Programme Director
MEC of Sport, Arts & Culture, MEC Moerane
President of SASCOC, Mr. Gideon Sam,
Dr. Sam Ramsamy, International Olympic Committee (IOC)
Presidents of national federations,
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Thank you for the invitation to this General Meeting of SASCOC and its affiliated Federations. Allow me to touch on some of the more significant matters that my department is dealing with.
Firstly, with regard to the employment of foreign/recreation persons by South African sports and recreation bodies I would like to thank our federations for the good relationship and cooperation that exists with SRSA and SASCOC. I value the cooperative and collaborative working relationships of staff of federations with staff and entities within SRSA and SASCOC.
I am aware that federations and their athletes have enjoyed much success in the last few years with athletes bringing home more medals and playing at ever higher levels regionally, nationally and internationally. Some of these successes are as a result that some federations are dependent on the services of foreign coaches, administrators, technical officials and in some instances players.
SRSA, as the national government department responsible for sport and recreation in South Africa, has a coordination role to play in this regard. SRSA is aware that in some cases national and provincial federations, as well as clubs, employ foreigners without consulting with SRSA and SASCOC in advance.
SRSA, guided by the National Sport and Recreation Amendment Act, 2007, directs you to the importance of Section 13A of the Act, which stipulates that recruitment of sport and recreation persons must be done in a manner that promotes equity, representivity and redress in sport and recreation. In this regard I kindly request you to expedite your development plans to enable full participation of all South African citizens.
You are kindly advised to liaise with SRSA /SASCOC before employing foreign sport and recreation persons in order for us to do a proper evaluation of your motivation in this regard. After evaluation of your application SRSA will make a recommendation to the Department of Home Affairs regarding the issuing of a work permit.
Full details regarding the procedures for the application for work permits for foreign sport/recreation persons were outlined in a letter signed by the DG of SRSA, dated 26 March 2010, addressed to all national sport and recreation federations. Your kind cooperation in this regard would be appreciated.
We would like to commend SASCOC for its preparations thus far for the Commonwealth Games that will be held in Delhi during October. Several missions have been undertaken to Delhi to ensure that optimum conditions are set up for our athletes. We trust that SASCOC is busy preparing Team SA with your cooperation and assistance. We are currently initiating discussions for the official government functions that we will host in Delhi. Let us join hands to make this our best
Commonwelath Games to date. In July 2011, eThekwini will host the 123rd IOC Session. This is a high profile event that will certainly boost sport tourism. Sport & Recreation South Africa is delighted to be part of this major event, and is looking forward to working with SASCOC and the City of Durban in ensuring a very successful 123rd IOC Session.
With regard to infrastructure we realise that our quest for excellence in sport cannot be realised unless there are adequate and appropriate resources, fundamentally the sport infrastructure. However there still exist in our society disparities in terms of the provision and management of sport infrastructure. In some areas facilities are under utilised some over utilized, others vandalised and poorly maintained.
Whilst Government continues to invest in community infrastructure, the non governmental institutions, particularly the Federations, need to be involved and partner government to ensure that there are sustainable sport development programmes. SRSA will in this financial year be engaging the Federations and other key stakeholders to work out appropriate responses and solutions to challenges in the provision and management of sport and recreation infrastructure.
Survival of the human race is dependent on the physical environment within which we live and play. To this end, the Government of South Africa has fully embraced the campaign on sustainable development and protection of the environment.
The IOC through its Sport and Environment Commission made a call to all nations, particularly the National Olympic Committees as part of the Olympic Movement to use sport as a tool for sustainable development. The South African Government would like to make a call to the sporting fraternity to consciously make a contribution in the global effort for sustainable environment. We cannot continue with ‘business as usual’. We have no alternative but to address issues of global warming and climate change in the sport environment.
We have noted the concerns raised by SASCOC and our federations about our funding of Lovelife. Let me give you a brief background to this matter. In 2002 an agreement was entered into with the Kaiser Family Foundation (USA), loveLife (then was part of the Health System Trust and the Government of the Republic of South Africa through the Department of Health. It was then agreed that the grant will be channeled by the National Treasury through SRSA.
Through the SRSA grant, loveLife Games are able to operate in all 9 provinces with a presence in over 5600 schools nationally with a reach of over 500 000 children between the ages 12 - 19 years old. loveLife is in a position to train over 3500 Adult Allies – life coaches/mentors in the loveLife programmes that promotes behavioral change in young people.
Their ongoing league activity in schools and communities provide sport and recreational platforms for young people to be possibly engaged in. Through the loveLife games participants who would not be able to compete in competitive school sport have an opportunity to be hooked into aspirations to be part of "bigger" sporting events.
SRSA in partnership with loveLife are in a prime position to help drive the government’s goal in reducing the HIV - aids epidemic through structured and organised platform through sport and recreation. In this regard we have requested loveLife to align their strategic and business plans to that of the Department. We would then have specific outcomes to measure their return on our investment.
Through loveLife SRSA has been able to tap into the youthfulness of the loveLife brand, thus creating a "winning and active nation." With regard to FUNDING FROM SRSA, National Treasury is the spearhead of the allocation to LoveLife and SRSA are basically the implementers and monitors of the funds. Unfortunately, SRSA does not have a right to terminate the funding because of the agreement mentioned. For the 2010/11 financial year, the allocation amounts to approximately R27million.
