders, needs to be advanced as it is critical for the development of rural areas. This will play a role in the resuscitation and development of rural sport.
In conclusion, allow me to quote the Freedom Charter: "Rest, leisure and recreation shall be the right of all." This is such a profound statement. We should not only quote it, but also live it. The ANC supports this budget. Siyabonga. [Thank you.]
Mr M L W FILTANE
Mrs B L ABRAHAMS
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 202
Mr M L W FILTANE: Hon Chair, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon guests in our gallery, we acknowledge your presence. Hon Minister, it's scrum time.
Afrikaans:
Kom ons "scrum" saam. [Let's all scrum together.]
English:
The provision of recreational facilities, especially in rural areas, is particularly welcome to the UDM. We appreciate that. We are raw, rural rustics.
The move towards spending more on sports activities by citizens in general as an investment in living healthy lifestyles is also supported. However, such investments should be monitored and evaluated in terms of their success at actually increasing levels of wellness, which is the intended purpose of the programme. In that way, we will be able to isolate certain areas as pilot sites and determine how many people there actually need to go to clinics. Otherwise, if we just roll programmes out without putting monitoring mechanisms in place, we are not going to get good returns on our investment.
In response to the identified risk of relying on teachers to train kids at school, our suggestion is simply that we should appoint people from outside of the teaching profession who have recognised qualifications in psychology and physical education. We have seen the consequences of asking and expecting teachers to perform this task. Conditions are not as they were in our time. Teachers require certain things that the government finds difficult to provide, yet they are still expected to deliver. Let's appoint people whose focus will be on training kids. The meaningful way in which this can be done is to cluster schools by region and by federation. If we roll out such a programme it will encourage young people to give their best.
On the department's priorities, which are most welcome, the acid test will be how to implement... [Interjections.] Hello, hon Mr Mnguni.
Please add Border Rugby to the list of institutions that need special, critical attention. That unit is suffering constant illness. Transformation is a very critical area that needs specially focused attention, federation by federation.
I have gone through a lot of the documents that have been submitted by the department and I have not seen any bold and radical plans to transform the intransigent federations. I have not seen that. Minister, you are challenged to make sure that your department produces those plans.
The reasons offered by the department of budget reductions in the bursary programme are just not convincing. In fact, they rebut the overall goals of the department.
In closing, I want to say that the development of recreational facilities, through the municipal infrastructure grant programme, is progressing very slowly. This is not acceptable. This would address the fundamental problems that we are experiencing at local government level. I have been a player atlocal government level for the past 10 years. Some municipalities just do not care much about sport. You need to do something.
Lastly, none of the documents that we have seen pertaining to the active nation programme – that consumes over 50% of your budget, Minister – report or reflect any socioeconomic spin-offs. We don't know if that was the intention, but I could not find anything to that effect.
The UDM supports the budget. Thank you.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon member, I gave given you one minute extra, but now your time is over. [Interjections.] Yes, it was a bonus. He is not the only one; there are others who were given bonuses. [Interjections.] They are not bonuses in reality. I merely decided to allocate extra minutes because some speakers did not turn up.
Ms S V KALYAN: Madam Chairperson, may I please address you on that issue – the allocation of extra speaking time – as a point of order? It is a convention, Madam, that the Whips are consulted on this matter before speaking time is transferred between parties. That was not done with the DA. May I just point out that this agreement had been reached in the Chief Whipss Forum. It is not at the discretion of the Chair to allocate speaking time.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon member, it is not me per se who allocated the time. Let me draw your attention to one thing. Before any other party is given a minute or two minutes, there is consultation. As things stand right now, there is an hon member in this House who was part of that consultation and who actually said that he was going to take the time and distribute it amongst the other members. Thank you.
Mr G R DAVIS: Madam Chairperson, on a point of order: Could you please tell us who that hon member is?
