Athletics SA Annual Report ; Fan-Parks During 2010 FIFA World Cup Input by Technical Productions Services
Sport, Arts and Culture
13 November 2007
Meeting Summary
A summary of this committee meeting is not yet available.
Meeting report
SPORT AND RECREATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
13 November 2007
ATHLETICS SOUTH AFRICA ANNUAL REPORT 2006/07; FAN-PARKS DURING 2010 FIFA WORLD
CUP INPUT BY TECHNICAL PRODUCTIONS SERVICES
Chairperson: Mr BM Komphela (ANC)
Documents handed out:
Presentation: Athletics
South Africa
Technical Production
Services (TPS) Implementation Presentation
NOT RECORDED
SUMMARY
Athletics South Africa was very disappointed with the performance of the
South African Confederation of Sports and Olympic Committee. This body was not performing by providing the
national academy system it had promised.
There were too many small federations in the body that acted in their
own narrow interests. Athletics South
Africa had prepared several South African teams and had arranged many national
events. There were several challenges,
including the perception that there was a lack of co-operation between the body
and the Department of Sport and Recreation.
Mass participation events were being held, but there was a challenge to
integrate these activities with more formal sports events.
Members were concerned that there were such different understandings of the
current position between the federations and their mother body. School sport was a major problem, and it was
necessary for Athletics to play a major role in reviving school sport. Development had to come from below. Some sponsors were still favouring the white
community.
A group known as Technical Presentation Services presented to the
Committee. They wished to establish a
database of young black entrepreneurs.
Their particular focus area at present was providing the technology that
would be used to set up fan parks during the 2010 Football World Cup.
MINUTES
The Chairperson said there had been a misunderstanding with Athletics South
Africa (ASA). Communication from the
Committee had indicated that they were to present their financial
statements. The Committee needed to know
about ASA’s programs, the preparation of national teams, challenges and the
organisation’s transformation agenda. He
appreciated that the second Soweto Marathon had been held. He noted that not a single person had been
robbed.
He said that the South African Roller Hockey Association had also been given
incorrect information. They had done
well at an international tournament in Brazil, being placed third after
Argentina and Brazil. Private
sponsorship had made it possible to send a squad of 26 to the event. The driving force behind the sport at present
lay within the Portuguese community.
He said that in terms of the rules of Parliament, the President of an
organisation should lead the delegation.
He would not read the rule at that stage. Team Shosholoza was also doing well. The Premier Soccer League had recently been
called to Parliament on the subject of the payment of commissions. They had gone to the newspapers, stating that
they would not respond to the call. An
ugly situation had resulted.
Hearing with Athletics South Africa
Mr Leonard Chuene (President, ASA) asked the Committee’s leave to paint a
different picture. A meeting would be
held with the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC)
on the coming weekend. Sport was a small
circle. ASA would not be just a
spectator in the process. The current
situation was a sad one, and nothing had changed since 2000. He apologised for sounding like a stuck
record, but said that ASA would repeat their position until someone listened to
them.
Mr Chuene said that Athletics had been one of the best examples of integration
in sport before SASCOC had been formed.
One of the expectations of SASCOC was that it would coordinate the
formation of a national academy system at all levels. Many micro bodies had been consolidated to
form SASCOC. However, the establishment of academies was still to happen. If the macro body could not deal with the
problem, it would be difficult to move forward on this issue. SASCOC had to be the engine to drive the
process. There was not much obvious
effort on the part of national federations to make SASCOC work.
Mr Chuene said there was no indication of any major sponsorship in the near
future. This meant there were no funds
available to help the South African team prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games in
Beijing. He felt there was no hope for
SASCOC. There was no preparation for the
Beijing Olympics, and sports federations would be called to account by the
Committee when the team failed to succeed.
SASCOC had to be helped to help out the federations.
