Mr President and honourable guests I present to you this evening Team South Africa (TeamSA). This is the team that will represent the Republic of South Africa to the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics Games towards the end of this month, July 2012.
This team, Mr President and honourable guests, will represent the hopes and aspirations of the 49 million South Africans on the sporting fields of London whilst at the same time will be our ambassadors to the billions of spectators in the foreign land. They will, in the field of sport, Mr President, give our message to the Queen that ‘South Africa is a country full with possibilities’.
They are going to London this month not as subjects of the Crown and a delegation of the colonised and oppressed African masses. But as equals in the global affairs, including in international sport. Today these off-springs, of our forefathers who made deputations to the Queen many years ago, will go to London to represent South Africa as a free country and a dignified people.
Mr President, this pack, of about 125 Olympians and 62 Paralympians, who will participate in more than 17 Sporting Codes have undergone an intense selection and qualifying criteria and process. This criterion and process was designed to select only the best and deserving athletes who are a quality and the Mecca South African athletes. Mr President, this is the team that will make South Africa a ‘winning nation and they will make all South Africans proud in the next coming weeks when Banyana Banyana opens the way in their first clash on the 25 July 2012 in Coventry Stadium.
Mr President, Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) together with all our provincial counter-parts have mobilised society behind this Team. We have mobilised, together with the South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), resources and funding through government and sponsorship for this team in their preparations and build-up processes towards the Olympic Games. We believe, through such a big moral and financial support, these heroes and heroes of our soil will make us proud!!
SASCOC and the support staff are ready to go to London and represent our people.They are ready more than ever before. For the 2012 London Olympic, Mr President, SASCOC have assembled a dedicated support team of deserving individuals who have a vast compass of experience who will provide adequate logistical support, medical and managerial support to all our athletes in the course of the Olympics. They, together with the Team, have made a promise to the nation to bring back home twelve or more medals.
Our athletes, Mr President, are also ready more than ever before. During the period towards qualifying, these athletes have been bagging more and more medals and trophies in the pre-Olympics’ competitions. This is a positive sign of a winning nation and excellence. This is the beginning of a journey that we will travel to put South Africa in good shape for the next coming hundred years in sport and recreation in our country.
Mr President, allow me to present to you Team South Africa for the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics Games.
Our future is literally in their hands!!!
Please welcome Mr President.
Thank you.
Remarks of the Minister of Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA), Honourable Mr Fikile Mbalula (MP), on the occasion of the hosting of a reception in honour of Team South Africa by the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Mr Jacob
