Programme Director
Executive Mayor of Overstrand, Mrs. Nicolette Botha-Guthrie
German Ambassador, Mr Horst Freitag
German Consul General, Mr Hans-Werner Bussmann
Mrs Ulla Schmidt, MP (Germany),
Mrs Dagmar Freitag, MP (Germany)
Mr Michael Lutzeyer, Grootbos Foundation
Executive Mayor
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good afternoon!
It is my pleasure to address you at the launch of your Athletics Development Program.
I am told that this project is aimed at giving children from marginalised communities in the Gansbaai area the opportunity to participate in organised athletics training programmes, to learn about the environment, and to get access to training opportunities in tourism and guiding. These are indeed noble outcomes that are direly needed in such communities that had previously been overlooked.
I want to acknowledge the presence and support of two of South Africa’s finest sport stars, namely Ashwin Willemse, Elana Meyer. I am still reminded about that magical moment in 1992 at the Barcelona Olympic Games where Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia and Elana Meyer finished first and second respectively, hugged each other and draped their countries flags over their shoulders when they did their lap of honour for their respective countries, but also for Africa.
It was that defining moment and others such as the Springbok’s victory at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, and the 2010 Football World Cup that has done so much to bring about the mind shift required in our country. It has demonstrated the power of sport to change a country and to spread social cohesion and build a united nation. They highlighted the spirit of our great nation, and indeed our African continent.
I am sure that with the guidance and active support of Ashwin and Elana, this program is bound to succeed.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I have learnt that funding for this project was provided by Airtours, with additional support from the German Federal Government. We are extremely grateful that the private sector and our cordial foreign relations with the German Federal Government come to bear fruit in such a worthwhile project.
I would also like to single out the huge role played by Michael Lutzeyer of the Grootbos Foundation. In his own words, "Sport is a wonderfully simple way to break down social barriers and bring people together on even terms. For the youth of our townships, it inspires pride and determination to succeed."
Let us give this visionary businessman and community leader a huge round of applause for the tremendous energy, time and resources he has spent in uplifting the Gansbaai community. The children and youth of this area will bless you forever.
Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to quickly touch on the short but inspiring history of the Gansbaai Community Sport Centre.
With 18 senior soccer clubs sharing one pitch in Gansbaai in the Western Cape, there was clearly a dire need for extra sporting facilities. In the run-up to the 2010 Football World Cup, recognition that sport could help community development led to the opening of the Gansbaai Community Sport Centre in 2008.
The Gansbaai centre was established by Absa's Spaces for Sport programme, in collaboration with Football Foundation South Africa, the Overstrand municipality and our Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport. The site is central to three diverse communities in Gansbaai, namely the Masakhane township which has about 12 000 residents, Blompark which is home to about 5 000 coloured residents and the Gansbaai white community which numbers about 8 000.
The centre gives youngsters the opportunity to play different sports, such as football, hockey, volleyball, rugby and cricket, and to meet and interact with others from different backgrounds and cultures. The centre offers educational sessions on health and career guidance, as well as structured sport science services such as podiatry and fitness testing.
It is managed by Michael Lutzeyer, who owns the nearby Grootbos Private Nature Reserve and specialises in landscaping with fynbos. "We believe in developing youngsters from local communities, who in the past have not had as many opportunities as others," he says. The sports centre builds on an environmental initiative started by the Grootbos team in 2003.
Called the Green Futures College, it trains unskilled and unemployed people from local communities in fynbos landscaping, horticulture and ecotourism.
The students generate enough funds through the sales of plants and fynbos landscaping to finance the college. At the Spaces for Sports centre in Gansbaai more than 1 000 indigenous trees are being planted by Grootbos.
Lean Terblanche, the coordinator of this greening project, also organises training sessions, matches and leagues for the teams. "Our young sportsmen and women can contribute to conservation and recycling by bringing in recyclable items. In exchange they receive points, which can be used to 'buy' their kit," says Terblanche. The Investing in the Future judges were unanimous in their praise of the model. They referred to it as an integrated, comprehensive programme that offers poor communities a range of positive interventions.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to emphasize the support of our Government which is committed to the pursuit of sport and recreational activities that offer access to the masses of our people to have fun and keep healthy, and it’s on going contribution towards a healthy nation, social cohesion- creating “a winning nation”.
We need more initiatives like this!
I thank you for your kind attention!
Launch of Athletics Program 9 January 2012 Gansbaai, Mr Gert C Oosthuizen, MP Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation SA
