20/Sport!! 12/12/200312:01pmPage564 AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau/PictureNET 20/Sport!! 12/12/2003 12:01 pm Page 565 chapter 20 Sport and recreation In giving effect to the theme of sport and South African Sports Commission (SASC). recreation in South Africa, namely Getting The key objectives of the SRSA are to: The Nation To Play, there is a huge responsi- • increase participation in sport and recre- bility on stakeholders (including all spheres ational activities of government) to actively contribute towards • raise the profile of sport and recreation, raising the levels of participation in organ- particularly among decision-makers ised sport and recreation, which are current- • increase the probability of South Africa’s ly estimated at between 7% and 20%. In sportspersons and teams achieving suc- this regard, emphasis is directed at increas- cess in major international competitions ing the levels of participation of historically • place sport and recreation at the forefront disadvantaged and marginalised groups, of efforts to address issues of national including black South Africans, women, the importance such as unemployment, youth, rural communities and people with poverty, economic development, and disabilities. individual and community health. According to a survey done in 2000, there These objectives are being pursued in co- was an increase in the contribution of sport operation with the SASC, to which several of and recreation to the Gross Domestic the objectives of the former Department of Product (GDP) of South Africa from 1,9% in Sport and Recreation were transferred in 1997 to 2% in 2000. Its estimated worth was terms of the SASC Act, 1998 (109 of 1998), as some R15 913 million. If capital expenditure amended. is included, the contribution rises to The SASC is responsible for the delivery of R16 765 million or 2,1% of GDP. According to sport and recreation through its programmes the survey, sport and recreation provided and those of its clients (the national federa- employment for some 34 325 full-time and tions). 6 140 part-time workers, and makes use of Provincial governments are responsible for: 8 000 volunteers. • making sport and recreation accessible to Within South Africa, the overall responsibil- all people in their respective provinces ity for policy, provision and facilitation of sport • providing the infrastructure required for and recreation delivery, resides with Sport sport and recreation and its maintenance and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and the • optimising the usage of facilities through better management and capacity-building • policy development within the context of Hestrie Cloete was chosen as the Female the national sport and recreation policy, World Athlete of the Year 2003. She recorded 22 wins in 26 high-jump competitions during with the principal agents being provincial 2003. federations and macrobodies 565 20/Sport!! 12/12/2003 12:01 pm Page 566 South Africa Yearbook 2003/04 • implementing recreation policy through the • Communicating sport and recreation-relat- Provincial Recreation Councils (PRORECs) ed matters from a government perspective. • funding these agencies • Co-ordinating and monitoring the creation • upgrading facilities created by local govern- and upgrading of sport and recreation infra- ments for national and provincial events structure through the Building for Sport and • ensuring the existence of programmes that Recreation Project (BSRP). Projects have develop the human-resource potential in been identified in line with the Integrated sport and recreation Sustainable Rural Development Strategy and • effecting international agreements as the Urban Renewal Strategy. reached by the SRSA, for the purpose of The main focus of the Project is the erection sharing technology, skills transfer and the of outdoor and indoor facilities and the rehabil- development of sport and recreation. itation and upgrading of existing facilities. Key The SRSA is directly responsible for: elements of this Project are the provision of • Managing the vote for sport and recreation training in facility management, and the imple- in the national government. mentation of sustainable maintenance projects. • Supporting the Minister of Sport and The majority of the projects are located in Recreation. rural poverty nodes. • Co-ordinating and contributing to the draft- Between 1994 and 2001, the Reconstruction ing of legislation on sport and recreation. and Development Programme Fund provided • Interpreting broad government policy, trans- for the completion of 138 basic outdoor sports lating government policy into policies for facilities to the value of R49,5 million and one sport and recreation, revising such policy if indoor facility in each province at a total