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to focus on SRSA’s strategic plan.
The five year strategic plan of the Department for the period 2010-14 was recently submitted to Parliament. We remain steadfast in our vision of “an active and winning nation” and to achieve this, our focus remains on increasing the levels of sport and recreation participation as well as achieving success at an international level.
Following a strategic assessment, the Department was unanimous that we need to address, amongst others, the following pertinent challenges within the next five years:
Mass participation: SRSA will continue to pursue initiatives that increase the number of participants in sport and recreation. The Department will also broaden its focus to the area of recreation and strengthen its relationship with the Department of Basic Education in the delivery of school sport programmes.
Other important focus areas to assist in broadening the participation base of South African sport will include sport promotion programmes and a national sport promotion media campaign as well as implementing more stringent monitoring and evaluation systems, with indicators that highlight the significant impact that these initiatives have on the lives of ordinary South Africans.
Sport development: SRSA will focus on easing the transition from mass based programmes to higher levels of participation through coordinating and monitoring the important areas of talent identification and development as well as the delivery of scientific support to national development athletes. These sport development programmes will be supported by a well developed athlete tracking system to enable the impact of the interventions to be assessed, in addition to club development and the roll-out of the national sport facilities plan.
High performance: The Sport and Recreation Amendment Act, Act no 18 of 2007, positions SRSA as the custodian of sport and recreation in the country. The responsibilities concurrent with this position are substantial and it is clear that they will never be adequately realised without formidable partnerships in place. The Department’s strategic alliance with SASCOC is key to improving South Africa’s international ranking in selected sport codes.
These strategic areas must be underpinned by a range of enablers, including a stringent regulatory framework, adequate human and financial resources, reliable sport information, productive international relations and a functional sport academy system delivering appropriate scientific support.
SRSA will also peruse more critically the impact of what the National Federations are doing with the public funds transferred to them and will be evaluating the delivery challenges that they may have. In all its endeavours SRSA will pursue the vision of a transformed sport society and to this end, the Department will continue to use sport as a mechanism to realising the critical government priorities of fostering an inclusive citizenship, physical well-being, skills development and economic growth.
Copies of the Department’s Strategic Plan can be obtained during tea or lunch time. With regard to the White Paper, I am happy to report that the first draft of the updated White Paper on sport and recreation has been completed. SRSA will now embark on a consultative process to finalise the White Paper. I am encouraged by the first draft and eagerly anticipate rigorous debate from a wide segment of the sport and recreation community.
After nearly two decades of democracy one has to recognise that in South Africa we still have in many ways two countries in one. Although progress was made, transformation and reconciliation are still very relevant – also within our sporting community.
To address these issues all of us have a major role to play and these roles need to be clearly defined in the White Paper. I have no doubt that the finalisation of the White Paper on sport and recreation will provide impetus in transforming South African sport as well as ensuring that South Africa is an important role-player in world sport. The updated White Paper will encompass a National Sports Plan for South Africa which will expand upon the policy statements reflected in the White Paper.
The White Paper, however, will remain a paper exercise if it is not implemented by means of a conscious effort and firm commitment from government, nongovernmental organisations, the private sector and South African society in general. We have also embarked on a process of restructuring the department to ensure that once the White Paper is approved by Cabinet we are well positioned to ensure the proper implementation thereof.
Sport tourism
Sport has always been an important part of society. With the growing global interest in sports tourism it has also become an increasingly important part of our country’s economy. Based on the proven economic benefits and impact that sport has delivered to a number of countries, our observation is that governments worldwide have become increasingly supportive of further investment in sport as an industry.
There is a new international drive to utilize the potential of tourism, sport and mega events to the benefit of countries and mankind world-wide. This drive has resulted in the UN World Tourism organisation and South Africa hosting an inaugural Summit on Tourism, Sport and Mega Events in Johannesburg from 24 - 26 February 2010. The Summit was attended by some 450 delegates, ranging from Cabinet Ministers to business leaders, industry experts and top academics from 35 countries.
At this Summit our Department has forged valuable networks and friendships with local and international role-players in the field of sports tourism. The wider perspective that this brings, combined with the new access to this knowledge network, will assist us to do what we do in a smarter way.
To position South Africa as a sport tourism destination beyond the 2010 FIFA World Cup, a partnership agreement between Sport and Recreation South Africa and the Department of Tourism was officially signed by the two relevant Ministers. The partnership is aimed at forging closer working relationships between the tourism and sports industries within South Africa with the aim to maximize the tourism value for major sport events.
The first priority of this partnership is the formulation of a sport tourism strategy for the country which is expected to be implemented after the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In fact, it must form part of a legacy in our country. I believe there is still a major need for an updated register of major events that our national federations are planning to bid for as well as events that we are going to host after a successful bid.
The department will also work more closely with other national Departments to capitalise on the spin-offs emanating from sport such as peace and safety, health and social development.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this presents just a brief insight to the possible contribution of the sport and recreation sector to National imperatives and the impact that it can have on higher-level outcomes, including representivity in our teams at all levels as well as the spin-offs thereof for social cohesion and national pride.
I thank you.
