Recreation South Africa, at the 2007 Heroes Walk Against AIDS, Rosebank
15 November 2007
Programme director
Representatives of Ekurhuleni
Representatives of Sport and Recreation South Africa
The Sport Heroes and Representatives of Sport Heroes Walk against AIDS
Representatives of hospices and care centres
Sponsors
The media
Ladies and gentlemen
Apology for the Minister's absence
One Elbert Hubbard once said "One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary
men; no machine can do the work of one extraordinary man".
Today we are gathered here, because our country is blessed with
extraordinary men and women whose deeds cannot be replaced by any machine.
These are men and women whose hearts are at the right places, the men and
women, who as one H. Samuel once said, understand that "if in our world there
are vales of tears, there are hillsides also of joy and laughter and peaks of
splendour shining in the sun".
Ladies and gentlemen, these men and women that will be taking a long walk to
Port Elizabeth, and those who have taken other similar walks before, clearly
understand that they are what they are because of the support from people
around them. As they take this walk, they do so knowing that those less
fortunate than them will one day benefit from their good and generous deeds.
They do so knowing that where tears are rolling, their contribution may help
bring back joy and laughter.
As a department mandated to create with the rest of South Africa, an active
and winning nation, we could not stand back and not join this worthy cause that
our sport heroes have initiated. When Cynthia Tshaka, approached us about this
worthy initiative, we saw no reason not to come on board. This is not because
of who Cynthia is, but for what she stood for when she came to us. Today as we
gather here, we are proud that as a department responsible for sport and
recreation in our country, we are able to support our sport heroes in their
effort to plough back to our communities.
Through our Mass Participation Programme, we are working hard to increase
participation in sport and recreation as a contribution towards eradication of
the social ills that our country still faces. When we went to Limpopo province
recently to celebrate active ageing of our elders, the football playing oldies
of that province, some of which are seventy something years old, told us that
playing sport keeps them away from the clinic. As one witnessed how lively they
are, one could not stop wondering what then prevents some of our youth who
loiter the streets looking for an opportunity to do wrong, to join the active
and winning nation.
While as a department we acknowledge that there is still a lot of work to be
done towards fully developing our sport, the little that we have already done,
has opened opportunities for our people. The training that we provide in terms
of event management, first aid, sport management, and many other similar
training offerings, go a long way in improving the lives of our people who
could have otherwise opted for some self-defeating alternatives.
We are proud of the jobs that we create for our youth who work as Activity
Co-ordinators and Hub Co-ordinators in various communities. While we are not
giving them much in the form of stipends, the little that they receive in terms
of experience and a sense of worth in their communities, cannot be produced by
any machine.
We are pleased as a department that we are now clear of where we are heading
to and together with you, we can create an active and truly winning nation. A
nation that respects and fully utilises sport facilities that our government
builds for them, a nation that wins the war against crime, poverty, disease,
abuse and many other social ills.
The 16 days' heroes walk comes at a time when we are preparing ourselves for
the 16 Days of Activism against Women and Children Abuse. That the end of this
Walk will coincide with the World Aids Day should be a positive sign for us. A
sign that if we walk the walk as individuals and hold hands as communities, we
can achieve success.
As our sports heroes walk from town to town, I hope that they will do so
with the understanding that as Martin Kole once said, "they are possessors of a
great and wonderful power"; the power which "when properly applied, will bring
confidence instead of timidity, calmness instead of confusion, poise instead of
restlessness and peace of mind in place of heartache". I urge you on behalf of
Sport and Recreation South Africa, to go out there and tell our people that
ours is a country alive with possibilities. Make them believe that even the
long walk to freedom started with one step, the step that you will also be
taking tomorrow morning as we start counting towards day 16.
As you donate funds to HIV and AIDS hospices and care centres, just look in
the eyes of those who will benefit from such donations and you will understand
the impact you are making in their lives. As a department, when we give sport
equipment to sport clubs during this walk, we will be doing so expecting such
equipment to be utilised maximally and be taken care of. In this way, our
attempt to create winners out of our athletes will gain the momentum we all
want to see gained.
In concluding, I wish to thank all sport heroes who previously took part in
similar walks and those who will be taking a 16 day walk to Port Elizabeth
against HIV and AIDS, abuse, and all that still make us believe that we do not
deserve the opportunities that our freedom has brought us.
Our thanks also go to Sasol for sticking around to ensure that this worthy
cause does not die a slow death. And of course we thank all the sponsors whom I
believe will still support this worthy course next year irrespective of which
province it focuses on.
To you Cynthia and your team, thank you for seeing a need and acting on it
in order to make a positive contribution to the lives of our people.
I urge our people throughout the towns that this Heroes Walk against AIDS
will reach, to make use of the mobile testing clinic that will be on hand
during this walk, offering free testing and counselling opportunity.
Ladies and gentlemen, let us take a walk and play it safe.
Thank you.
Issued by: Sport and Recreation South Africa
15 November 2007
Thembinkosi
