[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

23 April 2008

Mr Speaker
Honourable Premier and colleagues in the Executive
Deputy Speaker
Honourable members
Chairperson and members of the Sport and Recreation Portfolio Committee
Members of the diplomatic corps
Distinguished guests, business leaders, members of the sporting fraternity
Media, ladies and gentlemen

Introduction

In this year of the Olympics (Beijing 2008) it may be apt for me to quote from the founder of the Olympic Movement, Pierre de Coubertin who thought that elite sport would inspire sport for all. He said that "In order for a hundred people to take part in physical culture, it is necessary for fifty to take part in sport; in order for fifty to take part in sport, twenty must specialise; in order for twenty to specialise, five must be capable of astonishing feats of prowess."

Abebe Bikele, winner of the marathon in two successive games, 1960 and 1964, inspired hundreds to run. In recent years, not thousands but hundreds of thousands have run marathon races in many countries. The achievements in women's gymnastics of the Czech, Caslavska and, the Russians, Turischeva and Korbut, caused long queues to form outside the doors of gymnastics clubs.

However, my department has decided that sport for all could not be left only to the inspiration from champions and therefore has devised innovative programmes to ensure that the poorest of the poor athletes are accorded opportunities to participate in sport and recreation events. There is a resurgent interest in sport in the province and my department has been able to rise to the challenge in spite of our limited human and financial resources.

As you travel through the length and breadth of our glorious province, everywhere you will see the evidence that sport is back in our townships and villages. Over the Easter weekend I was the guest at the Pietermaritzburg Easter Football Tournament. As the 108 teams assembled for the official ceremony it lifted my spirits when one of the junior teams emerged wearing a kit donated by sport and recreation at one of their township tournaments. A few weeks ago I travelled through the tranquil mountainous setting of Gamalakhe on the South Coast, to the finals of the department's U17 football enrichment programme being staged at the Gamalakhe College stadium. On a scorching hot day I noticed scores of children escape the blazing hot sun by spending their day at the Olympic size swimming pool built by my department.

On Sunday, 30 March I took a rare break from sport and thought I would "catch" the latest news on the Zimbabwe elections on television. As I switched on my television a national boxing tournament was being featured. One of the boxers emerged from the change rooms and climbed into the ring to the standing ovation of a wild and ecstatic crowd. The boxer was from KwaZulu-Natal and he was wearing a KwaZulu-Natal Sport and Recreation T-shirt. The department had flown in three boxers to this tournament in East London so that they could honour their fights.

If you travel by car (and I hope you have a 4 X 4 if you do so) through Kranskop, Maphumulo, through the mountain path, down to the Tugela River, you will go across the low bridge and enter Nkandla where you will notice pockets of youth playing in the dusty outcrops called sports fields. The department has been there the fruits of my department's endeavour in forging partnerships with overseas based schools and sport organisations to help add value to our initiatives in taking sport in rural communities to new heights is evident at Mnyankanya High in Nkandla. Recently the department, in partnership with St Mary's School from Leeds in the UK, held a week long development and coaching programme which culminated in a sports festival at Mnyankanya High.

The school received loads of sporting equipment from their UK counterparts. If you travel north of the picturesque Jozini Dam, you will find an outstanding rugby/athletic facility at the Pongola Academy. Sport and Recreation has been there with a talent identification programme in partnership with KwaZulu-Natal Athletics. In the latter part of last year my Head of Department was the guest at a gymnastics competition. A young black administrator walked up to her and thanked her for the opportunity afforded him. This dynamic young administrator was trained by us and served as one of our coordinators in a rural Activity Hub of the department.

He is now employed as the development Officer of KwaZulu-Natal gymnastics.
Recently four blind KwaZulu-Natal cyclists had entered a national cycling event in the Western Cape. At the eleventh hour they had been let down by a sponsor and approached the department for help. Officials from my department, together with a specialist cycling service provider, was able to design and modify tandem cycles and have them couriered to the cyclists at the event within a day.
In the month of February the KwaZulu-Natal Youth and Junior Aquatics Provincial team was left stranded and did not have the means to get to the nationals in East London. My department dived into the deep end to rescue these young swimmers and ensure that they arrived at the finish post in East London.

Mr Speaker, ladies and gentlemen, sport is bringing health, jobs and hope to our people. The old Easter Tournaments have risen from the dead. It is exciting to see community leaders and community organisations, as well as the private sector, getting involved in the revival of community sport. The Programmes of the Department of Sport and Recreation is giving life to latent and dormant talent and enthusiasm for sport and recreation. We have seen some facilities that have been "white elephants" hitherto being changed into "work horses" as they get almost over-utilised. We need more facilities and equipment and the youth need our moral and logistical support if they are to continue on their upward spiral of regeneration.

The administration of sport at the higher echelons of sports federations in the country have been in the media spotlight in recent weeks. There has been an accusation of racism, lack of transformation, granting of broadcasting rights in football and rugby to pay television, exorbitant commissions being paid to board members of national federations and huge financial handouts for elected presidents. In spite of these insurmountable odds South African sportsmen and women have continued to make their mark on the world scene congratulations go to the Springboks for representing the country with distinction at the International Rugby Board (IRB) World Cup final and for being the only ones standing when the war against England was over.

On the unity brought about by the Boks' victory, Minister Rev. Dr. MA Stofile said "we hope, as do many South Africans, that this unity that we witness today in our country will be translated into support for our efforts towards social cohesion. This will consolidate a united support for national teams." KwaZulu-Natalian Hashim Amla has already scored a few centuries for transformation in sport through his domination of the Indian spinners in their own backyard. Bafana Bafana under Carlos Alberto Perreira have begun to show glimpses of positive and creative play and the manner in which they annihilated Paraguay recently has instilled hope in a football loving nation. Our own dynamic midfield sensation Kagisho Dikgagoi from Golden Arrows has begun to knock on the door of Bafana Bafana selection and come 2010 we must ensure that KwaZulu-Natal are well represented in the green and gold.

