Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and hon Deputy Minister, Members of Parliament, officials from the department, the leadership of federations present and guests in the gallery, I have been taught that I should not start my speech with negatives or challenges; otherwise the audience will lose interest. I should not be like Ntate Rabotapi!
I am pleased to participate in this Budget Vote debate for Sport and Recreation SA, and I must also mention that I am inspired by the value and contribution that Sport and Recreation adds to our society. Sport and Recreation has proven to be the relevant instrument for social cohesion and nation-building.
There is, of course, a need for one to reflect on the best moments that sport has brought to the South African population. It was used by our political legends on Robben Island as a means to communicate about freedom; to restore the spirits when the apartheid regime wanted to break them; and it is the pulse and heartbeat of a healthy nation.
South African society still enjoys the fruits of good lessons learnt, from the likes of the Rangers and Manong football clubs on Robben Island, that through sport we can mutually ignite each other's crushed spirits. All of you still have sweet memories of 1995, when our icon, Tata Nelson Mandela, raised the Rugby World Cup trophy after a thrilling performance by the Springboks.
Who can forget the euphoria and excitement that filled the FNB stadium when Bafana Bafana won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996? Who can forget the heightened excitement when Simphiwe Tshabalala scored the first goal of the 2010 World Cup?
Let us not forget the beauty of the rainbow that recently graced the Cape Town stadium when our squad walloped the Central African Republic in March this year. People of all races celebrated the victories by our national teams. This shows national unity and social cohesion.
I thank the ANC-led government for showing brilliance in using sport and recreation as knitting needles with which to close the holes of the very cold, tattered and porous racial blanket left by the apartheid regime. I invite you to come closer and enjoy the comfort of this warm, multicoloured blanket provided by the ANC. We lead, we provide and we care. [Applause.]
Through sport, we climb cliffs and mountains to see the panorama of our beautiful land, South Africa; hence, it is against this background that we, as the ANC, give our outright support to this Budget Vote so that the nation can continue to enjoy the comfort of this blanket.
Re dirile kgolagano le set?haba sa Aforika Borwa; re itlamile gore re tla tokafatsa matshelo a bona; re ikanne gore re tla ba neela ditirelo tsa maemo a a kwa godimo; e bile re tshepisitse gore re tla nt?hwafatsa mabala a metshameko kwa metseselegaeng. Ke ka fao batho ba itumelelang puso e e eteletsweng pele ke ANC, puso ya batho. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[We have made a partnership with the people of South Africa; we committed ourselves to changing their lives for the better; we vowed to provide them with high quality services; and we promised them that we would improve the sporting facilities in the rural areas. This is why the people appreciate the ANC-led government, the government for the people.]
As the ANC government, we lead, we provide and we care for sport and we open the doors to it. We want to voice our appreciation to the Minister for coming up with the National Sport and Recreation Plan, which is in line with the NDP. Yes, for the first time in the history of the country, we have a plan that is supported by all sporting fraternities.
Let us look at the intention of the late Comrade Steve Tshwete for introducing the lottery. This was brought about by the fact that few resources were available in the government fiscus. The National Lottery was meant to help sport development and transformation in the country, but what is happening now? We are last on the list. We are also impressed by the ministerial outreach programme through which the Minister, in conjunction with the traditional authorities, will distribute sports equipment to sports teams in our rural areas. I must say that this will be a breakthrough, as the young boys and girls who come from disadvantaged families have no soccer boots or kit to play.
We urge all federations and other sporting entities to support the programme and join our government in making sure that we develop our rural areas. Yes, we change the lives of our people for the better. The ANC, as well as the National Sport and Recreation Plan, are all about doing this.
It is integral to strengthening federations, because it places the department in a strategic position to support sport development. Sports houses will also be a suitable way to centralise the administration of federations within the same buildings of the department. This will give jobs to skilled and qualified volunteers in federations, who will deliver better in a very structured setting. This current year's budget will contribute to fast-tracking the process of setting up the sports houses.
I now come to the loveLife initiative. It offers a variety of community and outreach programmes for young people. [Interjections.] Keep quiet! These programmes are implemented by the National Sport Volunteer Corps, known as groundBREAKERS and a team of iimpintshi, who are volunteers.
The programmes are implemented in schools, loveLife youth centres and community centres. The programmes, amongst other things, include the loveLife Games, which promote a healthy, positive lifestyle amongst the youth and give them a platform to express their talents.
Our challenge, as Members of Parliament, is that from 2009 we have not seen the intended outcomes of loveLife programmes, even though money is disbursed to them every year.
