Mr Chair, a good player plays where the ball is; a great player plays where the ball is going to be. The government's steps to support high-performance athletes have been inadequate and short-sighted.
Scientific support received a boost. However, when it comes to supporting our athletes representing our nation at major international tournaments, such as the Olympic Games, the government drops the ball. Athletes who have sacrificed so much were scrambling around and appealing to all sponsors to raise funds to represent South Africa. Financial maladministration, such as Cricket South Africa's saga, also remains cause for concern. Sport has the potential to bring people together and it builds the pride of a nation, but the government is not making the most of these opportunities, and sportsmen and sportswomen are paying the penalty. The DA can thus not support this Budget Vote.