Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister and hon members, the NFP supports the budget that you have presented ... [Applause.] ... although it is noted with great concern that the department underspent on its previous budget. This is not acceptable, no matter how hard the officials may try to explain it. Sports in this country continue to disappoint after all the efforts that you, Minister, and the department have been putting in to rescue the situation.
Why is Boxing SA spending 60% of its allocated budget on staff salaries when there is no development at all, and what are these staff members doing? Our Bafana Bafana is a mess. We only qualify when we host, other than that, we do not look anywhere closer to competing with countries like Germany, but the department continues to pump in money that renders no value.
Sisilindele ngamehlo abomvu isimemezelo somqeqeshi ozothatha. [We are awaiting the announcement of the new coach with much anticipation.]
Minister, 3% of the Mass Participation Grant is to assist provinces with the establishment of the sports councils, but for now these councils seem not to be clear with regard to their roles and responsibilities. So, it is necessary that their roles are clearly defined for the purpose of spending money.
Minister, provinces and municipalities build sports facilities as they are given grants by your department. However, it is worrying that some rural municipalities do not have plans for utilising those facilities, as you sometimes find a municipality with a zero budget for sports, as if sport is not important.
As regards the School Sport Mass Participation Programme, as one of the key projects for this financial year it remains to be seen how this programme will be carried out, because sport in school is not compulsory. In the seven hours of schooling, sport is not catered for, and educators cannot be forced to remain behind to train learners. Schools participate by choice, depending on the money they have. This is because they have to affiliate in order to participate and have money to transport learners if they are to go and participate in sports.
Lastly, Minister, something needs to be done about the sports hubs. They exist, especially in rural areas, but they are not taken good care of. They lack resources and facilitators are not well paid. Otherwise, they are developmental, Minister, I must say.
Iyona nto enikeza izingane zasemakhaya ithuba lokungena kwezemidlalo. Kukhona izingane esezikwazi ukuyomela izwe lethu ngaphandle ngenxa yalezi zinhlelo zemidlalo, ikakhulukazi emidlalweni yesintu. Isikhathi esiningi zonke lezi zinhlangano zemidlalo eziningi kangaka azibonwa ezindaweni zasemakhaya. Ngingazibala ezinye zalezi zinhlangano zemidlalo - inhlangano yebhola lomnqakiswano, inhlangano yezesibhakela, inhlangano yebhola lombhoxo, inhlangano yekhilikithi njalonjalo. Kodwa i-Safa iyazama ukusondelana nabantu basemakhaya. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[That is the one thing that gives the rural children an opportunity to play sport. There are children who are capable of representing our country overseas due to these sporting programmes, especially through the indigenous games. In most cases many of these sporting organisations are not seen in the rural areas. And I can mention a few of these sporting organisations - they are Netball South Africa, Boxing South Africa, the South African Rugby Union, Cricket South Africa and so on. But Safa is trying its best to come closer to the people who are in the rural areas.]
Minister, it is expensive for rural poor, especially the young ones, to participate in Safa games, because you need to affiliate and have money to pay for this and that. So, it becomes very difficult for poor rural children to be able to participate. So, we request the Minister that that should also be looked into. Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]