Local lass Tanith Maxwell has pounded her way to a top ten finish in the Rome Marathon and we must use her status to serve as a role model to young women from disadvantaged backgrounds to take up the sport of athletics. In the face of adversity Trevor Immelman has demonstrated the typical fighting spirit of South Africans by shrugging off the effects of a benign tumour on his diaphragm and driving his way to the Green Jacket at the US Masters in Augusta. That he putted his way to a three shot victory over golfing legend Tiger Woods in the final round must serve as an inspiration to our youth to conquer all before them in the pursuit of excellence.

There is no doubt that KwaZulu-Natal will continue to make a more significant impact in the next few years as we marshal increasing resources in the direction of sport and recreation. However we need to denounce the racism that is still prevalent in sport and other areas and the poor leadership that was suffocating our federations from performing to their full potential. It is for this reason that the department will shift it focus slightly towards an improvement in the administration of sport.

Sport and Recreation Amendment Act

The Sport and Recreation Amendment Act 18 of 2007 makes provision for the promotion and development of sport and recreation and the co-ordination of the relationships between Sport and Recreation South Africa and the Sports Confederation (SASCOC), national federations and other agencies. The Act provides for measures aimed at correcting imbalances and provides for dispute resolution mechanisms in sport and recreation. The Act allows the Minister to determine policy instituting necessary affirmative action controls which will ensure that national teams reflect all parties involved in the process. The effect of all of this is that the government must prevent lower standards from being adopted. We need to curtail the number of foreign players and officials plying their trade in this country whilst at the same time we would need to look inwards.

The department is committed to supporting the development of athletes' coaches, administrators and officials by ensuring that opportunities are provided for them to be able to compete on an equal footing with the best the rest of the world has to offer. We need to invest in the development of administrators of the calibre of the affable Mvuso Mbebe (head of SABC Sport), effervescent 2010 LOC boss, Danny Jordan and the dynamic former MD of SA Rugby, Sonyezo Nayo amongst others. My department is committed to developing sport in the lower structures, the very structures that produce the white players who currently dominate.

South African Games

The South African Games billed as one of the largest multi coded events on the South African sporting calendar was held during the latter part of 2007. The week long spectacular saw 4 500 athletes, almost 500 from each of the nine provinces, together with 1 000 technical and support staff converge on the city of Bloemfontein, competing in 13 different sports codes. The department assisted with the selection, preparation, provision of kit and clothing, transport and accommodation of team KwaZulu-Natal. The South African games have been instrumental in ensuring the integration of our mainstream athletes and those with disabilities. It has also been an excellent medium through which we identify our talented athletes and accelerate their high performance path.

The exploits of team KwaZulu-Natal at the games where the province won an overwhelming 136 medals is testimony that the Department's investment in the development of sport is beginning to reap the dividends. On their way to dethroning Gauteng as champions, team KwaZulu-Natal walked away with 53 gold medals with swimming, women's football, boxing, rugby and athletics making clean sweeps. This fledgling development programme of the Department of Sport and Recreation has renewed our pledge of supporting the development of athletes and we will endeavour to give prominence to the achievements of these fine athletes, today's youth tomorrow's stars.

Aligning with provincial and national priorities

It is important that the programmes of Sport and Recreation are aligned to the policy pronouncements as contained in Government's Programme of Action, the Apex of Priorities, Millennium Development Goals and AsgiSA. Sport and Recreation has a responsibility to promote national identity and social cohesion, and we hope that our participation in sport and recreational events in 2008 will unite us as a province and ensure that we improve on our performances. Our development must work at forging linkages with other governments and organisations. We believe we can truly make a contribution to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Section seven (1): "participation in sport and recreation is recognised by the United Nations (UN) as a fundamental human right and all governments must ensure access for all their people."

Equality of access and opportunity to participate in physical activity should be made available to all, including those with disabilities and chronic illness.

Key deliverables for 2008/09

The Department of Sport and Recreation will focus its efforts in achieving the following key deliverables in 2008/09:
* Development of Priority A, B and minor codes of sport
* Provide and develop talent identification, high performance services, sport development and capacity building programmes to support excellence in sport. To increase the number of high performance athletes.
* Extending the mass school sport, community mass participation and club development programmes to additional disadvantaged schools and communities.
* To create a legacy for the mass participation programme and sport through the development of strategically selected priority sport codes,
* The provision of sport and recreation facilities through the construction of combination courts, action soccer courts and basic sports fields,
* Skills development programmes for coaches, technical officials and administrators,
* To prepare the province for 2010, through assistance provided to SAFA, player development and provision of facilities.
• Provide administrative support to various sport and recreation organisations, and
* Providing support for the hosting of major sports events in the province.
* To provide sustainable recreation programmes and create opportunities for citizens to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.

Critical success factors

Over the past few years the Department has made giant strides in developing and promoting sport and recreation in the remotest parts of the Province. It has achieved these targets by fostering and strengthening its partnerships with local government, community organizations and sport federations. The department has succeeded in granting access to athletes from all walks of life to sport and recreation programmes - from simple mass based recreation activities to provincial and national competitions. In 2008 the Department will strategically move from a quantitative to a qualitative approach with the implementation of its programmes across all components. With the Department's focus on good corporate governance, human resource development has become critical.

The following rate as our critical success factors in 2007/08:
* Over 80% of our budget was spent in previously disadvantaged areas and on previously disadvantaged people, thus facilitating transformation.
* The Minister of Sport and Recreation, the Rev. Dr. MA Stofile has announced that KwaZulu-Natal was "the best performing province in the country"
* We have received high commendation from the national department for the effective utilisation of the Conditional Grant.
* KwaZulu-Natal is the leading province in respect of School Sport Mass Participation Programme. The excellent partnership with the Department of Education has benefited 321 schools (159 in 2006/07), 18 clusters, 1 734 accredited educators, 140 000 learners, recruitment and training of 171 youth in the community, and 343 unemployed youth were employed and paid a monthly stipend. In addressing the priority of resourcing poor schools, R45 000 of equipment was supplied to each of the 321 schools
* The Club Development Programme has yielded 80 registered clubs in soccer and netball in the following areas: Nkandla, Msinga, Mzimkhulu and Mtubatuba (Dukuduku Forest).
* In addressing shortages of skilled personnel in sport and recreation the department conducted SETA accredited courses in event management, life skills, first aid and event specific aspects of training in six codes of sport. A total of 2 335 volunteers were trained as administrators, coaches (basic to level one and level two) and technical officials. 150 volunteers received SETA accredited training to perform duty at the 20/20 Cricket World Cup and the FIFA 2010 Preliminary Draw in Durban. The Pro 20 Cricket World Cup afforded the department with the opportunity of introducing this shorter version of the game to masses of disadvantaged learners by bussing them into the Sahara Kingsmead Stadium to witness a live cricket match for the first time.

