Hon Chairman, Hon Minister, sport federations and visitors, we in Cope enter this debate with mixed feelings. As an active sportsperson and administrator, I am frustrated when I consider our steep challenges, on the one hand, and our sense of powerlessness on the other. There are as many people who participate in sports and recreation as there are holding down regular jobs. That is how important sport and recreation is. It is also a national symbol of extreme influence and importance.
Newspapers here and worldwide devote approximately 20% of their space to sports. It is the same with radio and television. In South Africa we are galvanised as much by Nelson Mandela as we are by sports. Similarly, Nelson Mandela and sports have both had and continue to have a powerful impact on nation-building and the achievement of social cohesion. Important as sport is to South Africa, an examination of the budget discloses that it is relegated to the very bottom of the list. With minimal resources we cannot achieve our goals and neither can the department.
The three departmental goals set out in the department's strategic plan for the period 2010-14, namely mass participation, sports development and high performance, cannot be realised with a minimal budget. As a portfolio committee, we see school sports as a major priority in the category of mass participation. In this budget, however, the allocation to schools has been slashed from R35 million in the past financial year to a paltry R22 million this year. Do we really believe that schoolchildren around the country are going to engage in any meaningful sports occasion with such limited resources? Clearly, this is impossible.
Under the programme for mass participation, which has the biggest allocation of R467 million, we do not have a clear idea of how this expenditure will impact on actual programmes on the ground. Vigorous oversight needs to occur to ensure that value for money is obtained and that what is undertaken fully complies with the department's goals and objectives.
Hon Minister, provincial and municipal grants, which totalled R400 million, are not being distributed to federations and communities in the province in an equitable manner. KwaZulu-Natal football, for example, received 80% of the allocation while other sports codes got 20%. Sports cannot progress on this basis.
With regard to the sports support services programme, I regret to say that this does not inspire confidence. Hon Minister, in terms of the current budget allocations, there are 71 sports federations in South Africa, 66 of which receive a total of R27,62 million. This begs the question, how will this minuscule amount really help the sports federations? This is untenable.
Hon Minister, the situation gets even worse. Currently loveLife receives R28,693 million from the department. This is more than all the sports federations get together. This is scandalous; loveLife ought to be getting its funds from the Departments of Health and Social Development. This is a matter that has to be rectified immediately. I am fully aware of the formula regarding funding for loveLife, but I believe it is morally wrong for loveLife to have a bigger allocation from the sports Ministry than the federations. We in Cope strongly believe that the entire amount allocated to loveLife should be directed to school sports and the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, Sascoc, which is assisting athletes to prepare for major sporting events.
In the strategic plan we have also been told of agreements for the past three years with the Department of Basic Education to develop sports in our schools. We note that no serious funds were allocated in the budget. Minister, our schoolchildren are being short changed. When will this issue be resolved? I do understand that there is a meeting in two weeks' time with the portfolio committees involved.
I now come to a most vexing issue. For the past six years or longer, this department had qualified audits year in and year out. Many of the problem areas have gone uncorrected in this time. These include, but are not limited to, underexpenditure; irregular expenditure; unauthorised expenditure; fruitless and wasteful expenditure; noncompliance with applicable legislation; insufficient visits to hubs; and internal control deficiencies. We in Cope are very concerned about this sorry state of affairs. If these problems are left unresolved, they will have serious implications for the department's budget. In turn, that will impact negatively on our sports.
Also on the question of managing money, the department has effected transfers of funds to Sascoc not before an event takes place but afterwards. That impacts seriously on the ability to perform. This is mismanagement for which there should be consequences.
We believe Sascoc is grossly underfunded in preparing our athletes for major sporting events. Director-General Petersen, you have a real challenge on your hands. We wish you luck.
I now come to the question of school sports, rural sports, transformation and social cohesion. Here, as elsewhere in government, the elimination of corruption in sports should be a key area of focus. There has to be transparency, accountability and oversight. The question of school sports has to be addressed in a more meaningful manner. The budget of R22 million for school sports is hopelessly inadequate. If the budget cannot be enlarged, then it is necessary for the government to attempt to redistribute funds in order to implement a proper school and rural sports programme.
Cope calls for strategic infrastructure development in rural areas and the appointment of sports coaches and administration back-up. Rural people are South Africa's forgotten citizens. Who knows how many potential sports stars go undetected in these areas. The question I wish to pose is: What has happened to transformation? Is the government saying to us that it is business as usual? I raise these questions because it is not possible to have transformation in the absence of equitable opportunities and facilities.
In order to achieve transformation we also need a change of heart and soul, and an acceptance of other people's rights and needs. More than that, we need to act on these imperatives so that equity is achieved.
When we talk of transformation, I am reminded of what one young boy, Ross McCreath, achieved in Bathurst in the Eastern Cape. A pupil of St Andrew's College in Grahamstown, he took the initiative in December 2007 to ask his father for some land on the farm to create a cricket pitch. When his father acceded to his request, he developed the ground and then went to the Nolukanya township outside Bathurst to recruit 15 boys to practice in the farm field. In 2008, he formed a team called the Tiger Titans. [Time expired.] [Applause.]