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Well, unfortunately, I am not in the ... It is not the DA's time, for starters. [Interjections.] No, no, no! Hon member, I am still on the floor. Could you take your seat, please. I am still pleading with all members here in this House not to waste time unnecessarily. It was not the DA's allocation; it was the IFP's allocation. Thank you. I now close the discussion on this matter.
Ms S V KALYAN: Madam Chair, you cannot close the discussion. May I address you on a point of order, please?
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Hon member, I have given you an explanation and there is a final decision on this. Could you take your seat. [Interjections.] Take your seat!
Ms S V KALYAN: I am not happy with your explanation, Madam Chairperson.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms T C Memela): Take your seat! If you are not happy, lodge a complaint. Thank you.
Ms S V KALYAN: I seek clarity, Madam Chair.
Ms D P MANANA
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Ms B L ABRAHAMS/ The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Ms C T Memela)
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 203
Ms D P MANANA: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members, guests in the gallery and all the sports officials, I am so humbled to be given this chance, as a no 4 netball player ... [Applause.] ... and as an athlete who participated in the 21 km marathon at Loskop Dam in Mpumalanga, where I received a gold medal. [Applause.]
May I start by congratulating the hon Minister and his Deputy on their redeployment to the Sport and Recreation portfolio. In the 53rd National Conference of the ANC, it restated its conviction that sport plays a pivotal role in developing and promoting social cohesion, shaping the minds of the children in schools, mobilising people around one vision and building patriotism. We witnessed this during the 2010 Fifa World Cup here in South Africa.
The ANC manifesto emphasises the need to improve the quality of our education and training. The key commitments laid out for the next five years are making early childhood development a priority, eradicating illiteracy, improving the quality of teaching and learning in schools and building capacity in higher education. The above matters are well captured in the Annual Performance Plan, APP, of the Department of Sport and Recreation, informed by the National Development Plan, NDP, and expressed in the National Sport and Recreation Plan, NSRP. The department, in the coming five years, seeks to achieve the goal of an active nation, a winning nation, creating an enabling environment, transversal issues and sports as a tool, amongst others.
We have to inculcate the culture of developing a child as a whole. The intellectual capacity of a child depends on physical ability. Sport and recreation is an appropriate tool to address this. Hence, there is a saying: A child in sport is a child out of court. [Applause.]
We know that the issues under discussion are enshrined in the National Sport and Recreation Plan under the component Active Nation. However, a lot needs to be done to find the effective implementation of the plan. Having regular local, district and national competitions is not enough. The full implementation would ensure that every child in our community has access to sport and recreation through programmes that cater for children after school. These programmes should be part of community initiatives.
Siswati:
Sihlalo, emalunga lahleti ngesandleni sesancele etama ngawo onkhe emandla awo kutsi asehlukanise ngekwemibala yetfu ngambili kwanga 1994. [Kuhlaba Lulwimi.] Besuka lapho behlukanisa tindzawo lesasihlala kuto batesta emabito, batibita ngekutsi ngusemakhaya nome emaphandleni lapho kuhlala khona bantfu labamnyama. Betsa emabito emadolobha batsi ngusemadolobheni lapho khona kuhleti bona bodvwa. [Tandla.]
Noko, ngahulumende wentsandvo yelinyenti loholwa nguKhongolose, ANC, kwatfolakala kutsi usibitela ekuhlanganeni kutsi sibe munye. Nanyalo ngiyanetsembisa kutsi ngetemidlalo, sitawuhlangana sibe munye. [Tandla.]
English:
We acknowledge the fact that the funds will not be adequate to address all the issues. However, we are guided once more by our ANC manifesto, where it says, and I quote:
We will strengthen co-ordination between departments responsible for early childhood development, nonprofit organisations and the private sector.
The ANC manifesto empowers us to intensify our fight to reduce maternal child mortality and promote women's health. In the next five years, the ANC-led government is expected to intensify measures to reduce unwanted pregnancies, with a special focus on teenage pregnancy. This will encourage child survival, improve the lives of young women and markedly reduce maternal mortality. This will be done through education, information and the launch of a massive contraceptive and family planning programme through loveLife, since they are our stakeholders. [Applause.]
