Honourable Speaker
Cabinet colleagues
Honourable members
The 2010 FIFA World Cup is upon us and we want our people to FEEL IT!
Our country is abuzz with excitement! Our media have dedicated programmes and space to showcase the build-up to the tournament. The private sector is fully behind all campaigns such as Football Friday, Fly the Flag, and the 2010 Countdown programme. South Africans are united in hosting the best ever FIFA World Cup in 2010!
I have no doubt that the socio-economic impact of the2010 FIFA World Cup will be felt long after the event. During the construction phase of our preparations we were clear that low income households should benefit from the infrastructure development programme. We now know that more than 100 000 workers have been employed, either directly or indirectly through the 2010 construction programme.
We also know that many workers moved from being unskilled to semi-skilled; from being semi-skilled to skilled. We now know that more and more women have entered the construction industry. They have done so in many different capacities, brick layers, plasterers, crane drivers and safety officers, to name but a few.
With the games being hosted in 10 venues, we were able to spread the benefit of this investment, reaching far and wide in society. Yesterday, Grant Thornton released information. Projecting that about 370 000 visitors will arrive for the world cup. These new projections also indicate that visitors will stay longer and potentially spend more.
Grant Thornton also estimates that the economic impact of the world cup will be a staggering R93 billion. We have always known that the impact of mega events on tourism is not only felt during the build up to the event but long after the event. The Winter Games held in Norway in 1994 resulted in tourism growth by 59 percent from 1989 to 1994. While 350 000 foreigners visited Paris during the 1988 FIFA World Cup in France, arrivals continued to increase by 13.1 percent in 1998, ten years later. In Sydney, prior to and after the 2000 Olympics, an incremental 1.6 million international visitors visited Australia between 1997 and 2004.
It is to this end that the African Six Pack project requires strong support from all corners of our country and the rest of the African continent. Each of the six African countries that participate in the tournament must treat and feel each of the stadia as their home ground. As South Africans, we must provide home crowd support to our brothers and sisters in our quest to restore the dignity of our continent's people.
It is in this context that we have to caution those who are using the world cup as a bargaining stick for benefits and service delivery. The vision should not be what is in it for me, the attitude should rather be, what is in it for our country and our continent and what are the long term prospects and benefits to us as Africans. "KE NAKO" is not to introduce challenges, "KE NAKO" is to "Celebrate Africa's Humanity", "KE NAKO" is to live the spirit of UBUNTU, that for a better and brighter future!
In support of our South African Football Association (SAFA), we embarked on a Peace Caravan road show in five countries of the Great Lakes region. This was to send a message that sport can be used as a tool for peace, especially in a war torn region like the Great Lakes. 36 young people of ages ranging from 18 to 32 were members of a team that formed part of the Peace Caravan, spreading the message of peace through sport. We continue to pride ourselves with the change we have made in the lives of people through this initiative.
Sport, at the elite as well as at community level, is increasingly being used in a wide variety of ways to promote social inclusion, prevent conflict and to enhance peace within and among nations. In this regard the United Nations General Assembly has adopted a series of resolutions on Sport for Development and Peace. Although sport alone cannot prevent conflict or build peace, it can contribute to broader, more comprehensive efforts in a number of important ways. Sport equipment provides a positive and accessible alternative for the guns of internal conflict. As a strategic initiative our department will carefully look at ways and means to use sport and recreation as a tool in promoting development and peace.
I am pleased to report that our department will work very closely with the United Nations Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group in future to maximise the potential of sport and recreation in peace and development initiatives.
Honourable Speaker, our work with the United Nations goes beyond sport for peace and development. One other initiative in which we are working with them is the One Goal for cooperation on the establishment for an African Fund for Education. The United Nations, through its Office for Drugs Control, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), International Organisation for Migration and International Labour Organisation (ILO), have also been working closely with the Office for Sexual Offences under the National Prosecutions Authority on issues of human trafficking. This includes the "Red Card" campaign, which is aimed at discouraging foreign visitors from getting involved in activities that may get them in trouble when visiting the country.
The United Nations is planning a number of key events ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, including a gala dinner for 8 June 2010, scheduled for Constitution Hill. In line with the millennium development goals (MDGs), the United Nations involved eight African artists to write a song titled "Eight Goals for Africa", authored and recorded by the 8 artists who each sing about one specific goal. The song can be downloaded free up to the end of the world cup.
Youth Development against Violence through Sport
Our Department and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KFW), which is a German Development Bank, are currently implementing what we call "Youth Development against Violence through Sport Programme". The overall objective of this programme is to use sport, specifically football, as a catalyst for transmitting life skills to children and youth in order to reduce violence and social ills. The children get off the streets, learn about rules and fair-play and practice conflict resolution without violence.
Fast track phase
An accelerated programme would see construction of 100 kick-abouts (modified small size pitches which could be used for various codes) or the rehabilitation of existing football pitches in selected areas. Construction of at least seven facilities would be completed by the end of May 2010.
South African Institution for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS)
Last year we highlighted the important work that the South African Institute of Drug-free Sport was expected to do. We also lamented the inadequate resources with which they were doing such important work.
