SPEECH BY MR BW DHLAMINI MP
 

22 May 2007  

Chairperson,

We, in the IFP, are particularly pleased and encouraged by the fact the allocation to this department has increased from just R224 million in 2003/04, to over R3 billion in the 2007/08 budget. This is an indication of the increased importance that sport is now afforded by government as well as recognition of the important role that sport plays in our society.

The most constant feature of our sporting landscape, since our readmission to the international sporting arena, has been the regular debate, and controversy, surrounding transformation in sport, and how to go about correcting the injustices of the past. The South African public's love for sport is obvious, so this hotly debated topic, which many people feel very passionate about, appeals to people's emotions. In some instances it has even threatened to overshadow our sporting successes. There are basically two views with regard to transformation. There are the people who are strong advocates of political intervention to correct the injustices and inequalities that still exist in sport today as a result of apartheid; and then there are the opponents of such intervention who believe that political interference has no role to play in sport and that with time, the inequalities will be corrected naturally. These two differing positions were once again highlighted last week when the National Sport and Recreation Amendment Bill was debated so passionately in this House.

It has been well over ten years since we were readmitted and allowed, once again, to compete in international sport and yet apartheid's legacy is still evident in the great inequalities that exist in various aspects of sport, as well as the racial composition of some of our teams. It is obvious that after all these years transformation has not occurred at the pace at which we had all hoped. We therefore need to intensity our efforts at increasing the pace of transformation and arriving at a place where every South African has an equal chance of succeeding in their chosen sporting code and is not hampered by inadequate facilities and a lack of opportunities.

It sometimes seems as if we are living in two separate South Africa's such is the great disparity between sporting facilities and opportunities in different areas of our country. This difference is most obvious in the rural areas where sports facilities and equipment are sorely lacking or non-existent. We have to rectify this unjust situation.

Providing a strong sporting foundation at school level will ensure that in years to come there will be a pool of sportspeople who can be picked on merit only, regardless of the colour of their skin. It is for this reason that our efforts at providing access to, and participation in, sports, especially at grassroots level and at schools, must be intensified. We, in the IFP, believe that government should play a more active role in the sporting curricula at schools if efforts at transformation are to be sped up and have the greatest impact. These future sports stars must all have a similar level of opportunity and should not be disadvantaged because they come from rural areas, or do not have access to the facilities that their counterparts in the urban areas have. An added benefit of targeting access to sport at schools and grassroots level, is that this will have a positive social impact and ultimately serve to improve the quality of our children's lives.

Sporting success is vital for national pride and nation building; and the pleasure that sport brings to many South African fans is also important, this is why SARSA, along with the relevant sporting authorities, must provide the platform and support that is needed to ensure this success. The pursuit of success must, however, not be achieved in isolation and at the expense of transformation and addressing the inequalities and injustices that still haunt us today. An equitable balance has to be found.

Chairperson, the 2010 FIFA soccer World Cup seems to be at the fore of most South Africans minds as it will not only be a chance for us all to witness the world's best players and teams in action, it will also undoubtedly provide many economic benefits and opportunities to all South Africans. I want to once again stress that this World Cup must be for all South Africans and not just a select few. The revised estimates from the World Cup's economic impact assessment show that the event will contribute at least R51.1 billion to the gross domestic product (GDP) between 2006 and 2010. This is R21 billion more than the estimates published in the bidding phase in 2003. This is good news for all South Africans. It is important that the poor people who live in rural areas, some of whom still live in abject poverty, must also reap the rewards of the World Cup and become a part of the event. It is also imperative that the opportunities and benefits are turned into sustainable projects that will continue to benefit the affected communities long after the World Cup is over.

The construction of the stadiums, as well as the related infrastructure, for the 2010 World Cup has provided a much needed boost for the affected industries, especially the construction industry. It is, however, imperative that members from previously disadvantaged communities benefit from, and are a part of, this increased activity. This would be the perfect opportunity for emerging contractors from previously disadvantaged communities, for example, to get experience and to establish themselves in the construction industry. It would also be beneficial if the relevant governmental departments as well as the portfolio committees would undertake oversight visits to the various stadiums to see the progress that has been made and also to ascertain first hand the level of involvement of emerging contractors.

There have been many critics and pessimists who have constantly questioned South Africa's ability to host an event of this magnitude as well as whether we will be ready on time and meet the various deadlines. In some instances it seems as if they actually want us to fail. We must silence these people and prove that Africa can successfully host any international event.

The nature and role of sport has changed over the years. In the past sport was mostly seen as something that you do for leisure or to keep fit. Now, however, sport offers career and economic opportunities, amongst other benefits, and more importantly to South Africa, and other developing countries, sport offers hope to the many people who seem destined to live a life of poverty. Ultimately sport has a greater social and economic role to play.

Because of the unique and difficult circumstances that we in South Africa find ourselves in with regard to sport, we seem to have forgotten some very important aspects of sport, most notably that of enjoyment. Sport should foremost be fun and played for enjoyment, especially at grassroots and schools level where it also helps with socialisation. We should therefore all encourage our children and the youth to actively participate in sport.

The IFP supports budget vote 18: Sport and recreation South Africa.

Thank you