* As part of its anti-poverty campaign and in addressing self-employment in the second economy, the department employed a total of 321 schools sports assistants and 18 cluster co-ordinators, 200 individuals are receiving basic training in construction, grassing and fencing and 650 youth are employed in the Community Mass Participation Programmes across 61 municipalities. Each of these employed youth is paid a monthly stipend of between R1200 to R1800.
* Completion of 31 sport and recreation facilities covering Umkhanyakude,
Zululand, Uthungulu, Amajuba, Sisonke, Umgungundlovu, Ugu, Illembe, Uthukela and Umzinyathi. These facilities range from basic sports fields, international standard athletic tracks, swimming pools and combination courts. Due to the nature of the construction, some of these projects are rolled out over two financial years.
* The Siyadlala Mass Participation Programme has seen a significant increase in the number of hubs from 48 to 65 benefiting over 700 000 people and creating 650 temporary employment for unemployed youth in the communities.
* With regard to the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the funding of R15 million allocated to the department was utilised for the construction of 33 combination courts, player development, capacity building and administrative support to the SAFA. We have successfully partnered SAFA in the development and promotion of football in the province and the provision of basic equipment such as soccer kits, training footballs, computers, faxes, technical and electronic equipment and office furniture.

Basic and advanced office administration training has also been completed.
* The department used its many women's month activities to draw attention to the participation of women in sport related activities. Women's football in the province was also catered for, with each of the 14 teams in the women's league receiving training equipment to uplift and sustain their development. The 2010 unit within the department also provided basic coaching equipment to Disability Sport South Africa (DISSA) schools.
* The department focused on developing policy to establish due processes, capacitating staff and recruitment of volunteers for our Mass Participation Programmes.
* The process of restructuring into 11 districts has been completed.

"Levelling the playing fields"

In spite of it limited budget my Department is endeavouring to take the provision of sport and recreation facilities out of the trenches and this year we will handover 21 newly completed facilities to the most disadvantaged communities. This is part of the department's investment in community infrastructure and for these interventions to be used to contribute to the eradication of poverty, creation of jobs and the provision of enabling skills.

Since its inception this programme has created more than 1 000 jobs for individuals from local communities as project managers, skilled and unskilled labour and, for small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs). In 2007/08 our infrastructure development projects have created more than 400 job opportunities in grass planting, erection of drainage, irrigation, fencing and bricklaying. The department has conducted appropriate accredited training to capacitate these individuals.

In 2008/09 my department will handover an Olympic size swimming pool in Nkandla, phase one of a horse riding facility in Dundee, two basic sports fields in Umzimkhulu, a cricket pitch in Dannhauser, and 30 combination courts (multipurpose courts) catering for football, netball, volleyball and basketball. The Inkosi Bhambatha Sports Complex in Msinga and a beach recreational facility at the Tugela River mouth in Mandeni are also ready for hand over. In our efforts to get athletics to clear the hurdle of a lack of suitable tracks the department has invested in the construction of two international standard synthetic track and field facilities in Richards Bay and Pietermaritzburg and, whose first phases are due for completion in 2009.

In emulating Kenya's success at unearthing raw world class athletic talent from their deepest rural areas, the department will handover the Ulundi Athletics Track this year. This track is sure to benefit a number of schools, clubs and communities in their pursuit of identifying and developing talent. The Ulundi facility can also cater for football, rugby, netball and volleyball and also has a swimming pool attached to it. We can proudly boast of this being the only facility of its kind in the northern part of our province. This world class facility is sure to attract major sports events into the hinterland.

During the 2008/09 financial year R34.8 million has been set aside for the construction of 20 basic sports fields with fencing and ablution facilities and combination courts catering for netball, volleyball, basketball and tennis. The following areas have been earmarked to benefit from this project: Ixhopo,
Ingwavuma, Nquthu, Umkhambathini, Umvoti, Mbonambi, KwaDukuza,
Ndwedwe, Dumbe, Nkandla, Hlabisa, Umziwabantu and Ezinqoleni.

In addition to communities benefiting from top quality sport and recreation facilities, the department's infrastructure development programme is expected to yield more than 300 additional jobs with 50% of these earmarked for women in 2008/09. This year the department expects to complete a facilities audit in the province and thus produce a strategy to address the infrastructure backlogs.

Transforming sport

Life and sport in South Africa go hand in hand with the country's transformation policies. Transformation may be a contentious issue but its intention is nevertheless accepted by all. There is no choice. Transformation is nonnegotiable. However, my department approaches transformation in sport in two ways:

• The first is that transformation is not about race but providing opportunities for young sports persons at grassroots level.
• The second is that those fighting over the issue are actually on the same side and their objectives should rather be to put pressure on the general council of Sports Federations (cricket and rugby in particular) to provide decent facilities and coaching at the school and club levels in disadvantaged communities.

Two or three years ago I watched the Under 19 Springboks win the world cup and was astonished by how "transformed" that team was. More than half of the players were black. Surely the right question to ask is not why there are no black quotas for the Springbok team. No, we should ask what happened to all those black players who were good enough to represent their country when they were 18, but then did not get a contract to play for one of the big teams.

