Agb Voorsitter, agb Minister, agb Adjunkminister, agb lede, verskillende lede van die verskillende sportfederasies hier teenwoordig, dames en here, ons sport het die afgelope jaar gemengde welslae behaal.
Ons kan inderdaad begin deur hulde te bring aan die hele Suid-Afrika vir die aanbieding van die Fifa-sokkerwreldbekertoernooi wat voorwaar 'n reusesukses was. Vanuit 'n finansile oogpunt was dit ook vir Fifa een van die mees winsgewende toernooie. Vir ons in Suid-Afrika is daar seer sekerlik nog vrae wat onbeantwoord bly oor die groot bedrae geld van die departement wat aan basiskampe bestee is en waarvoor daar tot op hede geen ouditverslae gekry is nie.
Dat sport 'n samebindende faktor in Suid-Afrika is, is gewis. Suid- Afrikaners was verenig agter Bafana Bafana en, toe hulle uitval, ook agter Ghana. Dieselfde het ons ook gevind in die geval van die pas afgelope Krieketwreldbekertoernooi. Ongelukkig was ons in albei gevalle nie so suksesvol in ons strewe na die wreldkroon nie.
Ons wil ook hulde bring aan die sportsterre wat die afgelope jaar presteer het. Hier dink ons onwillekeurig aan Louis Oosthuizen se oorwinning in die Britse Ope-gholftoernooi; Lee-Anne Pace se talle oorwinnings in die Europese vrouegholfreeks, waar sy die eerste plek verwerf het; die uitmuntende vertoning van ons gestremde atlete wat altyd ons land se naam hoog hou; en die Suid-Afrikaanse vrouehokkiespan wat ook besig is om hul posisie in wreldhokkie te verbeter.
Alle eer gaan ook aan ons onlangse sportpresteerder Burry Stander met sy oorwinning, saam met sy Switserse spanmaat, in die ABSA Cape Epic fietswedren, wat 'n eerste vir Suid-Afrika was. Gelukwensing gaan ook aan Charl Schwartzel met sy oorwinning in die Amerikaanse Meesters- gholftoernooi - nie die "US Open" nie, Adjunkminister. Dit was werklik 'n indrukwekkende en spannende laaste rondte van 66 houe, en sodoende 'n oorwinning van twee houe om die groen baadjie te ontvang, 50 jaar n die legendariese Gary Player dit vir die eerste keer vir Suid-Afrika gewen het.(Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Mr J J VAN DER LINDE: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members, various members of the different sports federations here present, ladies and gentlemen, our sport has met with mixed success over the past year.
We may indeed start by paying tribute to the whole of South Africa for hosting the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup, which was indeed a huge success. From a financial point of view the tournament was also one of the most lucrative for Fifa. For us here in South Africa there are certainly still questions, which remain unanswered, concerning the large amounts of money of the department that were spent on base camps and for which no audit reports have been received up to now.
The fact that sport is a cohesive factor in South Africa is certain. South Africans were united behind Bafana Bafana and, when they were eliminated, also behind Ghana. We have also found the same thing happening in the case of the recently completed Cricket World Cup. Unfortunately, in both cases we were not particularly successful in our efforts to win the world crown.
We would also like to honour the sports stars who achieved over the past year. In this instance we remember Louis Oosthuizen's victory in the British Open Golf Championship; the numerous victories of Lee-Anne Pace in the European women's golf series, which took her right to the first position there; the proud display by our disabled athletes, who are always upholding the good name of our country; and the South African women's hockey team, which is also currently improving its position in world hockey.
All credit should also be accorded our recent sporting achiever, Burry Stander, with his victory, together with his Swiss team mate, in the ABSA Cape Epic cycling race, a first for South Africa. Congratulations also go to Charl Schwartzel with his victory in the US Masters Golf Tournament - not the US Open, Deputy Minister. This was a truly impressive and tense last round of 66 shots, and as such a victory of two shots, enabling him to receive the green jacket 50 years after the legendary Gary Player won it for the first time for South Africa.]
They make all of us proud, and this should motivate us to do even more.
