Programme Director
All Delegates Present here this morning
Ladies and Gentlemen
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone present in this Conference today. We thank you very much for heeding the call from the Ministry of Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) to attend this important gathering. We further thank you for affording us the opportunity to present our Case for Sport to you this morning.
Delegates, according to the South African newsletter for civil society and local government called “Spark” which is aimed at igniting local action concludes in its February 2012 Issue 3 that “when the writers of our Constitution gathered at Parliament in Cape Town in 1994 to begin the task of drafting a framework for South Africa’s’ democracy, an inherent assumption was that government would be for the people, by the people.
“Unlike the past, people would have the right to be heard and to have access to services and information about the processes of government. This was particularly so in the case of local government, as an important site of the struggle against apartheid and for truly representative municipal structures”.
This assumption by our people and their leaders who converged in Cape Town 18 years ago still resonates in the minds of many South Africans today and they continue to ask themselves whether this government especially local government still leads and governs based on the will of the people and on the promise of the democratic Constitution of the Republic as adopted in 1996.
Likewise, in his address of the Commonwealth Local Government Conference held in the United Kingdom on 15 March 2011 hosted by the Cardiff City Council, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office confirms these assumptions on local governance when he said:
“When we speak of local government, inevitably we speak of local democracy, of participation in local governance, of self-determination in the development affairs of a particular region. Wherever people are alienated from the process by which the structures for their governance are determined and wherever they do not participate in the determination of those structures there is likely to be alienation, a loss of community energy and frustration leading to conflict. The fight/fight syndrome becomes a real possibility. When people are allowed to create a shared destiny, they work harder to achieve it and also to protect and sustain it. A truer sense of ownership is developed in individuals who are part of such a process. It is then that prosperity becomes a real possibility. I believe that peace and stability whether at a community level or at the level of nations will best be promoted and served wherever people have the opportunity to participate in the affairs that relate to the way they are governed.
“In this regard, we must also develop a consensus based approach to the use of resources and in the determination of developmental strategies”.
I submit that, the theme of this conference today is directly in line with the reasoning as articulated by the article in the Spark Newsletter and the wise words of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar when emphasising and describing the role of local government towards society and people. And I further believe that local government in many societies and nations has a growing responsibility to develop, support and promote local democracy, participation, involvement and even integration and inclusion.
In the South African context, Chapter 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa directs all municipalities to provide democratic and accountable government for local communities, and should ensure the provision of basic services to all communities in a sustainable and equitable manner and must promote social and economic development of those communities and residents as well as promoting safe and healthy environment that encourages the involvement of communities and community organisations in all matters of local government including sport, recreation, leisure, arts and culture.
This covers a range of different issues for the local government sector, from setting overall local strategies, providing an enabling environment and efficient services for social and economic development and integration to flourish using sport, recreation, arts and culture, and supporting training and skills development as well as development of youth, women, children and people with disabilities with the aim of building local human and intellectual capital for inward and outward investment, directly attracting jobs and working with both provincial and national spheres of government.
We must do this in recognition that local government plays a pivotal role in socioeconomic upliftment, as one of the main promoters and facilitators of local development across the country. That is why many local municipalities can demonstrate how their actions have helped energise their local communities through local and grassroots sport and recreation activities in the context of local social and economic development strategies. We are aware that others might just be beginning to focus on this area of sport and recreation as an important responsibility of their municipality to foster active and winning local communities as well as promoting healthy lifestyles and healthy living in order to foster the prosperity and well-being of their communities.
Ladies and Gentlemen, in this regard, Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) hosted a National Sport and Recreation Indaba (NSRI) in November 2011; which outlined the road map to optimal performance and functional excellence, and at the same time it adopted the first ever National Sport and Recreation Plan (NSRP) for the next 20 years. All Municipalities were part of the NSRI, and are among the key strategic stakeholders and dependencies in making the NSRP a resounding success.
It is also envisaged that the National Sport and Recreation Plan will be an eight year sustainable implementation plan across the spheres of government for the sport and recreation policy framework as captured in the White Paper on Sport and Recreation. Whilst it is envisaged that the White Paper will remain relevant until 2019, the National Sport and Recreation Plan will be closely monitored annually to identify any hindrances which may negatively impact on implementation and will be reviewed in its totality in 2020.
It is important to note that the National Sport and Recreation Plan have further been adopted by Cabinet as an integral part of the program of government that should be integrated in all spheres of government and it is currently being costed to ensure its successful implementation.
For the very first time we have a concrete and integrated plan that will deal holistically with Sport and Recreation development at all levels in South Africa.
Therefore going forward, the Ministry of Sport and Recreation SA will meet with the Ministry in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Honourable Trevor Manuel to discuss the process of aligning the National Sport and Recreation Plan to all government planning processes including local government planning. Thereafter we will meet the Ministry in the Presidency responsible for Monitoring and Evaluation, Honourable Colins Chabane to integrate the Monitoring and Evaluation strategy of SRSA for the implementation of the National Sport and Recreation Plan into the overall monitoring and evaluation plan of the country, local government included.