Transformation in sport is a subject that has been debated at length ever since we became a democracy. Imposing quotas was seen as a way to speed the process but this is clearly not working. Change has to take place from the ground up and that means that it has to start at school level. It boggles the mind that in 2008, there is still debate around quotas and targets. We need to force the sporting fraternity to take transformation seriously and to ensure that week in and week out, mainly white teams do not troop out to play in the domestic club competitions. We must endeavour to prevent the talented black sportspersons who feature in junior national teams from vanishing into the ether.

I believe that there is incredible talent in the country which is not being tapped. By perpetuating the myth of "traditionally white sports codes" we are keeping our pool very limited and hampering our potential as a nation. Sadly though, this attitude in sport is reflective of the rest of society. In KwaZulu-Natal we must focus on building invincible teams that we can all be proud of and all believe in. Together with the Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs (DLGTA) we need to focus on the provision of basic sports facilities in disadvantaged communities and it is high time to implement a provincial high performance centre with satellite academies inland to address the disparities of the past and to ensure that our youth have a fighting chance of progressing into becoming permanent fixtures in our national teams.

Legacy Programmes

The Legacy Programme is an essential part of the Mass Participation Programme which focuses on ensuring the greater benefit of this Programme will lie less in the events itself than in the long-term benefits of ensuring the sustainable involvement of communities in sport and recreation, infrastructure investment, and in the programmes aimed at talent identification and fostering the ideals of a healthy nation. As part of the conditional grant the Department will focus on the following legacy programmes for 2008/09:

1. Club development is an essential part of the Mass Participation Programme: This is a new national programme aimed at increasing participation in sport and recreation at grass roots, at the simplest level of organisation, the club. This in turn has a negative effect on the retention and development of school athletes' talent. Federations go for ready-made talent. This programme will try to bridge the gap between school sport and senior sport.

Human resource development, infrastructure provisioning and initiating local leagues are the key components of our Club Development Programme. It tries to take mobilisation (MPP) to organisation (Club Development). Club development nurtures talented athletes that have been identified from the Mass Participation Programme. The programme commenced in the 2007-2008 financial year with the formation of 80 soccer and netball clubs. A further 40 clubs will be launched in the 2008/09 financial year bringing the number of clubs to 120 and a total of 12 000 participants involved in the programme. The programme also entails job creation, training of technical officials and the provision of equipment to all participating clubs

2. Provincial Champion Schools/Clubs/Hub/Games: The Mass Participation Programme (MPP) focuses on ensuring the sustained involvement of communities in sport and recreation activities with emphasis on disadvantaged rural areas and poverty nodes. Leagues have been established at grassroots level targeting the participation of masses in the respective programmes. Ongoing festivals are organised at district and regional levels culminating in a provincial championship. This programme offers participants an opportunity to compete in selected codes of sport at a provincial level. A total of 3 000 selected participants will be involved in the regional and provincial games scheduled for the 2008/09 financial year.

3. Provincial Development Games (PDG): This is a partnership programme with selected sports federations for the purpose of creating opportunities for development athletes and it will focus on issues of transformation. The programme affords 5 000 selected athletes an opportunity to participate in various codes of sport with the intention of being included in the District squads. These district games will culminate in a provincial championship. An essential part of the programme is to prepare teams from district to provincial levels and will serve as the forerunner to selection for the SA Games.

4. High Performance Centres, HPC (Sports Academy): The High Performance Centre has been visualised as a co-operative venture between the Department of Sport and Recreation KwaZulu-Natal, provincial sports federations and sponsors from public and private sectors. The concept of the HPC is to select the best available potential in sport between 13 to 16 years of age and scientifically groom them over years of secondary school and, then carry the proven and tested potential to university and club level. The HPC will have two main functions and will run parallel but with two separate objectives.

The success of this institution will lie firmly on:
* The ability of a division of the HPC to identify potential athletes from surrounding areas within KwaZulu-Natal
* To place them into structured training facilities with elite experienced coaches and medical expertise
* Develop them over time into competitive sportspeople.

The HPC will form the breeding ground for selection into provincial/national teams for participation at international events; thereby a proper channel will be created for training sports persons, from raw talent, to highly skilled and motivated individuals. A HPC will be established centrally and it may be practical to locate it close to all sporting amenities, schools, public transport, and tertiary educational institutions. It is envisaged that three satellite Regional Academies will be established to feed into the main HPC.

5. Sports Goods Industry: As a legacy to 2010 and beyond, the department is looking to India to assist in developing the sports goods industry in KwaZulu-Natal. India, with a wealth of skills in manufacturing sports goods, could assist in providing the necessary skills to the Province to manufacture sports goods. These skills will lead to the sustained development and growth of the co-operative industry of the province. It is envisaged that this would be an outstanding second economy intervention as it will target co-operatives that operate mainly in rural KwaZulu-Natal. The department was looking towards the home-based units in India as an example of good practice for the sports goods industry in the province.

6. Infrastructure Development and Support to Federations: Whilst some Provincial Sports Federations are well established with multi-million rand facilities, a number of the smaller codes of sport lag far behind in having the proper administrative infrastructure to provide an effective service to their constituency. This project aims at the first step in the department's attempt to develop the smaller sporting codes towards improving their efficiency. This programme entails the establishment of a sports centre to accommodate various codes of sport and to provide administrative support to federations in terms of a "virtual office."

7. National Youth Run: The purpose of this project is to provide opportunities for youth (15 to 19 years) to participate in a national competitive 10km race. This event will coincide with the Comrades Marathon and will form part of the Department's initiative to commemorate and celebrate Youth Day. The National Youth Run will be a partnership between the department, Comrades Marathon Association and KwaZulu-Natal Athletics.

Mobilising ordinary people behind the 2010 world cup

In the months of June and July of 2010 South Africa will host the FIFA 2010 football World Cup. Thirty-two teams will arrive two to three weeks prior to the tournament and then, during a period of 43 days, an estimated 2.7 million local spectators will view 64 matches played in stadiums around the country. Assessed in terms of the number of global viewers, the World Cup is the world's largest sporting event. The World Cup presents Africa with a stage to parade its skill and talent as well as eradicate stereotypes that reflect it as a continent of inefficiency, and corruption.