He said that federations with large sponsorships were able to fund their own
academies, mentioning the examples of soccer, cricket and rugby. This was not the case with Athletics. Without an academy, the sport would continue
to produce a mere handful of black world-beaters, and the imbalance based on
skin colour would remain. There was no
significant sponsorship for development.
That which was given was merely a gesture to sooth guilty consciences if
anything was given at all.
Mr Chuene said that a well-structured, co-ordinated national academy system was
needed. An efficient body was needed to
drive the process. This was not the
Committee’s responsibility but SASCOC’s.
The Committee could, however, push SASCOC into performing according to
its mandate.
He said that it was not possible to plan on using Lottery funding as the
amounts were unknown until eventually paid.
All federations had been heartened by recent statements about improved
funding made by President Mbeki. Robust
development was needed, and the President had presented sports bodies with a
lifeline. He asked who would translate
this policy into action, and felt that the Committee should do this.
Mr M Malehopo (Development Manager, ASA) said that the presentation had been
prepared on the understanding ASA had had.
Details as requested by the Committee would be made available. ASA had a mandate to take Athletics to all
the people. They were responsible for
arranging events, marketing, communication, team preparation and presentation
at all levels. There were areas of
governance, mass participation, education and training.
He outlined the events presented during the previous year. There had been eight national events and many
other activities within the seventeen member provinces. Of these eight events six had been in track
and field, one was a youth event and one a senior event. In terms of cross country, there had been
four national events and one national championship. Road running had benefited from a sponsorship
by Nedbank. There had been three city
marathons and four events over shorter distances. Other championship events had been held.
Mr Malehopo said that teams had been prepared to take part in five
international championship events.
Continental championships had been held in track and field in Mauritius,
where South Africa had been placed first.
There had been six regional events.
During 2007 there had already been four international championships and
two continental events, including the All-Africa Games. There were six Southern African regional
events. The South African team had
undergone eight local training camps and two international camps in Germany and
Beijing.
Mr Malehopo said that ASA recognised the importance of the work of the
education and training unit. An enhanced
effort was needed, and they were doing well in this regard. Coaches and technical officials were
receiving exposure at the highest level.
ASA had received R2.25 million from the Department of Sport and Education
(SRSA) in the 2006/07 financial year (FY).
The total allocation received in the current FY was R1.1 million. In 2006/07, R1.25 million had been spent on
the More People program, which was ASA’s mass participation component, and R1
million went to the More Medals program, which was in essence a high
performance effort. For the current
financial year the amounts would have to be reduced to R650 thousand for the
More People program and R380 thousand for the More Medals campaign.
Mr Malehopo said that there were ten Rural Accelerated Development programs
under way. Five of these were in the
Eastern Cape and the remainder in Limpopo.
A transformation and development workshop would be held to thrash out
these important issues. Two teams were
funded under the More Medals component.
In the current FY, there were development programs in the Limpopo and
Transkei areas. They were now starting
to see results from these initiatives.
Some money was being channelled by ASA to the long and middle distance
squads. There was a lot of talent in
these disciplines. A talent
identification seminar was needed. ASA
needed to go out to scout for talent.
He said that a mass participation co-ordinator had been appointed during
2006. They had anticipated co-ordination
with SRSA and its Siyadlala program. ASA
was trying to create appeal to all at mass participation events. To serve this they had introduced 5 km events
at these gatherings. A lot of
schoolchildren were attracted, and in fact people from all population sectors
were involved. The mass participation
program was driven by the provinces. ASA
liaised with provincial governments in the hope of complementing their
efforts. They hoped that talented
participants could be identified who could then be integrated into the main
events.
Mr Malehopo listed the challenges facing ASA.
There were no formal links between the Siyadlala program and the
national federations. A lot of money was
therefore being spent in the provinces, but this was not going to the
federations. He was not sure if the
benefits were accruing to sport. There
needed to be an integrated approach with formal events. ASA members were not always invited to become
involved at provincial level.