When we engage with the budget, we must be aware that we have a new Minister. Minister Mbalula must be commended for his initiative in setting up a consultative session with key role-players in sport and recreation shortly after his appointment. The purpose of the session was to structure and align integrated delivery plans for identified focus areas.
Further deliberations followed, which resulted in the department's ten strategic outcome-orientated goals. The various goals are commendable. It is this kind of intervention which will improve the culture of sport at all levels and that will lead to the advancement of especially our rural areas and disadvantaged schools.
The DA shares this vision of the department and is privileged to be party to this noble cause. The outcome of these programmes will do a lot to achieve the desired outcome of improving the performance of our athletes. This demands that we assess the gains that we have made in the past financial year in terms of putting sport within the reach of all, providing sports facilities and empowering our youngsters with the necessary skills to reach their full sporting potential. In discussing the budget, we must know how far it addresses the different goals.
Die begroting is vanjaar beduidend kleiner as die vorige jaar, naamlik R802 miljoen teenoor R1,255 miljard die vorige boekjaar. Dit is toe te skryf aan die finansiering vir die 2010 Fifa-sokkerwreldbekertoernooi, wat die bedrag van R452 miljoen beloop, wat in die vorige boekjaar vir Fifa beskikbaar was en tot 'n einde gekom het. Hierdie daling is egter kleiner as die R560 miljoen wat in die 2010-11 boekjaar aan die 2010 Fifa- sokkerwreldbekertoernooi toegewys is. Dit dui dus op 'n styging in die toewysing in sekere afdelings.
Nrens word daar egter begroot vir die instandhouding van die 2010 wreldbekersokkerstadions nie. Tans wil dit voorkom asof dit onbekostigbaar vir sportliggame en -klubs is om dit te gebruik. Gasheerstede kan nie uit hul eie begrotings die instandhouding bekostig nie en moet dit aan die gebruiker, wat dit ook nie kan bekostig nie, deurgee. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The budget is significantly smaller this year than in the previous year, namely R802 million as opposed to R1, 255 billion in the previous financial year. This may be ascribed to the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup funding, which amounted to R452 million, that was available to Fifa in the previous financial year and has come to an end. This decrease, however, was smaller than the R560 million allocated to the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup in the 2010-11 financial year. This indicates an increase in the allocation within certain divisions.
However, nowhere has budgeting been done for the maintenance and upkeep of the 2010 Fifa World Cup soccer stadiums. Currently, it appears to be unaffordable for sporting bodies and clubs to use these stadiums. Host cities are unable to afford the maintenance and upkeep from their own budgets and have to pass this on to the user, who is also unable to afford it.]
A greater awareness of soccer as a code has been created, as well as great possibilities for the use of stadiums, for example, to enhance tourism programmes. However, then it needs to be affordable to use the stadiums.
As deel van die 2010-nalatenskapprojek is dit verblydend dat die sokkervereniging, Safa, beoog om 52 kunsgrasvelde regoor die land in al die Safa-streke op te rig. Hiervan is fondse vir die eerste 27 beskikbaar, en di sal binne die volgende drie jaar opgerig word. Indien hierdie fasiliteite veeldoelig is, sal dit van die behoeftes wat die platteland het, aanspreek. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[As part of the 2010 legacy project, it is heartening that the football association, Safa, envisages establishing 52 artificial grass pitches right across the country in all the Safa regions. Of these, funds are available for the first 27, which will be established within the next three years. If these are multipurpose facilities, they will address some of the needs in the rural areas.]
Administration has increased by R21,8 million. This is due to increased municipal and office administration charges and new office accommodation for the department. In my speech last year, I argued for more funding, especially for Sport Support Services. Their allocation had decreased by R22,1 million. I am therefore pleased to see a huge increase of R53,3 million in this area. If we examine this increase, R4,5 million goes to Boxing South Africa as a tax bail-out. This is a long-outstanding debt to the Receiver of Revenue which poor Boxing South Africa would never be able to pay. We are hoping that this amount will help them get their ducks in a row in order to achieve a clean audit. The committee and the Minister are of the opinion that everything must be done to deregulate boxing to enable them to function like any other national sports federation and be guided by their own constitution.