Today we can announce that the budget allocation to the South African Institute for Drug-free Sport increased from R5 million to R10.042 million. This increase was necessitated by the increase in costs as a result of changing from urine testing to blood testing. SAIDS can now afford to increase the number of tests and its laboratory will easily maintain its accreditation status, the only accredited laboratory on African soil.
We cannot be complacent when it involves the integrity of the South African sporting system. With the additional funding we expect to increase education.
As a country we must ensure greater reach of anti-doping initiatives. I have been elected to represent Africa on the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Committee on the Evaluation for the Fund on Anti-doping. The significance of this fund lies in the fact that it provides funding to least developed countries to advance their anti-doping activities
In this respect, countries can access funds for education projects focusing on youth and sport organisations, policy advice to state parties and monitoring and capacity building projects. During my tenure I will ensure that the flow of funds to African countries actually happens.
The 2008/09 annual report shows a significant decline on the number of audit queries and a reduction from three to one qualification compared to the previous financial year. In our determination to further improve the internal control environment a risk management policy was approved. A Risk Committee became operational introducing a new vibrancy in the department to the identification, assessment and mitigation of identified risks. All vacancies in the Internal Audit directorate have been filled. To ensure full coverage of the audit plan we have appointed a co-source service provider.
We are confident that the remaining challenges experienced with regard to royalties will be resolved. We have given an instruction that the department must revisit the principle of collecting royalties against the use of the national sporting emblems. This week Deloitte delivered a report following a comprehensive investigation into the royalty system. A policy announcement will be made as soon as we have discussed the recommendations contained in the report. This, we trust will bring an end to the one audit qualification reported in 2008/09 financial year.
Chairperson, we have come a long way since staff of the department amalgamated with staff of the South African Sport Commission. But it is time that we re-examine how we are organised. We are about to commence with the public participation process to review of the White Paper. This must culminate in a national sport plan and all sectors must buy-in and commit to the strategic direction that will emerge from this process. To gear the department to respond to these developments we have started a parallel process to develop a functional organisational structure.
We must admit that the previous structure did not sufficiently take into account the mandate and specific functions of the national department. We envisage that the process will be followed by job evaluation, competency assessment, and where needed, the retraining of staff. Let me assure staff that we do not anticipate that any staff member will become redundant. These processes are necessary to ensure better results and outcomes for the sport and recreation sector.
As we consolidate the work of the department we must reassert the importance of our partnership with South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). SASCOC is the key coordinating structure that must deliver on improving our international performance. The energy displayed by SASCOC, we trust, will translate into better results.
But we cannot pursue international competitiveness at the cost of development, transformation and good governance. The constituent parts of SASCOC, the national federations, are fundamental in securing delivery on these outputs. We must sharpen our instruments and enhance accountability in this regard. In short, we must enhance our development and transformation and governance programmes.
We are putting greater emphasis on participation. Collectively therefore, we must commit to the development of Olympic and non Olympic sport and recreation. So, we expect that in the revised White Paper greater emphasis will be placed on recreation. To this end strategic partnerships will be formed with other sectors.
In our quest to develop sport on all levels we need to address current inefficiencies. Why is it that smaller federations continue to be bedeviled by poor governance and perennial administrative challenges? Why have we not been able to embrace the best practices that flow from shared services models in sport? It is now time, that jointly with SASCOC, we must implement such cooperation strategies.
Boxing South Africa
Honourable Speaker, last year we informed this house that we will do our best to correct the health of boxing in our country. To this effect, on 23 and 24 April, we will be hosting a National Convention on Boxing. I must emphasise, that the convention is not about Boxing South Africa or the disbandment of its board. It is simply about giving the boxing fraternity an opportunity to discuss challenges facing the sport of boxing and chart a way to a better future for the sport.
We will discuss the Mateza-Zifo Report on the Examination of Boxing, with the intention of charting a knockout future for the sport. Other matters that will be discussed at the convention include medical and doping in boxing, sponsorship and marketing, regulatory frameworks (legislation and policies), the relationship between SANABO and BSA, as well as corporate governance.
Since the report was issued to us, there have been questions as to when will the recommendations be implemented. Our approach is that although the report contains useful information, it is not the bible of boxing. The contents of the report still need to be interrogated by the boxing fraternity so that at the end, they can take ownership of whatever is extracted from the report to inform the future of the sport.
We have also assisted Boxing South Africa to draw a strategic plan that can better inform the way they conduct their business. We recently appointed Auditors to assist with the compilation of financial statements of Boxing South Africa.
Conclusion
I wish to place on record the ground breaking work done by Minister Stofile in the world Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Board. After five long years, South Africa will be succeeded by Tunisia. No doubt, we can be proud of the contributions and the role played by Mfundisi at this level. We also know that he will use the extra time to take up the responsibilities in Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the African Union; these are leadership roles we have to play to the benefit of our region and continent.
I wish to thank the following entities for their support and cooperation: The Portfolio Committee, the Select Committee, MECs, leaders in the sport movements, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as the media. A big thank you also goes to our managers, staff and administrators, the foot soldiers and the implementers!
Working t6ogether we can do more!
Ke Nako, let us Celebrate Africa's Humanity!!!
Issued by: Sport and Recreation South Africa
22 April 2010