cost and when necessary, and monitoring the of R40,7 million. This amount included con- implementation thereof. struction, marketing, facility management and • Aligning sport and recreation policy with the training initiatives. During the same period, 26 policies of other government departments in projects with a total value of R1,2 million were the spirit of integrated planning and delivery. completed countrywide with resources from the • Providing legal advice to all stakeholders in Central Sport and Recreation Fund. sport and recreation from a government The R90-million budget in 2002/03 perspective. provided for the upgrading and building of 85 • Subsidising clients of the SRSA in accord- facilities. It was estimated that approximately ance with the Public Finance Management 5 500 jobs would be created in the process. Act, 1999 (Act 1 of 1999), its concomitant A total number of 100 community sports regulations, as well as the SRSA funding councils and clubs were established and policy, monitoring the application of such empowered to run and manage the facilities. funds and advising clients on the manage- The Minister of Sport and Recreation, Mr ment of their finances. Ncgonde Balfour, announced a R129-million • Managing inter- and intra-governmental allocation for the BSRP during his 2003/04 relations. Budget speech in April 2003. • Acknowledging the outstanding contribu- Some 113 projects were expected to bene- tions of sportspeople to the South African fit from the funding which was distributed as society on behalf of the President, through follows: the annual Presidential Sports Awards. • Western Cape (R8,71 million for 13 facilities) • Procuring resources from abroad for sport • Eastern Cape (R22,08 million for 25 facilities) and recreation, through the appropriate • KwaZulu-Natal (R23,01 million for 17 facilities) structures in National Treasury. • Mpumalanga (R9,91 million for 12 facilities) 566 20/Sport!! 12/12/2003 12:01 pm Page 567 Sport and recreation • Gauteng (R10,8 million for 10 facilities) Africa. The International Cricket Council (ICC) • Limpopo (R19,2 million for nine facilities) Cricket World Cup hosted in South Africa in • North West (R10,25 million for 10 facilities) February and March 2003 attracted some • Free State (R9,66 million for 15 facilities) 20 000 foreign spectators. This led to the • Northern Cape (R6,57 million for two facilities). creation of 3 500 jobs during the World Cup. Between 2000 and 2002, the SRSA provided The SRSA hopes to enhance the sustainabil- jobs for 6 500 people, with an average income ity of the Project through: of R4 500, during the building phases of its • promoting ‘home-grown’ events such as the various projects. Comrades Marathon, Dusi Canoe Marathon, Since 1993, the SRSA has spent some Argus Cycle Tour, Midmar Mile (swimming), R450 million on building and upgrading Berg and Breede River Canoe Marathons facilities countrywide. and the Two Oceans Marathon, which attract In the last two years, 142 facilities were large numbers of international participants completed. There is still a huge backlog in and spectators terms of facility provision to disadvantaged • working closely with South African Tourism communities. The Project will in future be and the Department of Environmental Affairs pursued through the Municipal Infrastructure and Tourism to promote more attractive Development Programme of the Department tourist packages for spectators who want to of Provincial and Local Government, while accompany touring sports teams to South the SRSA will continue to play a policy- Africa development and oversight role, and ensure • assisting agencies, in line with a major that programmes are implemented at the sites. events strategy and the hosting and bidding Sport and recreation benefit from the regulations, to attract major international proceeds of the National Lottery, subject to the sports events to South Africa. Lotteries Act, 2000 (Act 10 of 2000). The • marketing South Africa’s sport and recre- Distribution Agency for Sport and Recreation ation facilities, such as golf courses and was established to create and consolidate beaches, abroad. thriving, sustainable, mass-based sport and The Minister of Sport and Recreation recreational structures and programmes, espe- announced during his budget vote in April cially in disadvantaged rural communities. 2003 that the SRSA had conducted socio- economic impact studies on international Sports Tourism Project sports events hosted by South Africa. These included the World Surfing Games, The primary motivation of the Project is to which according to the studies, brought in exploit the substantial benefits that the tourist revenue of more than R11 million. industry presents for job creation in South It was also determined that the 2002 Argus