We appreciate the increase of R1,6 million allocated to the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport, based on their request last year for more funding. This will allow them to perform more tests and strengthen their education outreach programmes. It is money well spent because the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport has had clean audits for the past few years.
Die volgende doring in die vlees is gewis loveLife. Di liggaam kon nog geen bewyse voorl van die mate waartoe hul programme by di van die federasies of skolesport inskakel nie. Dit is werklik ontstellend dat R30,4 miljoen, 'n verhoging van R1,7 miljoen teenoor die vorige boekjaar, aan loveLife toegewys is. Dt, ondanks verto van alle politieke partye dat daar na die kontraktuele verpligtinge van die departement en loveLife gekyk moet word.
Agb Minister, ek het ook probeer kyk na watter van u strategiese doelwitte loveLife aanspreek, of waar u doelwitte by hulle inskakel. Ek kon geen verband sien nie. U sal indringend oor u kontraktuele verpligting teenoor loveLife moet besin en uitwys in hoe 'n mate hulle in die sportopset inpas. Oral waar loveLife sportbyeenkomste aanbied, is dit chaoties en niemand weet wie in beheer is of wie die fondse voorsien en of daar fondse beskikbaar is om die sportbyeenkoms te rel nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The next thorn in the flesh is certainly loveLife. This organisation has never been able to provide proof of the extent to which their programmes fit in with those of the federations or school sport. It is indeed distressing that R30,4 million, an increase of R1,7 million on the previous financial year, is being allocated to loveLife. This, despite appeals by all political parties that attention should be given to the contractual obligations of the department and loveLife.
Hon Minister, I have also been trying to see which of your strategic objectives loveLife is addressing, or where your objectives are fitting in with them. I could not find any connection. You will have to reflect in depth on your contractual obligation towards loveLife and indicate to what extent they fit into the sporting arena. Wherever loveLife presents sports gatherings, things are chaotic and nobody knows who is in control or who is providing the funds, and whether there are funds available for arranging the sports gathering.] How far has loveLife progressed in attaining our sporting goals? Minister, school sport needs much more funding than the allocation which has been set aside for them. What we now need to ask ourselves is whether we still need loveLife. Why not channel these funds into school sport? The national federations will be able to produce more value for this money.
The biggest problem in our sport is a lack of, or no, sporting facilities, especially in the rural areas. We need serious and speedy political intervention to rectify the shortages and also a commitment of what will be done to address these shortcomings. I want to commend what the SA Sports Trust is doing in erecting facilities and giving equipment to rural communities with the small budget that they have.
Dit is verblydend om te sien dat die bedrag aan sportfederasies vanaf R27,8 miljoen tot R54,3 miljoen verhoog is en dat dit in die volgende twee boekjare nog aansienlik verder verhoog sal word. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[It is heartening to see that the amount allocated to sports federations has been increased from R27,8 million to R54,3 million and that this will still be increased considerably during the next two financial years.]
Minister, it is hoped that the goal of transformation will be met, as more funds are now available. Federations should submit reports to the department and the portfolio committee. It is normally the bigger federations that submit reports to us. For the past two years, very few of the smaller federations have been called in for their reports. This leaves us with the question as to what progress, if any, has been made in the transformation of our sport.
Do all our sports federations have a transformation agenda, and not one on paper only? Do the smaller federations attempt to spread their wings to the rural areas? Hockey, for example, was more active and healthy in our rural areas during the times of compulsory quotas. Currently, the code is slowly being phased out in these areas, as nothing is done to create the necessary facilities.
Our athletes and administrators need to know that transformation in sport is not negotiable. It is part of our constitutional directive and it should be part of our government agenda. Minister, we need your political intervention to avoid codes being or becoming totally selective.
The mass participation programme receives the biggest chunk of the budget, namely R502,1 million. The objectives of this programme are to encourage active, lifelong participation in sport; sustain the legacy associated with the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup; and promote physical wellbeing by facilitating school sport. All these objectives are very noble. However, the entire programme highlights major risks that are a clear indication that the department cannot reach these objectives. Even Treasury has concerns regarding the capacity of the department to fulfil the objectives of this programme.