Recreation hubs are an effective tool to address the idle minds of the youth after school. However, they are not as effective as they should be. Monitoring of funding allocated to recreation hubs should be implemented in support of Budget Vote No 20 for the programmes of sport and recreation to be implemented.
We are directed by the ANC manifesto and the NDP to ensure nation-building and social cohesion, collective identity and national pride as South Africans. We are directed by the fact that we have the capacity to act in social solidarity with one another and advance the value of our constitutional democracy.
A nation united in diversity and a common purpose will move our country forward. It further empowers us to unite the country through promoting deeds of social solidarity reflected in many ways in the actions of our people as individuals, communities and organisations; and strengthening participatory democracy in the workplace, schools, hospitals, clinics and in our communities.
Siswati:
Tsine-ke njengelikomidi letemidlalo sijabule kakhulu ngesikhatsi iNdvuna Yelitiko Letemidlalo Nekukhibika ikhuluma njengoba seyicale nekubita emakhosi etemdzabu nje, kutsi nawo atewuhlanganyela natsi kutemidlalo. Phela natsi sinemidlalo yemvelo leminyenti: Ingendvo - kukhenca, incatfu, intjuba, kanye nabomlabalaba wetandla netinyawo. Kantsi ikhona naleminye lengingakayibali, njengobe nabo labamhlophe banayo leyo midlalo njengabo dristokis and yakscale.
Ngako-ke njengemalunga aKhongolose siyalesekela leliphakelomali lelingu namba 20. Asambeni-ke siyekwenta imincitiswano le emakhaya njengobe nami ngisuka eMpumalanga nje esigodzini saseNkomazi lapho kwentiwa khona bo-selathi, sibe nemincintiswano. Futsi nje sinemncintiswano losematseni njenganyalo, emakhosi endzaboko anatsi njengenkhosi Mlambo yasesigodzini saseNkomazi kulomncintiswano lobitwa ngekutsi Ngumncintiswano Wetihlabani Tetihlabani TaseNkomazi.
Ngako-ke sitawucela nje kubomasipala njengobe sati kutsi sibambisene nabo kutemidlalo, nabo banelibutfo labo lapha kubomasipala babambisane nemakhosi endzabuko batewungenela lomncintiswano.
English:
The hon members of the opposition are too lazy to read. It is our firm belief that they did not read the Department of Sport and Recreation's budget and strategic plans. [Interjections.]
Out of R1,73 billion, the department spent only R1,72 billion. Only R465 000 will be spent on paying outstanding commitments. Is that underspending or effective spending? If you know your aritmetic, you will understand the answer, without waiting for the ANC to give you the answer. [Applause.] I thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mr D BERGMAN
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Ms D P MANANA
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 204
Mr D BERGMAN: Hon Chair, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members and guests, the Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation is one of the most underestimated committees in the National Assembly. It commands a lesser budget, it is mostly relegated to the back pages and, of course, like most committees, it has a negative past.
The problem with the Department of Sport and Recreation is that it needs to rely on various portfolios to ensure ultimate success. The buy-in and support of this committee would come from such committees as Health, Education and Social Development.
Currently, municipalities do not need to account to us as to how they spend their money. This is a problem, as the Director-General of Sport and Recreation has a limited reach. Consequently, we need to rely on the likes of the South African Local Government Association, Salga, and the provinces to ensure that the money is spent accordingly and efficiently. It is therefore difficult to approve and spend a budget when you need to rely on other entities to spend it properly.
It is therefore imperative that the director-general and Salga work together more closely to ensure a more effective roll-out between the different spheres of within this department. Because the director-general has limited power to penalise local authorities, the DA has staunchly advocated that municipalities that spend their Sport and Recreation allocations appropriately should be rewarded during the next financial year or with incentives like scheduling high-profile sports competitions to take place in those areas.
