Sport Committee finds that municipalities are struggling to use MIG funds appropriately
The Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation believes that municipalities are struggling to use the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) for the purpose for which it was allocated.
The Committee visited KwaZulu-Natal Province this week, particularly Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Richards Bay and Hluhluwe to assess the use of the Division of Revenue Act grant allocated to the province for the implementation of sport and recreation programmes and for providing sport opportunities to communities and to assess the impact of facilities built for sport and recreation through the assistance of Sport for Social Change programme.
When the Committee visited Umhlathuze Local Municipality in Richards Bay, it was impressed with the fact that every ward in the area had a sport facility – and with the MIGallocation for planned projects for the 2015/16 financial year estimated to be R15 m. The Committee was, however, concerned with the lease agreements between the municipality and sport clubs. Some sport clubs have indefinite lease agreements with the municipality which state that they will not pay rent whereas other clubs pay a lease of R7 500 per month to the municipality.
The Committee hopes that the Umhlathuze Local Municipality will find solutions to this lease agreement matter that will benefit both the clubs and the municipality.
The Committee is also impressed with the sterling work done by the Big Five False Bay Municipality in Hluhluwe in developing athletes from disadvantaged rural communities in various sporting codes such as football, rugby, volleyball and swimming. The Committee is impressed with how this municipality has been consistent in the past two years in utilising the 15% of the MIG funds allocated to it for sport infrastructure.
The Committee is, however, concerned with the fact that a Fifa Legacy Project football ground was built on privately owned land that was leased to the municipality by the owner.
The Committee recommends that the Department of Sport and Recreation should investigate how such an agreement came about and the implications thereof.
The Committee is encouraged with the manner in which school sport is prioritised in the province. The Committee made a joint visit with the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education to Pietermaritzburg Girls High School, a sport-focused school, to monitor the implementation of the model on sport-focused schools in assisting talented athletes to achieve their potential.
The visit to the school made both Committees to be aware of the efforts that need to be made by both the Departments of Sport and Recreation and Basic Education in working together in assisting talented learners.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Ms Faith Kwaza
Tel: 021403 8062
Cell:081 377 0686
E-mail:fkwaza@parliament.gov.za
