"Tansformation and development: Our main priority"
Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation, South Africa, Mr G Oosthuizen
The Director-General, Mr Alec Moemi
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
This evening I will present the Budget Vote of the Department of Sport and Recreation SA outlining our vision and our key strategic objectives.
Transformation and Sport development continues to be our apex priority. It is for that reason that the following priority areas will find expression through our funding allocation in this budget statement, (1) Transformation in sport (2) School sport (3) Development and maintenance of sport and recreation facilities, (4) Community sport and (5) Active recreation.
Transformation
Our country has a troubled past of racial oppression which expressed itself through exclusion of many from not only the economy and but also in Sport. It is a widely accepted fact that Sport is a powerful tool to healing past wounds and creating a cohesive united society. Acknowledging this, our budget will outline steps taken since the appointment of the Eminent Persons Group in 2012 and steps that will lead us to a fully transformed sport that is reflective of the people of South Africa. It is important for SRSA to deliver on this area of transformation for the future of South African sport.
School Sport
The Department remains committed to maximising access to sport, recreation and physical activity in every school in South Africa and is unapologetic about rolling out functional sport in schools. School sport therefore remains our flagship programme. Our key focus is devoted to the school leagues which will culminate in the National School Sport Championships.
Infrastructure Support Programme
We cannot stop stressing the importance of infrastructure. As outlined in the National Facilities plan, our budget will show how we plan to build facilities for sport and recreation. These facilities must be delivered on time according to the established norms and standards. Schools and communities with facilities create an enabling environment for sport development. They become a driver and motivation for sport participation in the same way promoting a healthy living. Rural Development is one of our government’s apex priorities, in addressing the this, SRSA will support a Rural Sport Improvement Programme
Municipal Infrastructure Grant
Further discussions between SRSA, and critical stakeholders such as COGTA and SALGA, will be undertaken, in order to come to an understanding on the use of the 15% of the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) for building of sport and recreation facilities. On the personnel side, our Infrastructure Support programme, has been restructured in such a way that it can easily contain the coordination function of MIG usage.
Recognising and Honouring Excellence
The department continues to host recognition of excellence and honouring events to celebrate outstanding performance by South African athletes and teams. We are not a country that will celebrate and honour excellence when our sportswomen and men have pass on but we will honour them while they are alive. Honouring them serves as a motivation for excellence
The department will continue to reward and recognise excellence through events such as: the Individual Sports Awards, the Steve Tshwete Life Time Achievement Awards, the Ministers’ Excellence Awards.
Members of the Media, women continue to be side-lined in many sectors. It is our objective to level the playing field and create an enabling environment for women to get access to sport participation. In celebrating Women’s month, Sport and Recreation South Africa plans to honour the role of women in Sport in August.
All these lead to our South Africa Sport Awards which are on their 10th year running.
The New National Sport Leagues
The Brutal Fruit Netball League and the National Basketball League have grown in stature. Our wish is to see these leagues attracting more support so that one day, the athletes participating in them, can be fulltime professionals, who can go and represent our country at national level, without worrying about their time from the office.
On International Front
In our efforts to turn Basketball in South Africa professional, we will strengthen our relations with NBA Africa to expose our athletes to international basketball.
As you are aware the NBA and National Basketball Players Association announced details for its first exhibition in Africa, featuring the two All-Stars, and high-profile NBA coaches, including coach of the year Mike Budenholzer of the Atlanta Hawks.
The game will be at Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg, South Africa's biggest city, and aired live in South Africa and other African countries. We look forward to this and many partnership we plan to have in future.
Nelson Mandela Sport & Culture Day 2014
This program is aimed at celebrating the life and legacy of our former President Nelson Mandela but most importantly to give practical expression to the prescripts of social cohesion and nation building. Hosted successfully last year we plan on a bigger one again.
Boxing SA
We will also reveal our plans to assist to Boxing South Africa, as a public entity to be financially viable and stable.
Thank you for attending our Media Briefing, I hope you will later join us for the budget vote this evening.
Enquiries:
Esethu Hasane, Media and Liaison Officer
Cell: 082 330 4016
