Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move:
That the Council -
1) extends its sincere congratulations to the Mpumalanga Schools Swimming Team for their performance in the National Schools Swimming Championships that took place over the past weekend, for high school learners in East London and for primary school learners in Cape Town, respectively;
2) notes that these youngsters had to endure troubling times when the national Department of Sport and Recreation, at the last minute, announced its withdrawal of funds towards the event, leaving at least 43 high school and seven primary school swimmers from Mpumalanga without transport and accommodation;
3) further notes that despite these trials and tribulations, and despite not having a full team, these youngsters excelled at the SA Schools Swimming Championships held over the past weekend, and did the Mpumalanga province proud, with the primary school swimmers winning three gold medals, one silver and one bronze medal, and one silver medal for the high school swimmers;
4) congratulates the swimmers in the Mpumalanga Schools Swimming Team, for their excellent performance, and the leadership and organisers of Mpumalanga Swimming, who, despite these challenges, managed to source funding to ensure that swimmers of our province attended the championship; and
5) calls upon the Department of Education and the department of culture, sport and recreation to consider the possibility of assisting Mpumalanga Swimming to meet the financial obligations of the past weekend.