He expected that there would be an integrated approach to delivery. Federations should be seen as partners. There needed to be linkages between the
programs of SRSA and ASA. Funding needed
to be directed to federations so that they could assist SRSA. He expressed his thanks to ASA’s partners and
sponsors, including the Committee.
Discussion
Ms N Ntuli (ANC) said there was disappointment with the records of
relationships between ASA and SASCOC.
She was a bit worried about how long the proverbial scratched record
would be played, and felt it was time to break the old record and move
forward. There was always an outcry for
resources, although much was happening.
She thanked ASA for putting South Africa on the map. She asked if there was a framework of ASA to
assist them in being open to fundraising, and if there was exposure to
sponsorship. The asked if there was any
policy driving the process of lottery fund distribution. In terms of development and transformation,
she asked what the ASA overview was, and if they were making a difference. Resources were an issue, and could be a
stumbling block. She asked if more
schools were involved, and if a school sport revival was underway. She asked if there was communication in all
the provinces between government and ASA.
Mr J Masango (DA) questioned Mr Cheune’s statement regarding SASCOC. The body had appeared before the Committee
and said that it had a business plan prepared, and all had looked in line; but
now ASA was telling a different story.
He asked if the Committee had been misled. He said that SASCOC should have a service
agreement with SRSA, but did not know how far it went. There was no instruction to hold SASCOC
accountable. He asked why programs could
not proceed because of SASCOC. On the
question of talent identification, he agreed with the principal but pointed out
that some athletes only developed later in life. He mentioned the example of the Kaizer Chiefs
goalkeeper. He asked if the Sector
Education and Training Authority (SETA) was
helping. Mass participation events were
often once-off occurrences. He asked if
ASA was present at these events to identify talent. The federations should take part. A lot of money had been allocated to ASA in
the previous FY, but less so in the current FY.
He asked how this would impact on the body’s activities.
The Chairperson asked if the allocation of R2.2 million had been on the
business plan for the previous FY. He
felt that the allocation should have escalated due to inflation.
Ms W Makgate (ANC) needed clarity on the distribution of funds. The business plan should be on a long-term
basis. She asked how clubs could be
involved and how activities could be spread out amongst all the provinces. Some provinces were being left out. It seemed to her that ASA did not know how to
fulfil their role of making people aware of the sport.
Mr D Dikgacwi (ANC) said that members of the SRSA responsible for the Mass
Participation Program (MPP) should be present.
The Chairperson agreed that the Director-General (DG) of SRSA should be
present. All bodies were accountable to
the Department. He asked how the schools
MPP and government programs were feeding into ASA’s MPP. A service level agreement was needed. It was unfortunate that SRSA was not
represented at this meeting. The netball
team was performing well at the current World Cup, but they had left with a
litany of problems. The Department
should always attend such meetings in order to provide guidance.
Mr Dikgawci said that the Chairperson’s remarks had taken the sting out of his
argument. The President’s input had
indicated that SASCOC’s national academy plan was a non-event. He asked what kind of responses there were,
as the academies would have to serve many federations. There was a challenge within SASCOC which had
led to failures. He asked what kind of
team preparation was involved, as R10 million had been given. He asked if the federations benefited, and if
so how ASA could say there had been no team preparation. Elaborate assistance would be needed to
revamp SASCOC.
He speculated on the outcome of the upcoming SASCOC elections. He wondered if the present management would
be re-elected or if there would be new blood.
Statistics were needed on education and training functions to give more
information on where these programs were taking place and what the results
were. He asked what ASA and SRSA were
doing regarding the MPP. The question
was how to integrate the two programs, as they were well funded. He asked if ASA could tap into SRSA
funding. They should meet the
Department. A formidable team could be
built. He asked how broad the attendance
was at the transformation and development workshop. He also asked what the outputs were, and if
there was any follow-up action. He asked
how many medals had been won at the events mentioned by ASA.
Mr Chuene noted that all the questions dealt with SASCOC as a structure. The former National Olympic Committee of
South Africa (NOCSA) had contributed 90% of the staff of SASCOC. SASCOC was the only body supplying
funding. It was a difficult situation
for outsiders. Because of the structure,
small federations had control of SASCOC.
