The newly elected executive of the Gauteng Sport Council has its work cut out in developing and transforming sport in the province. The executive takes over the running of the council affairs after an interim executive was elected earlier this year following the dissolving of the two rival bodies that existed.
At a meeting held at the CocaCola Park on 7 May 2011 members of the different federations and regional structures elected the 12 member committee which will serve for the next four years. Following a secret ballot voting process Mr Barry Hendricks was elected chairman of the committee.
Mr Hendricks, from Kempton Park, is the current president of squash in Gauteng with over 20 years experience in sports administration.
The rest of the executive committee members:
First Vice Chair representing Federations is Ms Elize Durandt, second Vice Chair representing Regional Sports Councils is Ms Selina Metsing; the four Executive Members representing Federations are Thami Shabangu, Kaya Mjo, Yassem Lombard and Athea Harmse; and the four Executive Members representing Regional Sports Councils are Sylvester Simelane, Xolani Mathumbo, Junior Ramovha and Tebogo Moketsane.
In his acceptance speech Mr Hendricks acknowledged that the main challenge the new council is facing is the division within federations, however, he promised to address the rivalry and take sport to where it belongs including taking elite of sport to the townships. He committed that the new executive committee will ensure that the council is the best in the country and one of the best in the world.
For the next four years the committee will serve the mandate to develop sport in Gauteng including bringing about transformation in sport. The short to medium term deliverables for the new executive include:
- Auditing of the provincial federations and councils
- Registration of Gauteng provincial colours across the sporting fraternities
- Registration of logos for the different sporting codes
- Membership drive to the Council (including at the level of the federations and Regional Sports Councils).
- Bringing on-board tertiary institution sport
- Getting the structures to affiliate to South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC)
- Strengthening of provincial, regional and local sport councils
- Contribution to the transformation program of action
In his address MEC Lebogang Maile called for the integrity of members in carrying out the mandate of the council including being accountable. According to him people in the committee need to be highly ethical. He says the committee needs to put in place accounting systems before it could receive any funding which he says he’ll personally oversee. "Before any funding could be made to the council I need to be satisfied that accounting systems are in place to ensure it’s used for sport and not for the benefit of individuals," said the MEC.
The MEC has also urged the new leadership to take advantage of the resources set aside by the provincial government to ensure that they get school sport running in communities. "The provincial government is working hard to ensure accessibility of sporting facilities in communities. We will ensure that facilities found in schools are accessible in communities and schools that might not have are provided with opportunity to access community facilities," Maile said.
In the carrying out of its mandate the council will also assist the department in areas including amongst others, creating an enabling environment and coordination of sport; developing sport facilities; developing sport talent from basic to high performance and building mass participation in sport.
Enquiries:
Emmanuel Mdawu
Cell: 082 848 1452
E-mail: emmanuel.mdawu@gauteng.gov.za
Source: Gauteng Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation
