Chair, Minister, Deputy Minister, MEC Williams of the Northern Cape, and hon members, it is indeed a pleasure to announce that tomorrow we will be counting down the 21 days before the kickoff between South Africa's Bafana Bafana and Mexico.
All the stadiums are ready and waiting for the biggest event ever held in this beautiful country of ours. I am sure that it is going to be a unique and spectacular event that the world has never seen before or expected from Africa, and in particular South Africa.
It is also a pleasure for Kimberley and its people to be able to host the Uruguayan soccer team; and we thank you, Minister, as well as our MEC, that you assisted us with that.
In die jaar dat Suid-Afrika die grootste skouspel ter wreld, die Sokkerwreldbekertoernooi, aanbied, is dit egter teleurstellend dat die departement wat ten nouste hierby betrokke is 'n gekwalifiseerde ouditverslag gekry het. Ons pluk nou die vrugte van die aanstel van persone wat nie bekwaam genoeg was vir hul poste nie.
Ek hoop dat die huidige direkteur-generaal, mnr Petersen, nie dieselfde fout sal maak as sy voorganger nie. Ek vertrou dat die nuwe aanstellings wat deur hom gemaak is, die gevolg sal h dat die departement op die vorige gekwalifiseerde ouditverslag sal verbeter. Hoor jy, Freddie?
Die DA kan u verseker dat waar die DA in die Wes-Kaap regeer, hy hom nie sal skuldig maak aan wanpraktyke wat tot 'n gekwalifiseerde ouditverslag sal lei nie. Freddie, jy moet mooi luister. Na 2014 se nasionale verkiesing, sal die Noord-Kaap provinsie, waar die DA dan ook sal regeer, hom by die Wes-Kaap aansluit om goeie bestuurspraktyke te bevorder. [Tussenwerpsels.]
Voorsitter, een van die grootste tragedies wat hom ook hierdie afgelope jaar in sport afgespeel het, is die Caster Semenya-fiasko. Op 'n hartelose en onverantwoordelike wyse is een van ons mees belowende atlete se lewe, sowel as haar sportloopbaan, verwoes. Die optrede van mnr Chuene, die oud- president van Atletiek Suid-Afrika, ASA, en sy mede-raadslede was onaanvaarbaar.
Die DA is verlig dat die regering van hom en sy trawante ontslae geraak het, en dit na vele vrae aan die Minister deur die DA en druk van die publiek. Wanpraktyke in ASA vier ongelukkig steeds hoogty, en die DA is ook dan verheug dat die Suid-Afrikaanse Sportkonfederasie en Olimpiese Komitee, SASKOK, nou besluit het om die bedrywighede van ASA te ondersoek.
Die begroting is heelwat kleiner as vir die vorige boekjaar met 'n bedrag van R1 245 miljoen teenoor die vorige jaar se R2 872 miljoen. Hiervan gaan R558 miljoen vir die Fifa Wreldbekersokkertoernooi. Van dit wat oorbly, neem administrasie R88 miljoen. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[In the year that South Africa is hosting the most spectacular event in the world, the Fifa Soccer World Cup, it is rather disappointing that the department which is so closely involved in this received a qualified audit report. We are now bearing the consequences for employing individuals who were not competent enough for their positions. I hope that the current director-general, Mr Petersen, will not make the same mistake as his predecessor. I trust that the new appointments that have been made by him will result in the department improving on the previous qualified audit report. Did you hear, Freddie?
The DA can assure you that wherever the DA is governing in the Western Cape, it will not be guilty of corrupt practices that would lead to a qualified audit report. Freddie, you should pay attention. After the 2014 national election the Northern Cape province, which the DA will be governing by that time, will join with the Western Cape in the promotion of good governance. [Interjections.]
Chairperson, one of the biggest tragedies that also took place this past year in sport is the Caster Semenya fiasco. In a heartless and irresponsible manner the life of one of our most promising athletes, as well as her sporting career, were destroyed. The conduct of Mr Chuene, the former president of Athletics South Africa, ASA, and his fellow board members was unacceptable.
The DA is relieved that the government got rid of him and his henchmen, and this after numerous questions to the Minister by the DA and pressure from the public. Corrupt practices in ASA are unfortunately still rampant and the DA is therefore pleased that the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, Sascoc, has now decided to investigate the activities of ASA. The budget is considerably less than that of the previous financial year, with an amount of R1 245 million as opposed to the R2 872 million the previous year. Of this R558 million will be for the Fifa Soccer World Cup. Of that which is left, R88 million is taken up by administration.]
Contrary to what is done in a country like Australia to become a top sporting nation, very little effort in terms of assistance is being put into sport to get ultimate achievements from our athletes. This is evident from the amount for sport support services, which has decreased by R21 million.
Of the R102,1 million, R28,7 million goes to loveLife, which doesn't contribute to the success of our country's sporting achievements, as it is more geared towards social services. I am very concerned about the lack of accountability that also plagues loveLife. This is also a Department of Social Development programme.
Die bedrag van R28,7 miljoen is meer as wat al die sportfederasies gesamentlik kry, naamlik maar R27,6 miljoen. Ek beveel aan dat die loveLife- program uitgeskakel en die fondse vir ander programme aangewend word. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[The amount of R28,7 million is more than that jointly received by all the sports federations, namely just R27,6 million. I would suggest that the loveLife programme be phased out and the funds be allocated to other programmes.]
This will ensure that the objectives for sport support services can be met. We are nearing the 2010 Commonwealth Games where we want our teams to win medals. In the 2012 Olympic Games, we want our athletes to perform, but little is being done to prepare them thoroughly. Finally, I would like to draw your attention to the National Lottery's R6 billion that has still gone unspent. It is unacceptable that sport projects around the country suffer because of a lack of funds when such large amounts go unallocated.
The DA would like to see a portion of these funds ploughed into creating opportunities for talented sportsmen and women to thrive. We believe that the best way to do this is through the establishment of a South African sporting academy that would develop a national programme of action across as many sporting codes as possible; identify and recruit those with genuine sporting potential; pursue a programme of excellence in developing talent and, thus, assist the next generation of sportsmen and women to compete at the highest level; and finally place South Africa on par with the superpowers of the sporting world.
South Africa is a nation of sport lovers. As citizens, we deserve more for our sporting institutions. I hope that the department takes this criticism to heart and has the courage and, especially, the political will to make the necessary policy changes. I thank you. [Applause.]