Members of Provincial Executive Councils
Heads of provincial departments
The Director-General of the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa
Officials from the Ministry of Sport and Recreation South Africa
Planning for success
Please receive our warm fraternal greetings and welcome to the first Meeting of the Minister and Members of the Executive Councils (MINMEC), since the President announced changes to the Cabinet that resulted in us landing in the Ministry of Sport and Recreation in South Africa.
We are acutely aware of the fact the some of the MECs around the table have been impacted on by the changes and other MECs are as we speak pondering how the winds of change will impact on them and their positions in the Provinces. I wish I could shed some light on the subject, but I am also in the dark!
We thought that we should seize the moment and converge on this day as the momentous 2010 in the world of sport is drawing to a close. Looming on the horison is a plethora of a new set of opportunities and challenges. We convened this meeting with the sole purpose of sharing our immediate, medium and long terms plans for sport development and recreation in our country.
The converse is also true that we are convening as we do in order to observe and listen to your experiences and plans. This is the basis of a dynamic, interdependent and qualitative engagement and collaboration which hope will culminate in a joint and shared mission and vision of one Sport and Recreation Team combat ready to tackle the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities - always at the service of our people.
We have in the recent past since our assumptions of the reigns of political office in Sport and Recreation South Africa signalled our intention to review the transformation discourse with a view to provide a fresh perspective and lively debate that take into account issues of equity, equality, excellence, good corporate governance,organisational culture, access for all and responsiveness. The Department is hard at work crafting a document that will give a thorough exposition of what needs to be done for us to achieve our transformation goals.
You have surely as we did, observe the discernable under-theorisation and weakening of the recreation component of core-business and mandate. Given the significance of recreation in the livelihood and health of a nation, taking into account the central and utilitarian recreation plays in development and mass participation, we have set aside funds from the budget of the department to be utilised for the establishment and sustenance of a Ministerial Committee to conduct a diagnosis and suggest a remedy that will be underscored by practical and visible steps, campaigns and programmes. The Ministerial Committee will be appointed in January 2011 and will submit its report by 31 March 2011.
Colleagues, we have in the past indicated the immediate challenge of building new facilities or the restoration and maintenance of sport facilities in all our schools and communities. As you know this is an area that requires collaboration amongst all spheres of government and across government departments.
We must provide leadership and be the champions in all spheres of government. We are eager and anxious to hear from you of how we can remove all the impediments and ensure that we have facilities of world standard from the affluent streets of Rosebank, to the dusty streets of eMalahleni and the villages of Thoyhandou.
Subsequent to the President of the Republic signing the performance agreements with Ministers to give effect to the new outcomes based approach; the Medium Term Strategic Framework (2009 – 2014) translated the ruling party’s Election Manifesto into 12 Outcomes. The Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa together with other governments departments, the provincial departments, the federations and all role players involved in sport and recreation is charged with the mammoth task of the immediate implementation of Outcomes 12. An outcome that enjoins us to drive “an efficient, effective and development oriented, public service, fair and inclusive citizenship”.
We have taken it upon ourselves systematically design and outline a process through which we can all engage and dialogue. In order to carry through the message of one Team and collective ownership of the mission and vision of sport and recreation, we have considered a number of action items for execution:
- The Director-General will during the course of our meeting present a document entitled “Sport and Recreation: Delivery Framework 2010/2011”.
- MINMEC is also requested to consider and support our intention to hold a Strategic Planning Workshop on the 10 to 12 January 2011.
- MINMEC should also consider our intention to convene a sport and recreation indaba for all role-players in sport.
The Director-General informed me this morning that Christmas has come too early for Sport and Recreation South Africa! Our budget has been increased by 139 million over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework by the National Treasury. We will develop clear guidelines for the allocation and approval of the funds to the Federations and ensure compliances throughout the value chain.
We have also been allocated additional funding to bail-out Boxing South Africa which has been in the red of an amount to the tune of five million.We have advised the Director-General to appoint a two- person Team to ensure that financial controls and proper governance policies are in place before the disbursement of these funds to the Boxing South Africa.
We would like the MECs and the Head of Departments to consider our intention to revive the culture of tournaments and winter camps for the youth and will appreciate your comments in this regard.
As indicated in our opening our intention is to ensure that there is alignment, relentless planning for success and flawless execution. We are counting your collective wisdom and working together we can and will indeed do more. Have a restful festive season!
Thank you very much and I now hand you over to the Director-General.
