Programme Director
Ladies and gentlemen
First, my most sincere apologies for not being able to deliver this speech to you in person.The department laid to rest our Director-General this afternoon who passed away on Sunday, 27 February 2011. I had to be present to pay my last respects to the one of the greatest men that ever served this beautiful country of ours.
May I take this opportunity to extend my fraternal greetings to members of the World Junior Golf Series that, I understand, seeks to become “the measure for junior golf around the world”, which is the "first official 'juniors' tournament of any sporting discipline played in Africa". A first for Africa!
Welcome to the province of the Western Cape. This is a province with majestic mountains, a province of well-watered valleys, wide landscapes, sandy beaches, and breathtaking scenery. Welcome to our Eden. Welcome to George. The Eden region renowned for indigenous timber and vegetable produce, and a region that is respected worldwide for its world-class golf courses, including the Kingswood Golf Estate. Included in the Eden region are Oudtshoorn, known for its Ostrich products,; and the celebrated Cango caves, where you will find one of the world’s great natural wonders; and Worcester and Stellenbosch known for their Winelands; the Swartland that is renowned for its grain and its sheep farming. This corner of the world is one of the most beautiful destinations and is a must-see for tourists and travellers. Please take time to go and see some of these wondrous wonders that are on display for the world to enjoy.
Ladies and gentlemen
The KeNako World Juniors should epitomise one of the many globally recognised golf tournaments in South Africa and the world. It should harness talent in sport, and foster community development, social cohesion, economic integration and nationhood.
It represents a new tradition for golf in Africa, attracting the international stars of the future to South Africa, but, at the same time grooming future South African golf champions from the wider community. As South Africans, we expect the tournament to showcase the hidden sport and golf talent of all South African youngsters and allow them to participate meaningfully in a tournament of this magnitude.
The government of the republic welcomes the bold steps taken by KeNako Academy to host this premier event, which is strategically aimed at “becoming the measure for junior golf around the world”.
It is true that golf, worldwide, is perceived to be an economic and social elitist sport, however, South Africa is proud to be part of an initiative that strives at changing the perception of participation in professional golf to be about talent and only talent. Initiatives of this nature are an attempt to move the sport of golf from abstract to concrete.
Programmes and events like the KeNako South African World Juniors speaks directly to the vision and mission of the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa “to improve the quality of life of all South Africans, foster social cohesion and enhance nation building by maximising access, development and excellence at all levels of participation in sport and recreation”. To qualify this statement, SRSA is convinced that “although no one should be excluded in sport, cognisance must be taken of the imbalances of the past and the greater needs of inclusion in historically disadvantaged and excluded groups and communities, particularly the poor and rural areas”.
We are moved by the commitment made by the KeNako Academy to make this “the start of a new tradition for golf in Africa”. This move, we believe, will assist the programm of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa. Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (SCSA) main aim is to use sport and recreation to achieve peace in Africa, integration and unity in our continent. In essence, this means, using sport and recreation as a vehicle for encouraging people to unite irrespective of colour, economic and political status, class and gender.
The fundamental objective of these programmes and activities are geared to create, encourage, promote, support and monitor the access in participation in sport, and the development and organisation of sport and recreation in all spheres of life in Africa.
We are impressed by the International character of the tournament.Firstly, it exposes the South African youth to the standard of competition internationally. Secondly, it exposes other young people from other countries to the African and South African realities. Thirdly, it helps the United Nations to achieve its stated goals of building global awareness and encouragement of dialogue on sport and recreation for development and peace, encouraging all states and national governments to report on activities and policies and progress in developing and implementing sport and recreation development, and to create a sense of peer momentum in sport and recreation.
Therefore, we applaud the KeNako Academy in joining the efforts of our government and other international sporting stakeholders in our combined endeavour to develop a consensus and a deep understanding of sport as a catalyst for change and development in order to question what is meant by both the concepts of change and development?.
In this regard, the latter articulates a multitude of potentially constructive, desirable and envisaged outcomes across a wide spectrum, covering a wide range of phenomena, that is, from informal play, fun events, school games, theatre competitions, community competitions up to mega events such as Olympics, Paralympics, World Cups, etc.
Whilst, sport for development articulates many meanings, depending on the socio-political will and envisioned effects. Therefore, the key is to put sport in the equation for ‘change’ and that change can in turn be channelled to stand for ‘development’.
The living example in the symbiotic link between ‘sport for change’ and ‘sport for development’ is the “One Goal Campaign”. Thus, we believe the integration of sport and education can beat poverty, underdevelopment and ignorance and can give people the tools to help themselves. It seizes the power and potential of sport to ensure that ‘education and sport for all’ has a lasting impact on all people of the world.
Thus, the World Junior Golf Series initiative is the torch bearer in transformation and development in sport through golf. We welcome this bold move, especially when it is unwaveringly aimed at showcasing South Africa to the world and at the same time attracting the international stars of the future to South Africa.
We are inspired by its focus to young talent, in particular, allowing young South Africans the opportunity to participate in a global event and the creation of a special dispensation to include young talented South Africans from less fortunate homes to partake in the tournament.
We want those young talented South Africans from less fortunate homes, those from neglected and disadvantaged communities, especially in townships and rural areas to represent our country in future international golf championships and olympics.
In conclusion, to the competitors, on behalf of the Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and our nation, good luck in the competition and may the weather be great and may your results beat you expectations.
Thank you and good night!
