The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) will put together a team of facilitators to assist the horse-racing industry to transform. This was announced by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies.
He made this commitment during the hearings on the status of transformation in the horse-racing industry held by the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry in Parliament. Various stakeholders including grooms, trainers, owners and industry associations participated in the hearings.
“It has become clear during the presentations and inputs of various stakeholders that we are not close to achieving inclusivity and transformation in the horse-racing industry. But we are committed to assisting the industry transform, and in order to achieve this we will appoint a team of facilitators who will consult with everyone involved and produce recommendations which will make everyone happy to go forward,” said Minister Davies.
A horse-racing industry analyst Mr Robin Bruss requested Minister Davies to institute a commission of enquiry into horse-racing in the country in order to “inform an appropriate and equitable dispensation leading to a sustainable growth path for all who participate in the industry”.
He added that the unique structure of the horse-racing industry – its categorisation into breeders which is part of agriculture, racing (sport) and gambling (trade and industry), was a barrier to transformation.
“R9 million per annum is bet on horse-racing and yet all three components are in decline because the industry is under-funded. Most of the decline is evident in employment which has gone down from 100 000 in 1995 to 15 000 in 2009,” said Bruss.
Although the Chief Executive of the National Horseracing Authority, Mr Denzil Pillay said the industry was in the throes of transforming itself, the presentation made by the Chairman of the South African Grooms Association, Mr Chopelikaya Simoto, indicated that the two stakeholders are diametrically opposed.
This prompted Minister Davies to offer to appoint facilitators to help bring all the stakeholders closer in order to agree of the way forward before he could make present recommendations and proposal to the gambling council.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe, Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 079 492 1774
Tel: 012 394 1650
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Twitter: @the_dti
