B Creecy: Gauteng media briefing 2006

14 February 2006

Following last week's announcement of the province's 2010 match venues, the
Gauteng 2010 Political Committee understands the challenge posed by President
Mbeki when he called for tournament preparations to be tackled with the
necessary 'seriousness, commitment and patriotism'.

Working with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) as well as municipalities
the Province will ensure that the investment injected into the match stadia
benefit our people in line with the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of
South Africa (ASGISA). We will ensure that work gets underway to meet the tight
deadlines of the LOC and that the work done at Soccer City, Ellis Park and
Loftus will be at the centre of our efforts to build a legacy from hosting the
2010 World Cup.

We want to make this event the best ever World Cup both for our continent
and our people in all aspects of their lives. We will also ensure as Gauteng
that the sense of patriotism and pride brought by our right to host this
international soccer showpiece strengthens our work of deepening democracy and
nation building.

Competitive Sport Strategy

Ensuring the 2010 World Cup creates a lasting legacy for our people,
requires us to build the province as a home of competitive sport in the years
preceding the tournament. In this regard we are proud to report that following
the adoption of our Competitive Sport Strategy at a summit in July 2005,
significant steps have been taken to promote Gauteng as the 'Home of
Champions'.

In November 2005, provincial government allocated R45 million towards this
strategy which includes the first phase of a two year programme to upgrade Rand
Stadium, HM Pitje, Sinaba and George Thabe Stadiums. With the exception of
Sinaba, the other three stadia were identified as practice venues in the 2010
Bid Book.

Progress has also been reached in ensuring that Gauteng-based Premier Soccer
League (PSL) and first division teams have permanent home grounds in the
province: Kaizer Chiefs is currently based at FNB; Orlando Pirates at Ellis
Park; Sundowns at HM Pitje; Swallows are using Orlando Stadium, Cosmos at Rand
Stadium; Supersport based at Atteridgeville Stadium and Benoni United at Sinaba
Stadium.

The following competitive sporting events were amongst others hosted by the
province in 2005: the Davis Cup Tennis Tournament at Ellis Park in March 2005;
two one day international cricket matches between South Africa and Australia at
Wanderers Stadium; two Derbys between Pirates and Chiefs at FNB (April and
December); the Telkom Charity Cup at FNB in July; the ABSA Currie Cup finals
and semi finals at Loftus in Tshwane; the Vaal Canoe Marathon. One of South
Africa's three accredited grand prix canoe marathons in the City of Sedibeng in
November 2005; the Spar Invitational Netball Tournament at Randburg Stadium in
Johannesburg; the Legends Soccer tournament at Ellis Park Stadium in
Johannesburg and the Under 23 International Soccer championships at venues
throughout the province in January 2006; and the Chiefs vs FC Moscow friendly
match at FNB.

In addition the provincial government supported two Gauteng-based
tournaments in February this year: the Gauteng Cup and the Chailanse Cup. Both
tournaments aim to encourage Gauteng based teams to compete with teams from
other provinces or elsewhere in Southern Africa.

Already in the pipeline for later in the year is a grand prix accredited
athletics meeting between SADCC countries involving 21 champion athletes in
April 2006; the SADCC netball challenge in February; six international boxing
bouts in Ekurhuleni in March, the Gauteng Tennis Cup in March 2006 and the
national swimming championships.

Building Gauteng's creative industries

In November 2005, the Provincial Executive Council passed the Arts and
Cultural Industries strategy. This strategy aims to build on the already
substantial contribution creative industries make to the province's economy by
looking for ways to align public and private sector initiatives and investment.
Currently 40% of the country's creative industries are located in the province.
This emphasises the importance of synchronising government interventions to
Gauteng's Growth and Development Strategy.

To support this process, the Department will in March this year host a
Creative Industries Summit where over 400 delegates from government, the arts
and culture sector, organised labour and community organisations will adopt a
strategy to promote growth in this area.

Key pillars of the strategy to promote the creative industries include
supporting cultural business initiatives; expanding cultural markets; skills
development; networking and cultural exchanges; promoting performance circuits;
and marketing crafts.

The strategy hopes to build on the initiatives taken last year by the
Department to promote the creative sector including:

* the Pale ya Rona Carnival which involved 5 000 participants last
September
* the partnership to promote the Joy of Jazz festival
* Renovating Uncle Tom's Hall to promote community theatre
* Upgrades to the Katlehong and Daveyton Art Centres to promote centres of
excellence at local level

Building Safe and Sustainable Communities

In an effort to promote the social well being of the province's youth, the
Department has embarked on a major restructuring exercise to relocate staff at
30 community-based recreation centres across the province. Working together
with volunteers, these staff members aim to offer youth and students daily
after-school programmes of sport, arts and culture and reading programmes.
While the programme has not been without its teething problems, we are happy to
announce that in December 2005, our holiday programme attracted an average of
700 youngsters a day for the first two weeks of December.

During 2006 we aim to build on early successes by partnering with local
schools to ensure easier access to sports venues and qualified coaching at
these same centres. We also plan to re-align our grants for developmental sport
to sports federations operating from these same recreational centres. Already
these centres form the basis for recruiting for 2006 Masakhane Games, an
important activity to ensure that in 2007 Gauteng can retain its three year
unbeaten winner record at the South African games.

A year of important anniversaries

2006 sees the celebration of three significant milestones in our province
including the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Democratic Constitution in
Sharpeville; the 30 anniversary of the 1976 uprising and the 50th anniversary
of the Women's Anti-Pass March to the Union Buildings. The Department is
already participating in planning committees to ensure the success of these
events.

Enquiries:
Nomazwe Ntlokwana
Tel: (011) 355 2578

Issued by: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Gauteng
Provincial Government
14 February 2006