To achieve this, one needs to understand the Sport and Recreation budget. With my limited knowledge of accounting and auditing, I was always certain of one thing: creative names in the budget leads to creative accounting. We have gone to great lengths to introduce these key budgetary areas, which literally sound the same and offer similar recourse. As I said in the committee, you can change the name but, if it tastes, sounds and looks like a chicken, it probably is a chicken.
This committee has come a long way in trying to create attractive divisions that almost give us an idea of the visual and literal objectives of this department. However, hon Minister, is that working? The way the budget is labelled is almost how the portfolio has been judged over the last few years - as having lots of glitz and glamour, but not enough foundation.
We need to ask ourselves whether this budget will help us build an active nation and, in turn, a winning nation, and whether there will be enough support for us to do so. The Minister has insisted that quotas on a professional level need to be increased. This is a clear indication that transformation is still not working 20 years down the line.
Our colleagues on the other side seem to be at the ready with band-aids and plasters to fix recurring problems, rather than with textbooks to learn from these mistakes. To fix the premier teams and neglect the schools and clubs is like fixing the engine of a car but neglecting the brakes. There can only be a sad ending and that is not a good story to tell.
When you hear the amounts of money involved in the SA Rugby Football Association scandal, the boxing association scandals and the Cricket South Africa scandal – to name but a few – we see an extension of off-field politics rather than on-field promotion. This is off-side and our officials need to be held to account. On a recent trip to East London, I found out that the Border Rugby Football Union currently seems to have more cars in its name than development officers! There are more politically aligned people than administration and sports-minded people trying to rescue this sinking ship.
We are firm believers that sports should have support from our politicians, and not interference. However, this committee is tasked with ensuring that our rands are spent to derive a maximum return.
Minister, a good story to tell would be if John – who does not have Facebook and is schooled under a tree, but has talent – through our funding, it could be ensured that he gained access to sports facilities; it is ensured that he flourishes in an enabling, a competitive local league; that our funding ensured that his talents were recognised and that he was scouted by officials; and given the opportunities to equal participation through the academies of excellence.
Hon Minister, you and I speak the same language. It is not in what we say; it is in what we deliver. Currently we seem to face issues such as shrinking sponsorships, uneven playing fields at grassroots level, a lack of clear accountability from the stakeholders who happily receive our money but who are not always readily available when asked to account, and a culture of underspending.
We are in full support of the vision of Sport and Recreation as it is aligned with the National Development Plan, NDP. We believe that this budget needs to ensure that we create a healthier nation, a more competitive nation and a nation that unites behind its sportsmen and –women, not just on the international stage, but also on the local stage, schools and clubs. Only then will we see true returns on what is a fundamental portfolio in this country. Thank you. [Applause.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon members, I have inadvertently left out the hon Dlomo. She should have been the previous speaker. The amended list that was given to me indicated that the hon member had spoken already. My apologies to you, hon Dlomo. You may continue, hon Dlomo.
Ms B J DLOMO
"Old Assembly Main",Unrevised Hansard,17 Jul 2014,"[Take 205] [Old Assembly Main][90P-4-082A][ns].doc"
Mr D BERGMAN
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 205
Ms B J DLOMO: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, chairperson of our portfolio committee and members of our portfolio committee, members of the department and our distinguished guests in the gallery, I greet you all. Rome was never built in a day. The legacy of apartheid in education and in sport, in particular, can never be rectified in the timeframe that has been given.
Having said so, it is only 20 years, and quite a lot has been achieved in our sports arena. Imagine, for instance, that in these 20 years, we successfully hosted an international sporting event in 2010. It is well imaginable how much this department has done in these past 20 years. The particular area that I am going to touch on is sport in schools.
