Hon Chair, Ministers, members and guests, exactly 365 days ago we were busy counting down the last 10 days before the opening of the largest sport event the world had ever seen, the Fifa World Cup 2010. Who can ever forget the tension and excitement in this beautiful country of ours the week before this prestigious event? Only the prophets of doom, with their talk of plan B and plan C. The rainbow nation of South Africa showed the world that, as one nation, we can stand together and make it happen.
Who can forget the thousands of Dutch football supporters in their orange outfits? We also saw thousands of England supporters before their various encounters and many more nations supporting their teams in this beautiful country of ours.
The 2010 Fifa World Cup did not just bring South Africans together, as the 1995 Rugby World Cup did, but it helped us at a time when other world economies were having the toughest economic times in years. The World Cup event could not have come to us at a better time, as it gave us a good economic injection during 2009 and 2010.
All in all, the 2010 Fifa World Cup was a great success. Millions of rands were given to provinces to get infrastructure ready and in place for this great event. Provinces must still submit audit reports on their spending, for example on base camps, to the national Department of Sport and Recreation.
The year 2010-11 was a good one for South African sport as a whole. Bafana Bafana made us all proud during the Word Cup, as did some other South African sports teams. Unfortunately our national cricket team did not win the World Cup in India, as we had all hoped, but as we know, even the favourites don't always win.
Individual sporting achievements by South Africans were also the order of the day, with Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel both winning golf majors and Lee-Anne Pace achieving various victories on the European golf tour. There are many more South African sports stars who achieved great heights and we are proud of each and every one of them.
Ons het ook in die laaste jaar ons geliefde direkteur-generaal, wyle mnr Vernon Petersen, aan die dood afgestaan. Vernon was 'n leier van formaat en dit was gou duidelik dat hy nie gras onder sy voete sou laat groei het om dinge in die departement wat verkeerd geloop het, reg te ruk nie. Sy skoene sal werklik moeilik deur 'n opvolger volgestaan word.
Intussen het ons ook 'n nuwe Minister van Sport gekry, Minister Mbalula. Na die DA se oorwinnings in verskeie munisipaliteite en voormalige ANC- beheerde wyke het die Minister se gesondheid klaarblyklik 'n knou gekry. Ek vertrou dat sy gesondheid na wense sal verbeter. Minister, dit sal hoog op prys gestel word indien u meer by ons gekose komitee vergaderings kan uitkom, soos Adjunkminister Gert Oosthuizen.
Dit is vir my wel 'n bron van kommer dat u departement nog nie vir ons werklik 'n volledige finansile jaarverslag voorgel het nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[We also experienced the passing of our beloved director-general, the late Mr Vernon Petersen. Vernon was a leader of stature, and it soon became apparent that he would waste no time in straightening out things in the department that had gone wrong. His successor will truly find it difficult to fill his shoes.
Meanwhile we have also received a new Minister of Sport, Minister Mbalula. After the DA's victories in several municipalities and wards previously controlled by the ANC, the Minister's health evidently experienced a setback. I trust that his health will improve satisfactorily. Minister, it would be greatly appreciated if you could attend our select committee meetings more often, as Deputy Minister Gert Oosthuizen does.
It is indeed a matter of concern to me that your department has not yet submitted to us a complete annual financial report.]
In our last select committee meeting held with the Department of Sport and Recreation, the budget of R802,7 million for 2011 was discussed. The first thing that comes to my mind after the 2010 Soccer World Cup is: Who is going to maintain our beautiful stadiums as they need to be maintained? As this was not discussed with our committee at our last meeting, perhaps the Minister can give clarity on this issue and whether it is addressed in his budget.
A great awareness of soccer as a code has been created in South Africa and the department should use this opportunity to extend its reach to all schools and communities.
LoveLife gets more and more funds each year without any report-back on their programmes, which are usually unorganised and chaotic, to say the least. It is time for loveLife to give a report-back on money spent, and how these funds are being incorporated with school sport. The department should be able to play an oversight role on these funds as they come from Treasury and are mostly taxpayers' money.
School sport is the basis from which top athletes, sportsmen and sportswomen start their careers. It is a shame that a lot of rural schools just don't get the facilities and coaches to be able to help create our future sporting stars. This remains a concern to us.
The mass participation programme receives R502,1 million, the largest part of the budget. It shocks me that only R27,3 million goes toward school sport, while loveLife receives R30,4 million! Sport federations' budgets were increased from R27,8 million to R54,3 million, which should be welcomed by all.
It is also a concern to me that some of our top sportsmen and sportswomen who represent South Africa don't get enough money to survive, and for that reason leave South Africa in search of greener pastures. Our national netball and hockey teams train just as hard as our rugby, soccer and cricket teams, but get paid only a fraction of what the latter get. I therefore ask the Minister to help secure sponsorships so that these other sports codes can also get paid better, as they also make us proud of their international achievements.
However, sponsors will only invest money in sport if sport administration is clean. It doesn't do our country any good when you read about maladministration in cricket, athletics or rugby, to name but a few. We have to take strong action against corrupt officials who damage South Africa's image.
In conclusion, the Rugby World Cup takes place in New Zealand in September. The Parliamentary Rugby World Cup takes place at the same time and venue. We wish them all well with preparations and hope to see both World Cups back in South Africa. I thank you.