As one drives past our 2010 stadiums we can see the dust billowing from the construction sites and giant concrete monstrosities rise into the sky. We watch in awe as South Africa readies itself to usher in the world. Yet, in our country, we continuously allow ourselves to be told by dark forces within and beyond our borders that we are not on track with preparations for 2010. Maybe South Africans have not come to the realisation that it is time the country got behind our World Cup or maybe ordinary people think that 2010 is only a dream. It is important that we do not allow ourselves to awaken from this dream and find that the World Cup has passed us by. It is time for communities and the country as a whole to put their hands to the wheel that winds its way slowly to the largest sporting spectacular in the world.

It is a given fact that various stakeholders have different obligations towards achieving a successful 2010 World Cup and my Department has been toiling with our efforts to mobilize ordinary South Africans to get behind the World Cup. The department is working closely with SAFA and other stakeholders to restore the sport of soccer in our province to its full strength, and play our role in ensuring that the World Cup makes a huge contribution to improve the lives of all the citizens of this Province, giving additional impetus to the development of the country and continent as a whole. The overall driving factor underpinning the line function responsibilities of the Department of Sport and Recreation relating to the 2010 FIFA World Cup is to leave a legacy that contributes to improved administration, skilled coaches and highly qualified technical officials. Further to the tremendous support given to South African Football Association (SAFA) to establish offices in all 11 districts, a further 830 administrators, coaches and technical officials will benefit from skills development. The U17 football enrichment programme will provide an opportunity for a further 1 500 players to participate and be developed via competitions and further training and coaching.

Aligned to the national and overall provincial strategy the department's focus has been on:
* Hosting a successful 2010 FIFA World Cup event in KwaZulu-Natal
* Facilitating maximum benefits for soccer from the World Cup Event
* Improving the standard of football in the Province through capacity building of administrators, players, coaches and technical officials
* Leaving a legacy of infrastructure development and skilled human resources by the provision of appropriate facilities, equipment and support services.
* Developing a high level Under 17 football enrichment programme in partnership with SAFA.
* Marketing and communication tool for all stakeholders: public; administrators and management. Creating awareness, sponsor advertising and communication.

One of the cornerstones of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is to get a lasting legacy for South Africa and the rest of the continent. Government has therefore put together structures and plans, to ensure that its investment into the World Cup benefits the large majority of our people. It should be borne in mind that by the nature of some of the work that has to be undertaken, it will not always be easy to identify opportunities for Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and disadvantaged communities. It is therefore important that big businesses be encouraged to partner with those that are emerging. In this way, we will be contributing positively towards a skills pool in our country.

Budget summary

The budget allocation has increased by R40.573 million from the original baseline allocation of R174.919 million to R215,492 million. Included in this is a conditional grant of R59.735 million for Mass School Sport and Recreation Participation Programmes. The budget for Administration has increased by 14%, which is above the prescribed inflationary increase of 6%. The increase is attributable to the operating costs for the two new district offices. The budget for sport co-ordination has increased by 37%, which is above the prescribed inflationary increase of 6%. The increase is attributable to the increase in the conditional grant of 60%, additional funding received for sport and recreation programmes, facilities and personnel. The Mass Participation Programmes will impact on human resources and administrative support and thus place a tremendous burden on the department to meet its mandates.

Additional allocations

The following additional allocations have been made to the department for the 2008/09 financial year:

* R7.5 million as carry through costs for district offices. In the 2007/08 financial year funding of R10 million was allocated for the establishment of two district offices however, the carry through costs for the administrative costs such as personnel, rental expenditure was only received in the 2008/09 budget process
* R12,3 million for additional personnel costs. Funding has been received for 43 additional personnel, of which 3 has been allocated to Programme 1: Administration and the balance to Programme 2: Sport Co-ordination.
* R10 million for development programmes with sport federations focusing on Priority A and B codes which include amongst others swimming, rugby, boxing, cricket, golf, netball, gymnastics, tennis, table tennis, hockey, surfing, canoeing.
* R7,6 million for infrastructure development. A comprehensive facilities audit will be undertaken to provide a clear indication of the condition of existing facilities and the requirements for refurbishments and renovations. 33 combination courts will be built by the department.
* R599 000 as a final adjustment for the proposed wage increases for 2008/09.
* R386 000 as a final adjustment for employees who will participate in the Government Employee Medical Scheme (GEMS)

Programme 1: Administration

The budget allocation for this programme is R39.338.000 and the funds will be used to render support services to the department and provide overall management. The budget for the Office of the MEC has increased by inflation. The budget for the sub-programmes: Head of Department and Financial Management has increased for additional staff to be appointed. The budget for corporate services has increased because of the additional operating costs such as rental, domestic accounts for the two new district offices.

This programme's purpose is to render support services to the department and provide overall management. The main aims are policy formulation by the MEC; strategic planning and management by the Head of Department, Corporate Services which includes human resource management and auxiliary services and Financial Management. The administration programme is responsible for the development of policies and procedures, and exercising control through head office and district offices.

In Human Resources, the budget caters for 205 permanent posts and 1 435 contract staff. The 205 posts is further analysed into 84 posts for administration and 121 posts for sport co-ordination. The 1 435 volunteers are appointed in terms of the mass participation conditional grant.

Establishment of district offices

The department has completed its restructuring into 11 districts. However, the department currently has four district offices and is in the process of securing office accommodation in the Ugu and uThungulu District Municipalities. The Department of Public Works was tasked to find the office accommodation required and it is anticipated that office accommodation will be secured by the end of May 2008.

