Some of the key resolutions of the Charter include participation in terms of municipal boundaries. Mindful of the new boundaries and other challenges, I urge this platform to effectively evaluate the department against the Charter. You should seize this opportunity to identify the weaknesses of the department in relation to the charter and indicate how we should best deal with the identified weaknesses.
This is also a significant gathering considering the fact that it is a first of its kind and magnitude after the birth of SASCOC, a national body mandated to transform sport and unleash sporting potential of all South Africans.
Against the backdrop that the Western Cape is not an island, in addition to the agenda over the next two days, we must see how we respond to the mission and vision of SASCOC and ensure that our strategies are in line with the national agenda as articulated by SASCOC.
The national agenda, ladies and gentlemen, is nothing else but a sustained political pressure to accelerate the development and transformation of sport in our province and country.
School Sport, I need to inform this summit, is one of my priority as I believe that if we do not get our basic building blocks right, we will never make a difference in the sector.
I firmly believe that our answer lies in the development framework of Junior Sport. How many of us can still recall the great vibe around Wednesdays at our schools not very long ago?
Wednesdays were known for fierce competitive sport at schools.
Parents, community members and clubs were sure not to miss this important day. During that era, schools were the reliable feeder to clubs and federations. Teachers, parents and learners alike played an incredible role in support of their fellow students.
Wednesdays, the school grounds were packed to capacity, with learners, teachers and members of the communities coming to cheer the loved ones to victory. The culture of attendance was just amazing then.
Wednesdays, we witnessed schools becoming the centers of sporting excellence, where the culture of parental and community support flourished and that must be resuscitated. Teachers were so serious about Wednesdays that, they started preparing their teams from well in advance.
Wednesdays has great potential to contribute positively in addressing declining numbers at sport grounds in general. Parents and the community must take special interest in the activities of schools.
Wednesdays produced some of the finest players at club level.
Many were able to progress to provincial teams. I am therefore saying that culture must be revived as a priority next year. This summit must emerge with clear strategies to revive school sport to a point that we have a system of school sport reminiscent of the scenario I have just sketched.
Come next year, we must have Wednesdays recognized as a competitive school sport day. We must have plans that will ensure that Wednesdays become a feeder to clubs and provinces. We channel our resources to ensure that we indeed unearth talent of provincial and national standard.
It is appropriate to introduce the question of the adoption of own Provincial Colours Regulations as informed by and derived from National Colours Commission. This summit should establish a provincial framework for discussion and consensus around provincial colours. I believe the dawn of an exciting era for our athletes has come, I am certain that all our athletes are looking forward to the future where they will don their provincial colours with pride.
We should also determine framework for recognition criteria for sport and recreation bodies in order to determine the following
1) Awarding of provincial colours for high performance national campaigns by provincially representative teams.
Ladies and gentlemen, the gap between those schools which are well-resourced with sport equipment, facilities and coaches and those with out them still exist. Our dreams of developing this sector will remain a pipe dream unless this summit and the department will,as a matter of extreme urgency, we have to address this huge divide to ensure that all schools in our province have access to the same resources.
To ensure a smooth transition, the establishment of the new school sport structure to coordinate school sport must receive your attention.
This Sport Summit must also, not be confined to deliberations on the transformation of the province's sport and recreation sector, but must become a platform and forum for deliberation about raising the profile of the entire business of sport and recreation.
Ladies and gentlemen, the question may arise as to what constitutes the business of sport and recreation in the Western Cape, or anywhere else in the world for that matter.
I hold the view that any meaningful discussion aimed at raising the profile of the business of sport and recreation will be a non-event, if it is not extensively focused on the following key issues:
- One, a comprehensive funding policy framework
- Two, synergistic sector governance framework
- Three, a sector transformation charter
- Four, 2010 World Cup prospects.
In focusing on these articulated key issues, ladies and gentlemen, we will be making a gross mistake if we deny the existence of current policy frameworks in the form of both the National and Provincial Policy Documents.
With regards to the current Funding Policy Framework I am not entirely convinced that it is designed to realize equitable access to financial resources that are essential for the sustainable development of sport and recreation in the province.
I hold the view that we will only be commencing a constructive move in that ideal direction if this smit can achieve the following:
- One, review the Departmental Funding Policy for sport and Recreation development, major event, and facilities provisioning.
- Two, sector determination of protocols and endorsement of application procedures relating to: Sport and Recreation Development, Major Events, and Facilities provisioning.
- Three, development and endorsement of sport and recreation sponsorship policy framework for the Western Cape sector. And
- Four, development and endorsement of Western Cape sport and recreation sector protocols for Lotto Distribution Trust Fund applications.
I am informed that the 2004 George Summit, through its adoption of the Western Cape Sport and Recreation transformation charter, confirmed us as national trendsetters in this regard.
I must, however, indicate that we need to review and align our charter, with that of the National Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa, lest we are charged with secession.
To this end, the 2005 Summit should:
- Develop and endorse its Transformation Balanced Score Card in a manner that is consistent with the one developed at national level.
- Regularize transformation monitoring and evaluation sessions at regional and provincial level. And,
- Regularize dispute resolution sessions at regional and provincial level to ensure that sector interventions become more preventive rather than reactionary.
Our deliberations over the next two days should strive to ascertain how federations, other than football structures, can contribute and benefit form the Western Cape leg of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
This Summit should also focus on the following:
- Refinement of a football development strategy and endorsement of resultant product as a generic sport and recreation development model for the Western Cape sector.
- Development of a volunteerism framework plan and policy for the Western Cape sector. And,
- Development of strategic facilities framework plan or the world cup project as visible legacy projects in all regions that politically constitutes the Western Cape province.
- Funding eligibility framework for the Western Cape sport and recreation sector. And,
- Endorsement framework for the bidding, hosting, and staging of major events within the Western Cape Sector.
We must also take lessons from Rugby World in 1995 and lessons from our successful bid for 2010 to make a strong case for 2011. Our deliberations should go beyond 2010 to position the Western Cape as a preferred venue for 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Programme Director, ladies and gentlemen, I urge you to transcend all inherent differences that might exist amongst yourselves, and utilize the guidelines that I have provided to negotiate a better deal for the sustainable development of sport and recreation in the province.
I THANK YOU
Issued by:
Mandla Yeki
Spokesperson for Ministry
Cultural Affairs, Sport and Recreation
Tel: (021) 483 9804
Fax: (021) 483 9801
Mobile: 082 553 3477
Protea Assurance Building, Green Market Square
Cape Town