This made it a challenge for the bigger federations to deliver on their
mandates. Many of the constituent
federations were not part of the Olympics, but found themselves in a position
of making decisions on matters which did not concern them. The challenge to
SASCOC was this tendency of member federations to act in their own
interest. The SASCOC executive first had
to be transformed before it could transform sport. There was be a transformation committee, but
it had only met once in four years. He served on this Committee. R10 million had been budgeted for team
preparation but he did not understand how this had been distributed. However, it would be unfair to talk about
SASCOC in their absence.
The Chairperson said that the Committee could not prescribe to these
bodies. The Committee had been sent a
letter questioning the integrity of Parliament.
A letter was sent to the Premier Soccer League in good faith, but they
had not realised all the factors involved.
The Committee had written to SASCOC three weeks previously,
and the reply, dated 8 November 2007, had only been received on 9 November at
13h15. This was the Friday before the
current meeting. SASCOC had apologised
for being unable to attend the meeting as their President was out of the
country. A new date had been
requested. This development had been
accepted in good faith, and the Committee had been careful to ensure that all
role players had been invited. The
Committee had to decide how to deal with the issues involved. He agreed that it was not right to talk about
SASCOC in their absence. Key federations
should always be in attendance.
Mr Chuene said that ASA consisted of an executive and seventeen provincial
bodies. There were more than one body in
the larger political provinces. The
debate on transformation had been delayed due to the situation which the sport
had inherited. He cited the example of
the Harmony mine which sponsored a team, but it was mainly white athletes which
benefited from this. Provinces did not
intervene. There was resistance to
change. Mr Price was another example of
a similar sponsorship.
He said that development was not about achieving 1st, 2nd
and 3rd places. It should be
seen in the formation of new clubs.
School sport was dead whereas it should be a nursery or feeder
system. They had looked at the Jamaican
model where there was no school sport, and all junior sport was arranged by
clubs. At present in South Africa
development only applied in schools.
There was no training afterwards.
The continued development was only happening thanks to white coaches
teaching white children at the former Model C schools. It was up to the teachers to train children
at school level.
Mr Chuene said that most of the member federations of SASCOC were falling
apart. There were some projects at
SASCOC which did benefit ASA. The needs
of athletes had to be considered. SASCOC
was taking teams to major events, and so had to play a role in team
preparation. They refused to account to
SASCOC as a mother body. Events in the
provinces were pilot projects and were conducted with limited resources. There was in fact a deliberate effort to
avoid staging events in the richer provinces.
They would rather hold them in poor provinces with potential.
Mr Malehopo said that the talent identification process should not discourage
those who did not show immediate potential.
A scientific approach was followed, but there was a chance to impress a
second time. Talent could be captured
based on physical factors. ASA had a
linkage with the Tourism, Hospitality and Entertainment Training Authority
(Theta), but there were challenges. They
were in the process to linking to international courses. There was an allocation or R1.4 billion. Additional funds had been given. Money was channelled to the More People and
More Medals programs. ASA was trying to
live within its means. A database of
qualified people was being maintained.
They expected to run programs in the provinces.
The Chairperson said that ASA could save the detail for the present.
Mr A Mlangeni (ANC) said that ASA was getting money
without asking for it. There would never
be a need to complain in this situation.
He asked what had happened to the South African Amateur Athletics Union,
and if it was different to ASA.
Mr T Louw (ANC) said that ASA must tap into the talent available. He asked what was being done to evaluate the
athletic abilities of the San and Khoi communities. Research was needed to see if their physiques
were suitable for running.
Mr M Solo (ANC) asked about the development program within institutions. He felt it would not work. Every person must be encouraged to engage in
athletic activity. Outcomes Based
Education was hindering school sport.
Lottery funding was not happening.
Mr Masango recalled the Soweto marathon, and asked why it was that athletes
from Lesotho had been so successful.