PROGRAMME 2: Sport co-ordination

A summary of the budget allocation for the 2008/09 financial year for this programme is as follows:

Programme Name: Sport Management
Estimated Actual 2007/08: R19.614.000
Budget 2008/09: R43.006.000

Programme Name: Junior Sport
Estimated Actual 2007/08: R8.730.000
Budget 2008/09: R4.500.000

Programme Name: Community Sport
Estimated Actual 2007/08: R12.479.000
Budget 2008/09: R13.500.000

Programme Name: Recreation
Estimated Actual 2007/08: R9.285.000
Budget 2008/09: R4.500.000

Programme Name: Facilities
Estimated Actual 2007/08: R25.810.000
Budget 2008/09: R34.863.000

Programme Name: Mass School Sport
Estimated Actual 2007/08: R18.960.000
Budget 2008/09: R20.376.000

Programme Name: Community Mass Participation
Estimated Actual 2007/08: R16.316.000
Budget 2008/09: R22.040.000

Programme Name: Legacy
Estimated Actual 2007/08: R2.000.000
Budget 2008/09: R17.319.000

Programme Name: World Cup 2010
Estimated Actual 2007/08: R15.000.000
Budget 2008/09: R16.050.000

Total
Estimated Actual 2007/08: R128.194.000
Budget 2008/09: R176.154.000

Two new sub-programmes, namely Legacy and World Cup 2010, have been added to Programme 2: Sport Co-ordination. The sub-programme Legacy is the third element of the conditional grant which was included in the 2008/09 financial year.

The World Cup 2010 is in accordance with the new budget structure as per National Treasury's Guidelines. The budget for sport management has increased by 119% because all the salary costs for the programme sport co-ordination have been included under sport management. Therefore there is a decrease in the budget for recreation and junior sport. The budget for community sport has increased because of the additional allocation for sport and recreation programmes. The budget for facilities has increased because of the additional funding for new facilities and the facilities audit. The sub-programmes mass school sport, community mass participation and legacy are the three elements of the National Conditional Grant and the budget amounts are as per Sport and Recreation South Africa. The budget for World Cup 2010 has increased by inflation.

The purpose of this programme is to promote, develop, administer and fund sport in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. It also ensures advancement of participation in sport and recreation, talent identification and the promotion of performance excellence.

There are now nine sub-programmes under Programme 1: Sport Co-ordination, namely:
* sport management: to provide strategic direction for promotion and development of sport
* community sport: to promote and develop sport
* junior sport: to promote and develop sport amongst the youth
* recreation: to promote recreational activities
* facilities: to facilitate the provision of new sport and recreation facilities and the repairs to existing sport and recreation facilities
* mass school sport: to promote mass participation at a school level
* community mass sport: to promote mass participation within disadvantaged communities
* legacy: to create a legacy for sport and recreation
* World Cup 2010: to prepare the province for 2010.

Conditional Grants

The Mass Participation Programme (MPP) was introduced as a conditional grant in 2004 with the establishment of activity hubs focusing on the development of active and healthy lifestyles amongst communities through their involvement in sport and recreation activities. In 2005, the School Sport Mass Participation Programme (SSMPP) was included as a significant part of the conditional grant with the express purpose of providing relevant support to rural schools in order to encourage learners to be actively involved in sport and recreation. The successful implementation of both the mass participation programmes initiated the introduction of the Club Development Programme in 2007 which focused on the establishment of clubs to ensure the sustained involvement of communities in sport and recreation. In the 2008/09 financial year a total of R17,3 million has been set aside from the conditional grant for the development of legacy programmes in the province.

A total of 90 hubs, 483 schools and 120 clubs involving 1,1 million participants and 1 430 contract youth employees, will be engaged in the mass participation programme during the 2008/09 financial year. The conditional grant programmes addresses organisational issues on skill development and implements part of the department's anti-poverty campaign.

School Sport Mass Participation Programme

The department has received an allocation of R20,376 million as a Conditional Grant for the School Sport Mass Participation Programme (SSMPP). A total of 162 new schools will be added to the Programme bringing the total number to 483 schools. Basic sports equipment to the value of R45, 000 each in the identified codes of sport will be purchased for the 162 new schools joining the programme.

In 2008/09 this programme will target 27 clusters, 200 000 learners of which 70 000 will be female and 400, learners with disability. The Programme will create 514 jobs where volunteers will be paid a monthly stipend of R1200. The programme will yield 81 sports festivals and 162 leagues will be formed in six codes of sport throughout the Province. 176 volunteers and contract workers will receive training in Event Management, Life Skills, First Aid and the Dreams and Teams Leadership Programme.

The purpose of the grant is:
* To promote mass participation within disadvantaged communities and schools in a selected number of sport codes (athletics, rugby, netball, soccer, volleyball and cricket)
* The empowerment of communities, educators and volunteers to manage these activities with the Provincial Department of Sport and Recreation and the Department of Education
* Increase participation by developing and implementing a programme that focuses on an intra-school and inter-school intensive sports programme within clusters

Siyadlala Mass Participation Programme

This national flagship programme encourages mass participation whilst removing access barriers such as costs, elitism, race, gender and intricacy of both activity and equipment specifications. The aim of this grant is to fund the promotion of mass participation within disadvantaged communities in a selected number of codes and to provide more exposure to sustainable recreation programmes. The total available for the Mass Participation conditional grant is R22.040 million for the 2008/09 financial year.

This programme seeks to address South Africa's high level of lifestyle challenges, including high blood pressure, obesity, coronary diseases, drug abuse and crime. Mass participation programmes will create opportunities for the disabled, women, and rural communities to participate in sport and recreation.
Focus will be on high crime areas, government nodal points, rural and poverty stricken communities. An additional 25 new hubs will be created bringing the total number of hubs to 90. A variety of activities will be offered in the hubs including aerobics, gymnastrada, fun walks/jogging, street ball (soccer, netball, basket ball, handball) and Indigenous Games. The hubs will render life skills support to the youth in their communities. Basic equipment for nine recreative activities will be purchased for all the new hubs.

A total of 700 000 people shall benefit from this programme. 240 New volunteers (youth) will be employed on a contract basis bringing the total number of volunteers to 850. These volunteers will be paid a monthly stipend and priority will be given to women. The programme aims to capacitate 400 administrators and activity coordinators via accredited SETA training.

Community Sport Programmes

Through its various Programmes with sports federations and community based structures, the Community Sport Programme will work towards the promotion of the participation for athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds in major events such as the Dusi Canoe Marathon, Comrades Marathon, Cycling Tour, Boxing Championships, etc. At least 236 athletes will be supported towards excelling at high performance programmes in the country.