This process will allow all the spheres of government to plan and implement all their sport and recreation programmes and plans in line with the National Sport and Recreation Plan as to provide for activities that can make a substantial contribution towards building cohesive, vibrant and sustainable communities.
Ladies and Gentlemen, in 2010 Cabinet acknowledged that despite the progress made since the dawn of democracy in 1994, Government is still not achieving the outcomes necessary to ensure adequate progress in creating ‘a better life for all”. This observation was also made at the 2011 and 2012 Cabinet Makgotla as a consequence local government was viewed to be at the centre of this observation and shortcoming.
The ‘Outcomes Based Approach’ was adopted designed to ensure Government’s focus on achieving a real improvement in the life of all South Africans, and it became a priority for every government department and all the spheres of government.
In terms of this approach the sport and recreation sector, from national, provincial and local government level, is acknowledged as a delivery partner for Outcome 12, namely “An efficient, effective and development oriented public service and an empowered, fair and inclusive citizenship” with a particular role in contributing towards an inclusive citizenship through nation building and social cohesion.
Together with all the Municipalities we must, in support of the Outcome 12 Delivery Agreement and the Implementation of the NSRP, strive to use the Sport Plan as a tool towards building social capital, provide opportunities to overcome social barriers and empower our communities and people. We must together use the NSRP to increase social cohesion, and provide much needed opportunities for engagement in community life and foster healthy lifestyles as well as moulding healthy children and individual development, teaching positive values and life skills, reducing conflict and criminal behaviour through education and sport.
These activities will go a long way in assisting government to empower and promote an inclusive society by also integrating all the historically disadvantaged groups especially youth, women, children and people with disabilities into the socio-economic mainstream of society.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the successful implementation of the NSRP and the subsequent achievement of its goals depend on the availability and accessibility of Sport and Recreation Facilities at local level.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the National Sport and Recreation Plan identified development as a basic building block for transformation in sport including school sport, access to facilities, training, coaching and equipment. Success in sport in South Africa particularly school sport is dependent on the access to sport and recreation facilities.
There is no question that for our plan to work, it must be supported by a variety of facilities in both urban and rural areas. That is why the provision of accessible community sport and recreation facilities is one of the key pillars of the National Sport and Recreation Plan and is a critical matter to be addressed by this conference.
With the rollout of the school sport programme in 2012, sport personnel and experience is required across the country in order to make the school sport programme a success. In this regard, on 13 February 2012, the Ministry of Sport and Recreation has launched a National Sports Volunteer Corp in order to recruit, recognise and utilise the experience, expertise, passion for sport as well as a reservoir of Goodwill abundant in the Sport Legend towards the growth and development of a South African child. Hence, the Legends will be utilised among other things as coaches, talent identifiers, technical officials, sport administrators and sport and recreation facility managers.
Notwithstanding the current shortages of facilities, SRSA has identified the Hub System as one of the systems that can deal, in the interim, with the shortage of sport and recreation facilities. SRSA has therefore revised the concept of hubs from being any identified geographical area that is within 5km radius in the community, to a local sport infrastructure, integrating the local municipality, clubs, community structure and sports councils.
This will condense the number of hubs to a structured physical participation centre, support centre, advice and information centre and an administration block. Sport and Recreation facilities together with structured sport development programmes will provide South Africa with a solid base to become ‘an active and winning nation’.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are aware that Municipalities across the Republic are responsible for planning, building, maintaining and letting-out Sport and Recreation Facilities.
Some of these facilities are easily accessible and others are not because of, among others, the exorbitant costs that are involved in accessing these. It is in our view that these difficulties and stumbling blocks do not serve sport and recreation well in our country, and lacks integration into the country’s national objectives as non-availability of these facilities does not create a conducive environment for developing and growing sport and recreation participation across South Africa and it does not in any way assist us to build a sporting and healthy nation.
We want all the Municipalities to plan and align plans to the NSRP and implement sport and recreation programmes seamlessly in order to guard against planning that is not aligned to SRSA broad plans and objectives.
Sometimes some Municipalities’ plans are not even aligned to provincial plans in provinces that those Municipalities are situated. This is a problem and it must be fixed as a matter of urgency if we have to meet, as I know we will, the national objectives of the developmental state and those outlined in the NSRP.
In this regard, a Literature Review for Captivate titled Local Participation For All funded by Western Australia Local Government Association and Western Australia Disabled Sports Association found that “each local government is a unique entity with specific environmental and organisational characteristics that will influence its approach to ensuring that its sport and recreation services and facilities are inclusive.
Community development principles offer guidance to a general approach to inclusion that can then be tailored to ensure further local ‘buy-in’ and provision of appropriate opportunities for particular individuals and communities. Consistent with this approach, captivate is specifically designed to support the training of sport and recreation practitioners, activists and service providers on integrated planning and integrated service delivery.
