Chairperson, hon Ministers, it is undeniable that sport has played a significant part in breaking down barriers of prejudice, race gender, age and income, and despite political interference at times has been a crucial element in nation-building. World-class teams, and coaches for that matter, hon Chairperson of the portfolio committee, begin at the level of schools. The ACDP would like to know: What funds have been dedicated to teacher training in sport - if you are listening? Whose responsibility is it to ensure that we have the capacity needed to develop young sportsmen and women?
The ACDP is concerned to read that the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Minister Shiceka, is saying that many of our municipalities are in a state of paralysis and dysfunction, and in need of extraordinary interventions. Hon Minister, how will this impact on the roll- out of mobile gymnasiums to municipalities? In the strategic plan 2009-13 of Sport and Recreation South Africa, a lack of commitment by municipalities to build sports facilities, despite government's focus on assisting them with planning and managing facilities, is reported. Are measures in place to ensure that communities are not deprived of these facilities, even where municipalities are failing?
We note the recent comment by the SA School Sport Association, which organises school sport at local and international level, mainly in disadvantaged areas, farm schools and with the disabled, that it is no longer recognised by the department. Hon Minister, can you explain what this means and how this affects the development of school sport, especially in view of the department's acknowledgement that there is a lack of organisation in school sport, especially in the poorer schools?
We note that the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport is considering cutting back on its activities as its budget is insufficient for the new and improved but very expensive testing techniques. While new doping techniques are being developed, funding is not keeping up. This, we assume, could impact negatively on the Fifa World Cup, and indeed on all sport.
Lastly, has provision been made for communication projects to inform and encourage communities to use new opportunities for healthy recreation in rural municipalities, keeping in mind, of course, the relatively inexpensive use of cellphones to do this? I thank you. [Time expired.]