The total budget available for Community Sport is R13,5 million excluding salary and administration costs. The community sport projects promote and develop sport within the community and in collaboration with the governing bodies of the different codes of sport. The projects will be implemented at a local municipality level to ensure that we are reaching the most disadvantaged of communities. All programmes will be developmental in nature.

Gender and Disability

Sport has the potential to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in unique and creative ways. We have a duty to promote gender equality and empower women and the disabled if we are to achieve the millennium development goals. The participation of girls and women in sport and recreation challenges gender stereotypes and discrimination. In particular, women in sport leadership can shape attitudes towards women's capabilities as leaders and decision makers.

As a newly formed department the emphasis has been on increasing participation levels and the building of capacity at a basic administration level. The department aims to now use every opportunity available to advance the cause of women in sport and through sport and recreation. The department will ensure that the composition of sports team reflect gender balance in athlete representation, technical and administrative officials and general leadership. Greater advocacy is required to ensure that sporting federations elect women on their executive committees. It will be mandatory for the mass participation programmes to provide employment opportunities for women and activities that allow for the participation and human capacity development of women and girls.

Through our partnership with sports federations we hope to empower women sports administrators with training in leadership, effective communication and media skills and financial management. This we hope will prepare women to take on key leadership and decision making roles within the sports fraternity. The disparity and treatment of women's sport by the media, both in terms of reporting their activities and the employment of women sports journalists is identified as a factor restraining the growth and exposure of women's sport. Sponsors look to sport to extend their brands. As such the focus is on maximizing exposure, spectator interest, participation and being associated with champions. There is a dire need to identify female sports ambassadors who will serve as role models to motivate and inspire women and girls participating in sport and recreation.

The department will continue to support programmes and facilitate activities that provide opportunities for women to participate in sport and recreation.

Disability Sport

Our success in the South African Games 2007 can to a great extent be attributed to the sterling performance of our athletes with disabilities. In swimming and athletics, we fielded cohesive squads of athletes who competed as an integrated unit. This was indicative of the achievement of our objective of ensuring the inclusion of athletes with disability to the mainstream of sports.

We will continue to:
* ensure the development of human capacity for administrators of the disabled sports organisations
* ensure the recruitment of disabled persons in the mass participation programme
* make provision for LSEN schools in the School Sport Mass Participation programme
* ensure compliance to the needs of the disabled in the provision of sport and recreation facilities
* ensure inclusion of the disabled in all major sport and recreation activities
* provide financial support for athletes with disabilities to participate in major provincial and national sport and recreation events.

Development of Sport in Partnership with Federations

Our partnership with sports federations is key to the delivery of sport and recreation in the province. Sports federations are the custodians of our athletes and by virtue of their constituency, govern the respective codes of sport. In 2008/09, the department's focus will be more on a developmental approach. This will entail working more closely with sports federations for the strategically selected codes of sport, which are athletics, swimming, football, rugby, boxing, cricket, golf, netball, gymnastics, tennis, table tennis, hockey, surfing, dance sport, volleyball, karate and canoeing. In partnership with the federations who have the appropriate structures in place, development programmes will be formulated and implemented, with the target group being individuals from historically disadvantaged areas. 300 000 Individuals, including 100 000 women are expected to gain from this programme.

For those federations where appropriate structures are not in place, assistance will be provided to ensure that structures are established. Transformation in sport as well as high performance will receive attention. The department will also be providing assistance to existing elite athletes in the form of additional training, coaching and equipment to enable them to be high performers in national and international events. The Provincial Academy will be used for talent identification and scientific testing. 236 Athletes will be targeted via the department's high performance programme.

In 2008/09 the department will invest in the training of specialist coaches at a developmental (youth) and professional level in the province. Special emphasis will be on the improvement of the overall administration and organisation of smaller federations and in this regard accreditation of technical officials and administrators to enhance the delivery of sport will be given priority. A comprehensive life skills programme will be offered to players and officials to enhance their performance. Capacity building will take place in all local municipalities to ensure the sustainability of leagues and will be followed with the introduction of leagues within the communities. A database of trained individuals will be maintained. This database will be utilised to track the location of officials and whether they have been utilising these skills to promote and develop sport. A target of 7 100 trained individuals will be realised in this financial year.

Junior Sport Programmes

Junior Sport programmes target learners outside school hours in association with the community, clubs and other government departments. Great emphasis is placed on juniors as they are the founding blocks for skills development, talent identification and sporting achievements. Provincial games will focus on a squad selection programme in the federation's plans and targeting the Under 20 age group. The selected athletes will be incorporated into a squad as identified through the programmes of sports federations and will undergo high performance training in preparation for National Age-Group Competitions.

The following Provincial Championships are catered for: Athletics, Aquatics, All Ages Tournament, Drum-Majorettes, Cross Country and Summer Games. 10 000 Athletes including 4000 females, will be targeted via this process National Games will involve learners in competitive programmes which will commence at school level and continue to National and International Levels. The following National Competitions will be supported: Athletics, Aquatics, All-Ages Tournament, Drum-Majorettes, Cross-Country and Summer Games. 700 athletes are targeted to be taken into this next level of competition. International Competitions Athletes who are selected from the various National Competitions to represent the country at an International level will be supported: The following are examples of International Age-Group Competitions that the department will support: Confederation of School Sport Association of Southern Africa (COSSASA), ISF, and World Youth and Junior Athletics' Championships.

Recreation Programmes

The total available budget for Recreation projects for 2008/09 is R4.5 million, excluding salary and administration costs. The projects will be implemented at a local municipality level, in institutions and a variety of recreation sites. The Recreation programme will have six flagship programmes targeting all age groups, and a variety of codes of sport and recreation activities to lead a healthy lifestyle. These are the Indigenous Games promoting social cohesion, Rural Horse Riding promoting African renaissance, Recre-hab encouraging rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders in prisons, Active Seniors promoting wellness among senior citizens, beach games promoting active utilisation of natural resources and, lastly, employee recreation encouraging wellness among public servants.