Ms Ntuli commended those codes which had attracted sponsorships. She asked how ASA linked with education, as
athletics events were not being held as in the past.
Ms Makgate asked about the distribution of lottery funding. She asked if there was a business plan in the
short term, as funds were not being allocated.
There was a lack of continuity.
She asked if funding was orientated towards events. She asked if the lack of sponsorship was due
to a lack of skills in those tasked with raising sponsorships, or if this was
due to racial reasons.
The Chairperson said that there was a perception that an organisation needed a
white Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to be credible. A Norwegian had been chosen to succeed Mr
Trevor Phillips as CEO of the PSL.
Mr Mlangeni noted ASA’s refusal to account to SASCOC. He asked to whom they were accountable.
Mr Dikgacwi said that one of the challenges was that there were no formal links
between ASA and the Siyadlala program.
If there were not, then he asked what was being done to address the
situation.
Mr Chuene said that ASA did apply for funding.
They were only one body. ASA
would like to know to whom they were accountable. This was not a contradiction. Some federations had refused to endorse NOCSA
decisions. Members who had joined SASCOC had decided to fight from within. They must account to SASCOC but would keep on
fighting to ensure delivery on their mandates.
Although Lesotho athletes had impressed during the Soweto marathon, people
should remember that Hendrik Ramaala had finished third at the New York
marathon. It was rare that a local
athlete won any major event. This made the
local athletes aspire to achieve success.
On the question of skills, Mr Chuene said that ASA was doing well. They had a white CEO, and sponsorship had
been attracted from white business. Good
deals had been done, but there had been some challenges. The CEO was paid a salary and commission on
sponsorships, which had led to a conflict of interests. The CEO had resigned. Mr Sidane had been seen first and foremost as
a struggle comrade, and all the sponsors had withdrawn. Soccer was different as athletics was an
individual sport.
Mr Chuene said that athletics was the flagship of the Olympic Games. All skills in the different sports were based
on athletic ability. They would have to
go to the agencies to get sponsors, but then the executive would have to step
down. Soccer was different. He felt that if the Springbok symbol was lost
then the leadership would also disappear together with sponsorship deals. Resources were still in the hands of the
few.
He said there were serious issues with school sport. Another forum was needed. All talent came from the schools. Outsiders were used as coaches rather than
teachers. It was a complicated
issue. Federations should deal direct
with school sport. There was a choice
between ASA and school events. A
national debate was needed. There was a
linkage with the MPP, and he believed there was enough capacity to execute the
program.
Mr Malehogo said they were making progress with development and
transformation. He mentioned an
eighteen-year old girl from the Free State who had achieved a silver medal at
the All Africa Games. There had been
three gold medals won at the Junior African Championships. There had also been other successes.
The Chairperson asked about a boy from Mpumalanga who had attracted the
interest of the Minister. This was the
kind of development that was needed.
Mr Malehogo said that ASA was doing its bit to revive school sport. There were a lot of challenges, and a forum
would help. Schools had been invited to
participate at a district level. He was
still not sure of the direction that was being taken. He hoped that this situation would
improve. Provincial government was
willing to help. Gauteng had taken
people to the Soweto marathon. These
were the kinds of intervention which was needed. There were plans for an event in
Mpumalanga. ASA would try to get as many
people as possible involved. ASA was the
first federation to discuss the Khoi and San communities. The program had been revised. Initiatives had been taken in Upington and
Springbok was the next area to be covered.
Mr Malehogo said that lottery funds were needed for stadiums. There was a business plan. SRSA also had a business plan. There was a monitoring and evaluation mechanism. The business plan normally ran from one
Olympic Games to the next.
There was a formal link to the Department.
There was a document which described how funds were channelled to the
provinces. Some people had their own
interests. Resources were needed. Blockages did exist, and some people and
organisations were out to advance their own interests. Discussions would be held, and the results
would be presented to SRSA.
