Photograph: Tony Feder/AP Photo Chapter 20 Sport and Recreation According to a survey done in 2000, there was tional importance, such as unemployment, an increase in the contribution of sport poverty, economic development and indi- and recreation to the gross domestic product vidual and community health. (GDP) of South Africa from 1,9% in 1997 to 2% These objectives are being pursued in co- in 2000. Its estimated worth was some operation with the South African Sports R15 913 million. If capital expenditure is Commission (SASC), to which several of the included, the contribution rises to R16 765 objectives of the former Department of Sport million or 2,1% of GDP. According to a survey and Recreation were transferred in terms of done in 2000, sport and recreation provided the SASC Act, 1998 (109 of 1998). employment for some 34 325 full-time and The SASC is responsible for the delivery of 6 140 part-time workers, as well as about sport and recreation through its programmes 8 000 volunteers. and those of its clients (the national federa- The key objectives of Sport and Recreation tions). South Africa (SRSA) are to: Provincial governments are responsible for: • increase participation in sport and recre- • optimising the usage of facilities through ational activities better management and capacity-building • raise the profile of sport and recreation, • policy development, within the context of particularly among decision-makers the national sport and recreation policy, • increase the probability of success by with the principal agents being provincial South Africa’s sportspersons and teams in federations and macro-bodies major international competitions • implementing recreation policy, through the • place sport and recreation at the fore- Provincial Recreation Councils (PRORECs) front of efforts to address issues of na- • funding these agencies • upgrading facilities created by local gov- ernments for national and provincial South Africa will host some of the world's finest events. cricketeers in 2003 during the International Cricket SRSA is directly responsible for: Council World Cup. A record total of 54 matches will be played, with the final taking place in Johannesburg. • managing the vote for sport and recreation Fourteen countries will participate. in the national government 515 South Africa Yearbook 2002/03 • supporting the Minister of Sport and • procuring resources from abroad for sport Recreation and recreation through the appropriate • co-ordinating and contributing to the draft- structures in National Treasury ing of all legislation on sport and recreation • communicating sport and recreation-relat- • interpreting broad government policy, ed matters translating government policy into policies • co-ordinating and monitoring the creation for sport and recreation, revising such pol- and upgrading of sport and recreation infra- icy if and when necessary, and monitoring structure through the Building for Sport the implementation thereof Project. Projects have been identified in line • aligning sport and recreation policy with the with the Integrated Sustainable Rural policies of other government departments Development Strategy (ISRDS) and the in the spirit of integrated planning and Urban Renewal Strategy (URS). delivery Through the provision of facilities, the SRSA • providing legal advice to all stakeholders in aims to: sport and recreation from a government • create opportunities for the most needy to perspective participate in sport and recreation activities • subsidising clients of SRSA in accordance • bridge the imbalances that exist between with the Public Finance Management Act, rural and urban communities, insofar as 1999 (Act 1 of 1999), its concomitant regu- accessibility to adequate facilities is con- lations, as well as the SRSA funding policy, cerned monitoring the application of such funds, • contribute towards poverty relief through and advising clients on the management of the creation of job opportunities. their finances The main focus of the Project is the erection • managing inter and intra-governmental of outdoor and indoor facilities as well as the relations rehabilitation and upgrading of existing facil- • acknowledging the outstanding contribu- ities. Key elements of this Project will be the tions of sportspeople to the South African provision of training in facility management society on behalf of the President through and the implementation of sustainable main- the annual Presidential Sports Awards tenance projects. During his Budget Vote for 2002/03, the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Mr Ngconde Balfour, announced that the SRSA would con- Information tinue to utilise the Project to make a substan- The inaugural South African Games took place in tial contribution towards