This programme aims to target 300 000 participants with 184 programme sites planned and the hosting of 45 festivals to promote an active and healthy lifestyle. The Programme aims to train 915 recreation leaders and 300 recreation programme volunteers. 305 Clubs/structures will be supported by the department in the 2008/09 financial year.

Indigenous games

Very few people in the world associate the Olympic Marathon with being an indigenous game of Greece. Even fewer people associate taekwondo with being the indigenous game of Korea or karate with China and football with England. But the truth of the matter is that all games have an indigenous home. The hegemony of different cultures and nations on the world has helped globalise some games to the extent that they are accepted as common to all rather than indigenous to any people.

The indigenous games provide insight into cultural practices of various groups in the province and reinforce community values, customs, and symbolise the beauty of diversity. The game is a flagship of the African Renaissance Programme. These indigenous games were neglected in the historical and ethnological records. The challenge is to trace, reintroduce and promote the rich games such as Induku, Umlabalaba, Khokho, Jukskei, Shumpu, Arigogo, Ncuva,
Inqathu, Thunee and three Tins. The department intends to carry this momentum from local communities to national festivals.

Rural horse riding

Ukutelebhela or horse riding is a popular past time pursued by African men and boys. It has grown in recent years but has lacked support and promotion. The department stages the Rural Horse Riding festival in Dundee on an annual basis. In 2008/09 this will be introduced to other districts across the province. Activities will include ukutelebhela, show jumping, tripling and traditional fashion. The Premier of the Province has declared that the last Saturday in July as the annual day of the Rural Horse Riding Festival. This is another flagship African Renaissance Programme.

Recre-Hab

This is a rehabilitation programme for prisoners and street children. Recreation can be an alternative to unhealthy behaviour such as drug abuse and violence. In the prisons, the recre–hab programmes are integrated with other prison programmes on a daily and weekly basis. In the case of street children, the programme is integrated with other activities which seek to re-integrate street children with society. Activities are open ended with a weekly fun league.

Work and Play

Employee wellbeing and attitude can affect production and service delivery.
Recreation provides the necessary atmosphere and environment to energise employees, encourage inter-departmental co-operation and improve their wellbeing. Each provincial department is expected to commit to providing recreational opportunities as part of their employee wellbeing strategy. Activities will be staged at a district level, with a yearly provincial festival.

Active seniors

Senior citizens, like children, are classified as most vulnerable. They suffer from neglect, emotional and physical abuse, and are generally physically not strong. Like everyone else, recreation benefits them by improving their wellness and confidence. Activities will therefore be structured such that their needs to socialise and improve physical and emotional strength are enhanced. Seniors recreation clubs will be created and/or supported, with some activities held during pension payout days. Activities include: socialising, dancing, singing, sport and recreation days, pension fun day activities, sight seeing tours, arts and crafts, and home-based entertainment.

Financial Assistance to Non-Profit Institutions

My department consciously supports the development plans and initiatives of sports federations, associations and community based organisations because it has prioritised the good governance of these bodies. Good governance will have the effect of improving the quality of our sport. We are making a humble but important contribution to Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) and Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA)

Financial assistance will be rendered to non profit institutions for:
* development programmes
* hosting provincial, national and international events
* assisting athletes who will participate in national events outside the province

Funding will be made available as per the department's funding policy and based on the business plans submitted by these institutions. The department has allocated an amount of R8.4 million for transfer payments to non-profit organisations.

Premier's Sports Awards

The Premier's Sports Awards is an annual event that showcases the rich talent that exists in the province. Whilst the awards acknowledge the athletes who achieve at the highest level, it also rewards members of the community and enriches the sporting lives of people at a grass roots level. In acknowledging the achievements of the athletes, official and the community, the awards serve to:
* motivate the athletes by bestowing the honour and prestige of the first citizen, the Honourable Premier, on them.
* recognise the voluntary efforts of administrators, coaches, technical officials and community leaders.
* encourage stakeholders in sport such as sports federations to recognise their achievements and accelerate service delivery.
* encourage development amongst disadvantaged communities, especially rural areas.

SALGA-KwaZulu-Natal/Kwanaloga Games

The department supports SALGA in these Games by making funding and human resource available. These are developmental games aimed primarily at promoting the youth in the Province from grass roots to world class level and to encourage partnerships and co-ordination with relevant stakeholders. The vision of these Games is to nurture sports potential in all KwaZulu-Natal municipalities and the games serve as a crucial point of entry for the youth into various provincial, national and international competitions. The games provide an ideal opportunity for established structures and those from the non established sectors to participate on an equal footing.

Conclusion

The practice of sport is a recognised instrument for promoting peace, as it disregards both geographical borders and social classes. It also plays a significant role as a promoter of social integration and economic development in different geographical, cultural and political contexts. Sport is a powerful tool to strengthen social ties and networks, and to promote ideals of peace, fraternity, solidarity, non-violence, tolerance and justice. Tackling problems in post conflict situations can be eased as sport has the ability to bring people together.

Finally I wish to thank the Honourable Premier, Dr JS Ndebele, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Mr Paulus Ngcobo and members of the Portfolio Committee for their contributions to the development of sport and the excellent partnerships that exists between us. My wholehearted appreciation and gratitude goes to the MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Dr. Z L Mkhize for his astute leadership and vision and his unequivocal support for the programmes and initiatives of my Department.

I must also express my appreciation to the Head of department, Mrs S Khan, senior management and the rest of my staff for the manner in which they have handled the challenges experienced by the department. My small staff of 205 has effectively carried out the mandate given to us by the Honourable Premier, Sport and Recreation South Africa and South African Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). We are indeed grateful to the members of the sporting fraternity and the media for all their efforts in ensuring that our sportsmen and women continue to develop on their path towards national and international domination.

I recommend that the budget be adopted.

Issued by: Department of Sports and Recreation, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
23 April 2008
Source: KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government (http://www.kwazulunatal.gov.za/)