As an ANC-led government, we firmly believe in the holistic education of a child, both physically and mentally, therefore, sport in all schools is now prioritised. At the ANC's 53rd conference in Mangaung, it was proposed that sport must be made compulsory in all schools and, if possible, included in their curriculums.
Again, sport and recreation are tied because schools are not directly responsible for them. Sport has to be inclusive throughout basic education in order to work in all our provinces. Therefore, the achievements that the Department of Sport and Recreation have attained are admirable. [Applause.] Sport plays a major role in promoting self-discipline, social cohesion and the sharpening of children's minds.
It takes away our children from most of the social ills, such as substance abuse, alcohol abuse, fighting and gangsterism, and truancy. Instead, the children who participate in sport are much healthier and stronger. Furthermore, sport can have a wider benefit in the education sector. Not all children are good at academic subjects at school, and sport provides them with an opportunity to learn perseverance. Sport thus presents an incentive to these children, who remain at school, and eventually even go on to tertiary institutions to further their careers.
Whilst education plays a key role in affecting levels of participation, evidence exists that sport and physical action can in fact benefit education. Research in other countries, such as the UK, has shown that specialist sport schools and specialist-funded schools do much better because of sport. It has also been proven that schools work efficiently if properly funded and has infrastructure for learning.
If we are to be a winning nation in sport, it should begin in our schools. During the state of the nation address, our hon President, Jacob Zuma, outlined the National Development Plan, and he had this to say:
Sport and recreation are an integral part of a child's development. Thus, sport should be made compulsory in all our schools and possibly included in our curriculum.
All schools must have qualified sports teachers, as the legacy of apartheid is that there were never any specialised lessons in the teaching of sport, or coaches for our schools.
All schools should have adequate facilities and good sports infrastructure to facilitate participation in organised tournaments, both locally and provincially, as well as nationally and internationally. I am glad that this department has started this good story about South Africa.
As portfolio committee, we acknowledged a number of challenges faced by our public schools. We spoke about the lack of sports facilities and infrastructure in our rural areas in particular. We also expressed concern about the lack of willingness by teachers to teach sport and run sports programmes.
We further recognised that whenever teachers engage in a go-slow strike, the first causality is sport. Of course, there is also the lack of funding, which our Minister has talked about. Therefore, the budget will go a long way towards addressing most of these shortfalls in producing teachers who are trained in sport or money to get coaches, especially in rural areas. Here is a very good story to tell. [Applause.]
In 2012, the Department of Sport and Recreation established a ministerial bursary in partnership with the SA National Lottery board. All our promising athletes in our schools are awarded with R100 000 annually until they complete matric, which is Grade 12. [Applause.] That bursary helps them with accommodation, meals, medical services, specific scientific tests, if necessary, interventions whenever necessary, and travelling allowances. Of course, this bursary is reviewed every year so that it can be continued if they proceed with achieving.
This is a very good story to tell because, since 2012, we now have 40 students who have been awarded this bursary. [The ANC supports the Budget Vote. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mr S M RALEGOMA
Ms B J DLOMO
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 205
Mr S M RALEGOMA: Hon Chairperson of the sitting, hon Minister Fikile Mbalula, hon Deputy Minister Gert Oosthuizen, our chairperson in the committee and committee members, the director-general, Mr Alec Moemi, members of sporting bodies, ladies and gentlemen, I am privileged to address this august House on the occasion of the Budget Vote No 20 debate on Sport and Recreation South Africa and its entities.
I want to start by echoing the sentiments of my colleagues on the inadequacy of the department's budget to support the National Sport and Recreation Plan, and that should be our context of understanding the challenges faced by the Minister.
The second point that I wanted to emphasise concerns our role as a committee in considering legislation referred to us as well as exercising our oversight role over the department and its entities. In taking cognisance of the fact that our work is guided by the Constitution of the country as well as the broad mandates of our respective parties, we must nonetheless remain objective in our deliberations.