However, the department has agreed with loveLife that their programmes will be aligned to those of the department and, furthermore, to all the sporting codes as outlined in the National Sport and Recreation Plan. In terms of accountability, they will submit their business plans and reports to the department for proper co-ordination and monitoring.
Even though sport is run by volunteers across the country, we recommend that loveLife prioritises and makes sure that the iimpintshi and groundBREAKERS are given an allowance to assist them with travelling from one area to another. It is heartening to see such foot soldiers working so hard, organising successful events and making a difference in people's lives without receiving a cent at the end of the day. Re simolola go bona diphetogo ka iketlo le fa di sa tlale seatla. Motswana o buile a re sedikwa ke nt?wapedi ga se thata. Le teng, maano ga a site go sita a loso. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[We are starting to see changes slowly even though they are not many. A Motswana once said two hands are better than one. Nevertheless, he who fails to plan, plans to fail.]
Working together, we can do more! There is a need for this House to revisit the legislative mandate of Boxing SA and to see to it that it strives for equilibrium with the resources it receives so that it can prosper. No promoter must get an unfair or bigger share than others when it comes to broadcasting stakes. Those who want to monopolise boxing must continue going to court.
We have not forgotten that some of our boxers lost their titles outside the ring because of their legitimate demands for better earnings. This was due to international friendships, which our promoters enjoy with the international federations, such as the International Boxing Federation, IBF. The private sector must also come to the party and assist Boxing SA to grow. It cannot be government's responsibility alone.
Let us admit that the turnaround strategy of Boxing SA is doing quite well under the experienced chairperson, Mr Balfour. Currently, the department is assisting them with negotiating with the SABC so that they can fully own the broadcasting rights. Recently, I heard that Boxing SA has been distributing sports equipment in the rural areas of Hammanskraal, in Dilopye. This suggests that they are on the right track to sport development and transformation. We applaud the department for its efforts and intervention made through the leadership of Minister Mbalula and our vibrant Director-General, Mr Moemi.
Maloko a Palamente, re rata go leboga le go ema nokeng mokgatlho wa Aforika Borwa o o kgatlhanong le diritibatsi, e leng Setheo sa Aforikaborwa sa Metshameko e e Gololosegileng mo Diritibatsing, SAIDFS, ka mokgwa oo ba tsamaisang mokgatlho wa bona ka ona. Ba kgona go bontsha boetapele, boineelo le botswapelo mo mokgatlhong le mo tirong ya bona.
Ba fitlhelela dipholo tsa madi tse di tlhapileng e bile di itumedisa ngwaga le ngwaga. Re leboga maikemisetso a lona kgatlhanong le tiriso ya diritibatsi mo metshamekong ya lona e bile re a tshepa gore mananeo a lona a tla fitlhelela le bana kwa dikolong mo nakong e e tlang. (Translation of Setswana paragraphs follows.)
[Hon members, we would like to thank and pledge our support to the South African organisation that opposes drug use, the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport, Saids, for the way they run their organisation. They have shown leadership, dedication and commitment to their organisation and their work.
They obtain unqualified audits every year, which is good news. We would like to thank you for the commitment you have shown in the fight against the use of drugs in sporting activities and we hope that in future your programmes will also be extended to the children at the different schools.]
The Sports Trust is also being led by committed people who need to be acknowledged and appreciated. The Sports Trust is a strategic partner that provides athletes with equipment and builds facilities in schools and communities. It also provides athletes with the necessary support.
Such partnerships are encouraged by the ANC, as they promote not only intergovernmental co-operation, but also partnerships with key stakeholders in South Africa's development, such as business and NGOs. The partnership that has been provided here is a strategic one, because the Sports Trust is a source of resources for schools, clubs and community structures and provides access to sports and recreation opportunities.
We support this initiative and further give the Sports Trust the task of providing facilities where they are needed. I am talking about areas like Phake in Dr J S Moroka - a very deep rural area without proper basic services and where unemployment is high. It is a poverty-stricken area with a very big population.
The community there has no multipurpose facilities where kids can be taken off the streets, away from crime and substance abuse. We call on the Sports Trust, in consultation with sport councils and ward committees, to take a lead in making sure that facilities are built where they are needed.
On the specific question of transformation achievement, we have picked up the fact that netball, as one of the most popular women sports in South Africa, needs a helping hand from the department. Participation levels in schools and clubs is doing quite well. However, the challenge begins ... The ANC support the Budget Vote. [Time expired.] [Applause.]