Mr Chuene said that all federations had programs. A collective answer was needed.
The Chairperson said the issues had been raised. It had taken a long time to finalise the
board of SASCOC. Since the last meeting
the Medium Term Expenditure Framework had been made public, and indicated how
funds would be disbursed over the next three to five years. Budgets should be based on this. Policies were not in place at present. Even sponsorships were granted over fixed
terms. Funds were restricted.
Mr Chuene said that he did not know if the Committee had any influence over the
Lotteries Board. It was critical to
understand the process of their funding.
The Chairperson said the issue had been raised with the Minister, and it had
been discussed at Cabinet. The lottery
had been created as a vehicle to fund sport, but was now used to fund all sorts
of good causes. The matter was being
dealt with. Associations would never
survive without resources. Lesotho’s
budget was nowhere near that of South Africa, while Kenya was also producing
world-beating athletes despite their own restricted funding. Research was needed to address the
under-performance of South African athletes.
It could be a question of nutrition, or some other reason. If the problem was located then the
Department could work on the solution.
Mr Komphela said that a golden opportunity had been presented to sport. The President was leading the issues. Federations had to use the fertile
ground. Sport had to be built on the
basis of central policy. A central issue
was how a non-racial society could be created through sport. The question was how to achieve this. Many had died without the chance of seeing
how the economy was now blooming. People
had suffered in jails and had not had the opportunity to be sports
leaders. No one could accuse the
government of spending the family money.
Antagonistic language had to be avoided.
Government was doing the right thing.
The Chairperson congratulated Mr Chuene.
For the first time, an African had been selected to the International
Amateur Athletics Federation controlling body.
He praised the body for its support to the people of South Korea.
He said that partnership with the Department of Education was a subject of
constant discussion. Meetings would be
held to finalise the MPP. One matter
which had not been raised was that of life orientation and life skills. Winners should have these skills. HIV/AIDS awareness was of paramount importance. Theta was poised to help in all aspects. It was correct to resist sponsors meddling in
sport. Rugby leadership was blackmailing
the country. Obese children were a major
problem, and ASA had a role to get them running.
Submission by Technical Productions Services
The Chairperson praised the involvement of young people in the North West. All South Africans had a role to play in the
success of the 2010 World Cup. With that
he introduced the Technical Productions Services (TPS) delegation.
Mr Tebogo Sithathe (CEO, TPS) said his organisation was actually based in
Gauteng. They were happy to be at the
Committee, which had an oversight role, while other people might be
intimidated. He felt that the Committee
had a role in supporting young entrepreneurs.
There were many young people in disadvantaged areas. There were still some challenges. Young black people had to become part of the
mainstream economy. Some were skilled
and qualified but had no jobs. There
were young people with technical skills for festivals and events in the fields
of stage, sound, lighting and screen management. Young people were getting into the events
industry. He asked if a white face was
needed to ensure credibility. He
believed that young black entrepreneurs could rise to the challenges. There was a need for government to play an
oversight role through the Committee to ensure that the youth were given a
chance.
He said that there were looking at recruiting qualified people, but they were
also looking to develop skills in the fields of stage management, audiovisual
effects, sound and lighting. The focus
was on the youth. It was important to
develop skills locally or foreigners would take charge. Quality was needed, as was learned from the
event at the Union Buildings where a tent had collapsed. South Africa was a big destination. Resources were expensive.
Mr Sithathe said that TPS had achieved various milestones. Their program was aligned with SETA and was
sustainable. Training included life
skills. They were looking at providing
the services to operate the fan parks envisaged for the World Cup. They wished to target poor communities. To do this they were engaging with the South
African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), the municipalities and FIFA. There would have to be a partnership with
FIFA to make it happen. There was a
whole industry involved, including managers, technicians and entertainers. Only FIFA could give rights. He showed an example of a portable screen
with a self-contained power supply. Partnerships
were essential, one of which was the Committee in its oversight role. A problem was the lack of a database. TPS already had over 200 members, both
professionals and semi-professionals.