the ISRDS and URS. Pretoria from 25 to 30 September 2002. These Games During 2001/02, 55 sporting facilities were served as a nursery for elite performers by giving those delivered to disadvantaged, mainly rural com- individuals in the U/23 age group opportunities to display their skills and talents, and to provide them munities. Some 30% of these are located with a chance to compete against the best from within the identified rural development nodes. around the country. All nine provinces participated in A total of 2 126 people were employed to this festival of sports comprising nine codes: soccer, netball, athletics, swimming, sevens rugby, cricket, construct these facilities. Some 47% were table tennis, field-hockey and goalball. The event will women, 39% youths and 70 of the employed take place biannually on a rotational basis between were people with disabilities. A total of the provinces and is also intended to provide economic spin-offs for the centres in which it will take R8,75 million (8,3% of the Sport and place. Recreation Budget) was paid out in wages. Gauteng swept the medals count at the Games by For 2002/03, the SRSA plans on doubling taking home 74 of the 379 medals. Second was its input through the construction of 85 sport Western Cape with 62 medals and Eastern Cape third with 51. Most of the medals awarded were for and recreation sites throughout South Africa. athletics (201), swimming (130) and table tennis (18). Sixty-six percent of these sites are located 516 within rural development nodes. The aim is to South African Sports provide employment for 6 500 people. Commission A further 105 projects are planned for 2003/04. By July 2002, facilities had been built and The SASC Act, 1998 (Act 109 of 1998), provides taken into use at: for a commission to administer sport and • Kutlwanong and Coleville in Kimberley recreation under the guidance of the re- (Northern Cape) sponsible Minister. In terms of the Act, the • Tsomo, Chris Hani and Tsolo in OR Tambo Commission must respect the autonomy of (Eastern Cape) sport and recreational organisations, while • Elandsvlei and Greenfields (Gauteng) acting in an advisory capacity to the Minister. • Mogalakwena and Thulamela (Limpopo It also co-ordinates the provision of facilities [formerly the Northern Province]) and community centres via a national facility • Thabo Mofutsanyana (Free State) plan in consultation with the relevant author- • Nkangala and Albert Luthuli (Mpumalanga) ities. According to the Act, the Minister has the • Ugu and Umzinyathi (KwaZulu-Natal) power to appoint some members of the • Wolmaranstad and Ottosdal (North West) Commission, including the chairperson. The • Blue Downs and West Bank, Cape Town Minister may also remove, suspend and dis- (Western Cape). miss commissioners. The Commission started Sport and recreation benefit from the pro- operating on 1 April 2000. ceeds of the National Lottery, subject to the According to the SASC Amendment Bill, Lotteries Act, 2000 (Act 10 of 2000). A which was introduced on 8 June 2001, the Distribution Agency for Sport and Recreation provinces will lose their representation on the has been established. The main focus of this Commission. It is proposed that the Com- Agency is the establishment and consolida- mission will be cut from the original 30 to 12 tion of thriving, sustainable, mass-based sport members, who will hold office for three years. and recreational structures and programmes, Six will be named by the general assembly, especially in disadvantaged rural commun- while six will be appointed by the Minister. The ities. latter will comprise three chosen for their This will be achieved through: knowledge of sport, one to focus on women in • training of sport and recreational leadership sport, one to focus on the disabled and one • establishing co-ordinated partnerships with to promote rural sport development. Sports and Recreation learning institutions • a visible increase of national sport and recreational structures, activities and phys- Recognition of sport and ical infrastructure recreational bodies • providing equipment The SASC has drafted regulations to adminis- • promoting leagues and competitions ter the recognition of sport and recreational • concerted efforts aimed at making sport bodies as contemplated in terms of the pro- and recreational structures self-sufficient. posed National Sport and Recreation In April 2002, sports organisations were Amendment Bill. These regulations were urged to apply for funding from the National expected to be promulgated in 2002. Lottery. The National Lottery Distribution Trust The SRSA has drafted the National Sport Fund had set aside R72,8 million for distribu- and Recreation Amendment Bill to: tion in the category of sport and recreation. • amend the