“The development of relevant integrated policies and planning; and a range of specific ‘tools’ may assist local government, sport and recreation practitioners, activists and service providers to meet the fundamental requirements that for successful inclusion, integration and planning; local government will be genuinely committed and will develop the capacity necessary to ensure inclusive, vibrant and sustainable community sport and recreation”.
Therefore, this Conference is tasked to devise strategies to deal with this anomaly and find a workable ‘programme of action’ for all the Municipalities to contribute constructively and meaningfully towards the development and growth of sport and recreation activities for all the communities of South Africa.
It is also tasked to foster good and sound relationships between and amongst all the spheres of government and across government departments for better access to sport and recreation facilities and the benefit of communities and all South Africans who need these facilities especially at local level.
It must also be seized with finding a common ground especially on issues of shared interests and challenges in the implementation of sport and recreation programmes and sport and recreation facilities being accessed by all communities in South Africa irrespective of local and economic status as well as disability or ability, age and gender in our local, district and metropolitan level.
It must further discuss the role of local municipalities in the process of talent identification whilst at the same time devise democratic and sound means of working closely with local sport bodies especially local sport councils; and aligning all sport programmes to create sound and sustainable pathways for talented athletes from communities.
It should investigate acceptable institutional arrangements and necessary capacity for sport and recreation at local government level and in municipalities.
The status and positioning of sport and recreation departments should be at the centre of this debate to enable sport and recreation managers with a status for decision-making and implementation. Sport and Recreation South Africa will engage with the Treasury to create a ‘capacity building funding framework’ for sport and recreation at local government level.
The Conference should further discuss the unforeseen limitations and difficulties presented by the Municipal Finance Management Act, the Municipal Structures Act and the Municipal Systems Act in the delivery and financing and administration and management of sport and recreation services to communities.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this Conference should also familiarise itself with the National Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Framework Plan (NSRIFP): ‘A Plan for Sustainable Sport and Recreation Facilities That Supports Development’ as updated on 21 July 2011.The National Sport and Recreation Framework Plan emphasises that the state of recreation and sport infrastructure in South Africa; and participation in recreation and sport activities mirrors the societal disparities created by the apartheid regime.
Numerous efforts to address these imbalances have been made since the advent of the democratic dispensation. The process has however not been guided by any National Sport and Recreation Plan that outlines the key priorities, steps to be taken within defined timelines, resources requirements as well as key stakeholders in the provision and management of recreation and sport infrastructure.
Fortunately, this Conference takes place six months after the adoption of the National Sport and Recreation Plan as envisaged by the National Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Framework Plan. Now South Africa has a sport and recreation plan. As a consequence the National Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Framework and the Norms and Standards for Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Provision and Management will be guided by the National Sport and Recreation Plan.
The Conference should assess whether the National Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Framework is in line with the National Sport and Recreation Plan for concurrence.
This Conference should also review and assess the unforeseen shortcomings of the implementation of the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) with a special reference to the “Building for Sport and Recreation Programmes”. Its limitations and its opportunities!
In conclusion, I would like the Conference to also locate its discussion on the common challenges advanced by the National Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Framework. The following are the common challenges advanced by the Infrastructure Framework:
1. Municipal Spatial Planning does not make provision for sport and recreation facilities and other public amenities in an integrated manner to ensure sustainable human settlements.
2. Sport and Recreation is perceived by some Municipalities as the lowest priority in the hierarchy of needs. Consequently limited financial resources are allocated for provision as well as management of sport and recreation.
3. The Municipal Infrastructure Grant in some Municipalities is still used not for its intended purpose and this makes sport and recreation infrastructure development to suffer as a consequence.
4. In some areas especially rural areas there are no facilities at all; in some areas they are not properly maintained and managed; in some there is over utilisation of facilities leading to complete degeneration; in some there is underutilisation of facilities leading to neglect, dilapidation and vandalism; and in many disadvantaged communities facilities are vandalised.
5. Lack of innovative projects to respond to challenges of scarce resources; lack of project management skills to ensure proper implementation of projects; use of sub-standard construction material resulting in poor quality and therefore high maintenance costs.
6. The challenge of long-term leases/agreements especially for facilities in affluent communities/areas which leads to the exclusion of the broader community particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds; local authorities that charge unaffordable usage fees to communities and those that are inaccessible due to location or due to refusal by authorities to allow access to certain groups of society.
7. Lastly, but not least, absence of a National Facilities Management System that integrates information on sport and recreation at all levels.
Ladies and Gentlemen, in his closing remarks of the Commonwealth Local Government Conference on 15 March 2011, Kalamesh Sharma, Commonwealth Secretary-General said: “Let me draw to a close by raising one of my priority goals – that of advancing youth interests, engagement with young people and youth development. No doubt that we feel strongly about the flower of youth, as the inheritors of this country and century.
The question remains, inherit what, they are inheritors of what? Are they inheritors of unemployment and underdevelopment, are they inheritors of exclusion and marginalisation, are they inheritors of tendencies that suppress the new and fresh in favour of the old and dying? Many of you will have seen that at first hand. We have work to do. You yourselves will bring your own ideas to the table, in the few days of this Conference”.
Thank you.
