Kelisaletse Mnumzana, during the South African Games media launch at the
President Hotel
1 June 2007
Programme director,
Honoured guests,
Members of the media,
Ladies and gentlemen
Introduction
On this occasion of the media launch of the fourth SA Games tournament we
want to indicate that we are indeed privileged as the Free State to be hosting
these games in 2007. The hosting of the bi-annual SA Games follows similar
hosting of this spectacular tournament by other provinces like Gauteng (in
2002), Eastern Cape (in 2003) and KwaZulu-Natal (in 2005).
We are hosting the fourth SA Games in the Free State as a partnership
between the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture as the lead department and
the Mangaung Local Municipality as the hosting city with support from South
African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) which is the
custodian of the games.
SA Games and 2010 Fifa World Cup
As the Free State we are hosting this tournament at a time when preparations
for and debates around the ability of South Africa to host the Fifa 2010 World
Cup games are at the centre stage.
Moving forward towards the Fifa 2010 World Cup our ability as the hosting
cities, provinces and the country to host any sport tournament must therefore
be uplifted to prove the doubting Thomases of this world wrong. The perceptions
about this country's abilities must be proved wrong by no one else but
ourselves.
We know that this will not be an easy task since perceptions are rooted in
individual's minds. Even if reality hits individual's with such perceptions in
the face they continue to believe what they want to believe. The fact that as a
country we have successfully hosted the World Rugby and Cricket tournaments, as
well as other international sporting events, does not mean anything to those
who continue to have doubts about our ability to host the Fifa World Cup.
Ladies and gentlemen, as the Free State province and the City of Mangaung we
intend to host the best ever SA Games event particularly moving forward towards
2010. We intend doing so as a contribution to the defiance against the
misperception about our abilities as cities, provinces and the country to host
tournaments of this nature.
The Free State and the City of Mangaung in particular is one of the lucky
provinces and city to have been identified to host some of the 2010 games. The
SA Games thus come as one of the precursors, dry run and milestones towards the
hosting of the 2010 soccer games. This tournament will certainly put us to the
test as to our readiness for 2010 as the province and the city. The measuring
stick will be based on such items as accommodation facilities, training and
playing venues, tourist attraction areas, our transport networks, safety and
security as well as disaster management abilities.
The challenge with hosting SA Games is particularly huge given the fact that
this is a multi-coded sport tournament whereas the Fifa World Cup is just about
one sport code, soccer. By so saying one does not necessarily underestimate the
huge challenge that also comes with the hosting of this world tournament. As a
multi-coded sport tournament the SA Games means that we have to ensure that our
playing venues for all the thirteen sporting codes are ready and are in a good
condition.
Programme director, I must indicate that already, during the preparation
stages of this fourth SA Games tournament such challenges, particularly
accommodation for the 6 000 or so athletes and officials that we are expecting
have already played themselves out. We are rising to the challenge and we have
no doubt that we shall conquer.
May I further indicate that we recently hosted the Inter-Provincial Games as
the province. The experience that we gained from hosting the Inter-Provincial
Games will stand us in good stead in hosting the SA Games tournament itself. A
lot of lessons have been learnt form that particular event.
Ladies and gentlemen, honoured guests, as I said sometime back, the hosting
of the SA Games comes with certain challenges, irrespective of the sporting
codes we are involved in and irrespective of our preferences. The hosting of
these SA Games is an acid test as to whether we are on the right path for the
hosting of the 2010 games in this province.
SA Games and Sport Promotion
Programme director, sport is a very important part of society. For that
reason our province too has a responsibility to use sport to assist our people
to move in a particular direction; the direction of a deracialised Free State
which is sensitive to gender issues; a province which is biased in favour of
those at risk, children, youth, women and people with disabilities. The dignity
of these people must be restored. Their right to have a better life must be
protected.
Sport is not only about getting people active, but is also recognised as a
major contributor to economic development and job creation through sport
tourism. The department is committed to empowering municipalities as well as
communities on promotion of sport within communities and the sustainable
management of sport facilities. We also want to empower local municipalities as
implementing agents, to effectively and efficiently plan and implement Sport
and Recreation Programmes in which employment opportunities for local
communities can be maximised.
We have no doubt that this SA Games tournament will further contribute
towards creating a consciousness amongst our young people about the importance
of taking part in sport. We intend embarking on a massive marketing campaign
through the media and other avenues to promote the 4th SA Games so that the
messages emerging from this tournament reaches every little corner of this
province.
These games must inspire young people to aspire to be future sport heroes.
As the motto of the fourth SA Games goes: "Today's Youth to Tomorrow's Stars."
I want to challenge the Local Organising Committee (LOC) to ensure that those
young people and communities of the Free State that are not able to come and be
spectators during the games must get to know about the outcomes.
Transformation in Sport
Honoured guests, this statement cannot be complete if I say nothing about
transformation in sport. We are fully aware that sport is a voluntary
association and part of the organs of civil society. But even this
characterisation of sport does not afford it immunity to change towards a
non-racial and non-sexist dispensation. As such, government cannot fold its
arms when things go against the grain of our strategic objectives and contrary
to the spirit of our constitution. This is why we will guide and assist
federations on policy related issues and issues that impact on change.
Our focus will be to build the right attitude and skills from below. We want
to encourage Free Staters and young players not to be derailed from
nation-building and reconciliation by such racist pranks as the flags of
apartheid South Africa that often appear in our sports stadiums. All people
must side with the future. The future is a united, non-racial and non-sexist
Free State.
The challenge that faces us is how to build on the successes that we have
achieved up to now and use them to build a united, patriotic and motivated
province. We are challenged to inculcate a spirit of non-racialism among
players, administrators and federations. We are challenged to level the
proverbial playing field in the accessibility of sport and recreation
opportunities, facilities and amenities as well as resources, to all our people
without discrimination.
We commit to this with the knowledge that certain local municipalities are
under pressure not to prioritise sport and recreation in terms of expenditure
due to the many competing needs. We trust, however, that all of them will
assist in ensuring that we get "the nation to play" in such a way that sport
and recreation affect the lives of our people on a daily basis. We asked the
commitment of local authorities and other stakeholders to the programmes that
come out of that consultative meeting, because it is in our communities where
the Makhaya Ntini, the Lucas Radebe, the Hezekiel Sepeng and the Bakkies Botha
come from.
Conclusion
Programme director, honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, may I conclude by
thanking you for coming to this event as a show of your support to the Free
State and the City of Mangaung as they face a challenge of hosting the fourth
SA Games. As the fourth host of the SA games we are going to raise the bar in
our preparations for these all important games. We intend to present the best
SA Games tournament ever.
Programme director, the human spirit is born to triumph. No matter the
challenges that we face, we must never give up. Sport must be alive in the Free
State and we must excel.
I thank you
Issued by: Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Free State Provincial
Government
1 June 2007
Source: Free State Provincial Government (http://www.fs.gov.za)
