Mr Mondli Gungubele, Minister in the Presidency,
Ms Anroux Marais, MEC for Cultural Affairs and Sport, Western Cape, Mr Michael Currin, Acting DG; GCIS,
Sponsors and Partners,
Representatives of National Federations, Local and international sport persons, Members of the Media,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Thank you very much for gracing this networking session with your presence.
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, in partnership with Mediamark, Diageo, Heineken and The Artscape, deemed it necessary to accept the GCIS’s offer for us to make use of this platform to take advantage of the presence of local and international sportspersons, who have been invited to the SONA, to share the key elements of our calendar of major sports events, taking place, this year.
You may already have noticed from this quarter’s activities, that the year 2023 marks a very packed programme of major international sports events, hosted within South Africa.
Indeed, with regard to the sport of Cricket, the year kicked off with the inaugural ICC Women’s T20, u/19 World Cup, which is immediately followed by the 8th ICC Senior Women’s T20 World Cup. We are grateful to the ICC for trusting us with these two major programmes of theirs. We also want to congratulate Cricket SA for accepting the challenge. May I also, at this juncture, acknowledge the presence of all the local and international players and wish them well in their matches.
Cricket SA has also chosen to launch their inaugural SA20 tournament, alongside hosting their unfinished ODI business against their English counterparts.
Netball SA hosted the Quad Series, featuring Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa whilst Table Tennis hosted the World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender event. A lot of valuable lessons were learnt, through these events, to sharpen our team performances for the 2023 NWC and 2023 ITTF World Championship Finals to be held in the country, in July/August and May, this year, respectively.
We have also taken time this year, to produce a consolidated calendar of major international events, where we will be represented, for the balance of this year.
Our emphasis being on major sports events is by no means an indication of us only focusing on the big sports bodies to the prejudice of other sports. On the contrary, the presence of National Federations like the SA Taekwondo Federation and the Rowing Federation of SA, is a measure of how we value the role played by sports that presently do not enjoy much media attention.
Our big message about today’s event is to make a Case for Sport, where Government acknowledges sport, not only for its prestige and entertainment value, but also for its contribution, as demonstrated, to the country’s GDP, as well as overall economic growth and development.
Amongst the reasons we are building on the existing Case for Sport, at this stage, is the urgency of economic recovery following the impact of the pandemic, particularly in a developing country like ours.
Indeed, with regard to the impact of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, national government reported that the event “contributed US$509,0 million to the 2010 real GDP. Moreover, it created US$769,0 million in benefits for households, of which US$228,0million designated to low-income families”.
Such statistics clearly suggest that the hosting of major sports events directly contribute beyond social benefits like social cohesion, nation-building, and marketing opportunities.
Sports contribution to the country’s Economic reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP) means it plays no small role in the building of a new economy and the unleashing of the country’s true potential, where the overarching goal is to create sustainable, resilient, and inclusive economy.
Furthermore, covid robbed the country of additional benefits through the conditions in place when we hosted the British and Irish Lions.
Sport transcends all sorts of barriers like the athletes’ “star power” which we appealed to in getting the sports role models to encourage communities to vaccinate against Covid-19.
Many sports heroes/heroines have personal social upliftment foundations and some have also taken up causes such as participating in important social campaigns like GBVF.
In terms of the 2023 calendar of international events, South Africa will be hosting no less than twelve approved sport events, whilst a few others are still being evaluated in terms of the Department’s bidding and hosting protocols.
With regard to Women in Sport, the crowning of Banyana Banyana as WAFCON champions which earned them a slot in this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, became a very welcome game-changer for sport.
It would seem the world controlling bodies in sport, have already seen South Africa as a viable destination, judging by the fact that, as we speak, the city of Tshwane, is presently hosting the FIH Indoor World Cup, which is also taking place for the first time, in the continent, whilst the city is also scheduled to host the World Rowing Masters Regatta 2023, in September.
South Africa has also developed their own iconic international brands like the Comrades Marathon and the Nedbank Golf Challenge. These events go a long way to affirming the country amongst the top venues for international events.
Lastly, statistics released following the South Africa vs New Zealand rugby match played in Mpumalanga, last year, indicate a projected R112.3 million benefit for the province, of which the city of Mbombela accounted for R85.3 million.
Having said all the above, the Department continues to look for better ways to get sport administrators to make their national federations inclusive through continuing investment in transformation programmes as well as on the best way to assist school sport to play their role as a nursery for sport.
On my part, I plan to continue empowering SASCOC and the existing Transformation Commission, The EPG, in the best way I can so we can focus on our policy-making mandate, rather than operationally.
Thanks, once again, for granting us the opportunity to address you.