The third point that we, as a committee, believe have realised are the dependencies that the department is experiencing in terms of provinces on the one hand and in particular with the Department of Basic Education Department, SA Sports Confederations and Olympic Committee, Sascoc, and other federations, Boxing South Africa, the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport, and SA Local Government Association, Salga, on the other. This dependency does have a negative effect on the effectiveness of the
delivery of the department.
We think that while the committee would somehow interact with all the key stakeholders in trying to understand challenges, we also believe there is a need need for new legislation, particularly around ensuring that the Minister has the capacity to intervene in relation to some of the federations. [Applause.] We cannot just put in money and not have the capacity to do something in terms of ensuring that we hold federations to account.
With regard to the Budget Vote before us, we are generally happy with the broad strategic objectives of the department and its programmes. We therefore support the budget as the ruling party.
The truth is that the department and its partners had to deal with decades of anomaly regarding the provision of resources and access to advantaged areas and disadvantaged areas, which was reinforced by apartheid spatial planning and rural areas were the worst affected.
The ANC-led government across the three spheres has generally done very well in reversing discrimination with regard to the provision of recreation facilities, resources and access. Nobody can dispute that this is a good story, one for the past 20 years.
Recreation has been largely neglected. There is a need to focus on recreation that does not require facilities, eg walking, recreational cycling and other programmes, including indigenous games. We must envy the municipalities like Johannesburg and Tshwane that have built outdoor gyms for their communities and hope that other municipalities will follow suit.
In keeping with the department's vision of an active nation, I consider it significant that Sport and Recreation South Africa has begun to address the need for a strategy on recreation in South Africa. In this regard, the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Recreation has carried out some good work in consulting the relevant stakeholders of this sector and will soon present a report and recommendations to the Minister. We hope that the Minister will share with us on that particular score because it is a new area that we need to begin to deal with quite seriously.
It is also important that I must deal with some of the issues that have been raised by our colleagues in the committee. Generally, we think that colleagues have made useful suggestions, that we believe should be further interrogated in the committee. My take is that this should be the approach which we take in terms of interrogating issues in the committee.
In relation to understanding staff shortages, it was explained to us, and we are generally satisfied with this, that they had to ensure some streamlining of the department takes place, therefore the withholding of money was necessary to force action relating to noncompliance.
Concerning funding for awards, we are of the view that we need to incentivise sportspeople. We cannot have some people being incentivised while sportspeople are not incentivised.
One more issue is that, as the DA, one cannot ask questions and then formulate a policy on the basis of the answers that one get from the department. We need to have a policy that is separate from the asking of questions. [Applause.] Otherwise, what is the role of the committee? I am of the view that if there is a clear-cut policy on this matter, we need to be in a position to discuss it in the committee.
With regard to the EFF, I have a similar point, because we were involved in the revolution. The ANC had to intervene through its strategy, which is underpinned by four pillars. One of those pillars was the isolation of South Africa internationally. That is why we have those people sitting there. We have a team that competes internationally. Team South Africa is not here, but is participating elsewhere, because of the ANC. Thank you very much. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION
Mr S M RALEGOMA
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – OLD ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Thursday, 17 July 2014 Take: 206
"Old Assembly Main",Unrevised Hansard,28 Jul 2014,"Take 206 [Old Assembly Main].doc"
"Old Assembly Main",Unrevised Hansard,17 Jul 2014,"[Take-206] [Old Assembly Main][90P-4-082A][ns].doc"
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: Chairperson, firstly, I want to acknowledge and agree with hon members across the floor. We share your sorrow and your sadness about the nonperformance of our national team. To us it is not a joke, either here or in the streets. And we must never give the impression that the nonperformance of Bafana Bafana is a joke. It's not a joke, but something that we – including the members of the federation of football in this country - need to pay attention to; it needs to be addressed.
This is a matter that we not only take to heart, but also to action. I am confident that, as we conclude here, going forward as members of this House, we will take a long-term view of football and not just of the coach. Whether the coach is black or white, green or purple is not important. What is fundamental is the programme of action for football in this country. That is what I expect you, as parliamentarians on that side, to emphasise.