They wanted to ensure empowerment, as many foreigners would want to come
into the country for the World Cup. The
youth of South Africa had to be in the mainstream.
Discussion
Mr Solo said it had been an inspiring presentation. He assumed that they were in operation
already. He was impressed by their
innovation. Safe events were
important. He had heard nothing about
disaster control and crowd management. Nobody had pinned down until this
meeting. Crowd control had to be part of
the industry.
Mr R Bhoola (MF) echoed the sentiments of Mr Solo. It was gratifying to hear from the
youth. Interaction was necessary within
municipalities, and workshops should be held in the disadvantaged
communities. They had worked to the
extent of bringing rural communities on board.
Mr Louw said that this Committee was not the only oversight Committee which
would affect the activities of TPS. The
Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industries would play a role in the technical
area.
Ms Makgate said that South Africans were competing with foreign companies. Satellites would have to be used to provide
signals to rural areas and the cut off farm areas. She said that there was a challenge in events
management in encouraging the youth to take up the profession.
Mr Sithathe said that safety was the key.
It had been a concise presentation.
The Events and Technical Task Team reported to the Deputy Minister of
Arts and Culture. Country-wide workshops
were held regarding safety. Structural
engineers would now be responsible to inspect all constructions. Skills training should go through the
municipalities. This was an issue, which
applied to both host cities and non-hosting cities. Broadcast rights could also be a problem. It was a good point to consult with the
Committee’s counterparts on Trade and Industry. This might need some more
investigation. More departments were
involved, including Arts and culture, but SRSA was the biggest.
Mr Sithathe said that they had chosen this Committee because it had direct
links to the Local Organising Committee (LOC).
Rural areas were often the victims of neglect. It was not just the cities that must
benefit. They were aware of the
challenges. There was a lack of capacity
in the rural areas, and staff had been imported from other parts of the country
in the past when events were staged in the rural areas. Black Economic Empowerment principles were
not always observed on these occasions.
People were not taking advantage of their opportunities. SETA was running courses. TPS was arranging various types and sizes of
event. They were working with
municipalities. There were areas where
the signal was poor.
The Chairperson said the timing was good.
The issue must start receiving attention now. The focus was good. There was a need to discuss the Department of
Trade and Industry’s (the dti) involvement.
Communication was needed with the SABC on world rights. The key thrust was that the deep rural areas
had to benefit. Ticket and transport
costs would be too expensive for many South Africans, and even so only a small
percentage of the people would have a chance to attend matches.
Technical skills were needed. He was
impressed by the concept of using the newly qualified as well as developing
personal skills. SETA and the Umsobomvu campaigns were bringing home the goods. Data had to be gathered. It was not FIFA who would make the decisions
about fan parks but the municipalities.
FIFA would pay for the screens in the country and would need to tap into
a supplier database. The Committee would
write to the SABC and recommend TPS’s services.
They had presented to the right Committee, but decisions were taken at
LOC and municipality levels. The
emphasis would be on a deep rural bias.
Mr Louw said that the dti had a ministerial committee which dealt with the
detail of the industry. Preparations for
the 2010 World Cup would start with the African Cup of Nations in 2008 and the
Confederations Cup in 2009. Both these
events would be used as tests. The dti
had a database with all technical service providers. TPS should talk to them and the
municipalities. The Committee would have
limited effectiveness.
The Chairperson said that he was not opposed to contact with the dti. This would enrich TPS’s circle of
contacts. If it was difficult to
interact with them, then this Committee would pass on their concerns.
Mr Sithathe said that he appreciated the Committee’s time. Referrals were a key aspect. It would not be a case of doors closing to
them. It would help to get a formal
endorsement. He asked if the policy would
allow this.
The Chairperson said that he would speak to the Chairperson of the dti
Committee, or he would send a formal letter.
This was still not a licence for TPS to go in every door, but at least
they would get a hearing.
The meeting was adjourned.
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