Van die bedrag beskikbaar - omtrent R502 miljoen - is slegs R27,3 miljoen beskikbaar vir skolesport. Verbeel u: R27,3 miljoen vir skolesport waar loveLife R30,4 miljoen kry!
Agb Minister, ons wil sorg dat ons op internasionale vlak presteer, maar u en die regering is traag om die probleme in skolesport van die afgelope paar jaar op te los. Die ANC het skolesport doodgemaak, maar sloer om 'n werkbare oplossing vir skolesport daar te stel. Ons verwag kwaliteit en resultate van ons nasionale spanne en atlete tydens internasionale byeenkomste, maar is nie bereid om op voetsoolvlak in skolesport te bel nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Of the amount available - approximately R502 million - only R27,3 million is available for school sport. Just imagine: R27,3 million for school sport, whereas loveLife receives R30,4 million!
Hon Minister, we want to ensure that we achieve at international level, but you and the government are reluctant to solve the problems experienced by school sport in the past few years. The ANC has killed school sport, but is tardy in implementing a workable solution for school sport. We expect quality and results from our national teams and athletes during international gatherings, but we are not prepared to invest in school sport at grass-roots level.]
Let us be bold and start putting school sport back in the hands of the teachers.
Minister, die grootste hartseer na soveel jare van ANC-bewind is dat ons nog steeds met skole op die platteland sit wat geen geriewe het om hul sport te beoefen nie. [Minister, the greatest heartache after so many years of ANC rule is that we still have schools in rural areas that have no facilities to practise their sports.]
Minister, how is it possible that, in this day and age, and after 17 years of ANC rule, the majority of public schools in South Africa do not have sports fields to practise and play on?
Dit is dus onmoontlik vir atlete om hul potensiaal te ontwikkel omdat fasiliteite ontbreek of nie bestaan nie, en dit ernome koste behels om by proewe in groter stede te kom, oefenkampe in groter stede by te woon en by toernooie uit te kom. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[As a result it is impossible for athletes to develop their potential because facilities are lacking or non-existent, and because it involves huge costs to reach trials or attend practice camps in larger cities and get to tournaments.]
The lotto has billions of rands that they do not spend. What is so difficult about using the money to erect facilities at schools in rural areas, in particular? Municipalities cannot avail money for sporting facilities. They do not have the necessary funds. Ensure that the lotto and the government avail funds for this purpose. Ensure that the said funds are used for this purpose: If the goal is to erect 100 facilities, that exact number of facilities should be erected. So, if the goal is 100, after 17 years, the number of facilities erected should have been 17 multiplied by 100. That means 1 700 schools could have had facilities by now. What can the department or government show us at this stage in this regard?
Daar moet ernstig gekyk word na die Lotto-verspreidingsagentskap. Te veel fondse word nie aangewend nie. Dit wil ook voorkom asof sekere kodes voorgetrek word by die toekenning. Ek weet van 'n aansoek agt jaar gelede vir 'n hokkieveld in Beaufort-Wes wat goedgekeur is, maar die fondse is tot in di stadium nog nooit ontvang nie. So ook is daar 'n geweldige behoefte aan 'n Olimpiese-grootte fietsrybaan in die Suid-Kaap. Verskeie aansoeke is aan die lotto gerig, sonder enige sukses. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Serious attention should be given to the Lotto distribution agency. Too many funds are not being utilised. It also appears that certain codes receive preference when the allocations are made. I know of an application made for a hockey field in Beaufort West eight years ago, which was approved, but the funding has still not been received at this stage. Similarly, a pressing need exists for an Olympic-sized cycling track in the Southern Cape. Various requests have been made to the Lotto, without any success.]
Minister, it is of the utmost importance that you ensure that the problems of schools are resolved. In 2010, there was no national schools tournament for volleyball. Children were selected to provincial teams at enormous expense to the provinces and it created a great deal of expectation. A high level of despondency has descended over teachers. This is not only the case with volleyball, but with most of the schools national tournaments.
In conclusion, we will witness the All Africa Games and the Rugby World Cup this year, with the Olympics and Paralympic Games in 2012. We wish the teams well in their preparations for these events. I thank you. [Applause.]