I expect sports practitioners in our country to understand that it doesn't end with the winning of one match, but it is about enhancing the vision of a winning nation. That is what is important to us. I am not going to respond to frivolous, exciting and nice-to-have issues in the debate that are really, more than anything else, unfounded, poor fabrication; Twitter and Facebook gossip. Period. [Laughter.]
As a department, we have never spent R50 million on the awards. It is totally incorrect to stand in the corridors of power, with chicken audacity and shout above your voice, making such a poor statement about sport and recreation, and at the same time contradict yourself, in the same statement, saying, "no, we love the awards." This Chad le Clos you are singing about; you never knew about him when he was still growing up, but we affirmed him in the awards and recognised him. When we don't recognise these athletes, you are quick to speak.
Sport is not a political issue, it is about national consensus. Whether you are a DA or an ANC member - when we win, we are one. [Applause.] That is what is important. [Applause.] We must extricate frivolous issues from serious matters. You bring Nkandla in through the window. I mean, it has to be Nkandla. Something has to be said about Nkandla.
IsiXhosa:
Inkandla inoyisile madoda.
English:
You thought we would not be here by now, but we are still standing and Nkandla is still there and we will continue. [Applause.] You thought the Nkandla issue would eat the ANC up from within, finish us off and that we should be out of power by now. We are still here and our strategic objective is to remain in power forever, and so say our people. [Applause.] They have affirmed the ANC, now , today and tomorrow.
The agenda of sports in this country is what we have put before you ... [Interjections.]... and just remember these four points: What we are saying is that we cannot advance development without school sports; we cannot advance development without community clubs and mass participation; we cannot advance development without a strong academy system and, lastly, we cannot advance development without fundamental – fundamental to South Africa's history – transformation. Transformation, transformation! [Applause.]
Look, I am not saying that transformation is going to happen without the three. It's like the four pillars he is talking about - you are not in our school – they are dialectically intertwined. [Interjections.] You are not in the school of the ANC.
I am saying that these four issues we are talking about are intertwined. They reinforce each other; they are not mutually exclusive. [Applause.] What this means is that our approach to transformation is bottom-up. You do well at school; you level the playing field. You don't only have 20 schools that produce the Springboks and the Proteas, but you have kids playing rugby even in Soweto and the far-flung areas. As a result, in the 20 years, 30 years to come, you will have resolved South Africa's problem. That is what we are about to achieve...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Two minutes left, hon member.
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: ... in the next five years.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Two minutes left, hon member.
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: This is what we want to achieve.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Two minutes to go, hon Minister.
The MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION: This is a party. What a gig! I am enjoying myself here. [Laughter.] [Applause.] Hon members, I think we share this particular perspective. But I do understand the fact that the opposition has to continue to reverberate, one way or the other.
With regard to ... I don't know how to characterise you, "horrible" members or "honourable" members from the EFF. You need to adjust to the system, calm down, move away from the overalls and start to read properly. This is Parliament. This is Parliament. [Laughter.] [Applause.] That is what it is - this is Parliament. You have to adjust to the system of Parliament, because revolution is not defined by the colour code of your clothing, but by the content of what you say.
What is fundamental about what we have said is that you are completely misinformed about the budgetary expenditure of this department. Here are the fundamentals, hon member: We are not giving any of the federations any money if they fail to account. Go and acclimatise and read. We are saying this and will continue saying this going forward.
Secondly, we have spent 99,9% of our budget – this department – only R495 something has not been spent; reasonably so. But what was supposed to be spent on sport has been spent. We have made a case for sport. The government of the ANC has now agreed that it is going to allocate more resources going forward and that is the case we are making on the question of sports development in the country. And that is that government has to come to the party. Thank you very much.
IsiZulu:
Amandla. [Applause.]
The Committee rose at 18:55.
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