Minister Anroux Marais' speech at sport facilities cheque hand over

WESTERN CAPE MINISTER OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND SPORT, ANROUX MARAIS

MUNICIPAL SPORT FACILITIES CHEQUE HAND OVER

26 JUNE 2017

Good day, goeiedag, molweni nonke,

It has become an absolute highlight of my days in office when we as sport stakeholders join together to increase sport development and participation in the Western Cape. Today’s ceremonial cheque handover is one such auspicious occasion. 

The National Sport and Recreation Plan prescribes that “for South African sport to achieve its goals of an active and winning nation, it is necessary to have a range of strategic enablers in place”. Developing facilities in previously disadvantaged communities is considered one of the 14 key enablers for a conducive environment for South African sport to flourish in terms of mass participation, skills development and talent identification to perform at higher levels. 

The provisioning of key facilities is a critical component of the South African sports development continuum. Sport facility provisioning creates an enabling environment for local, district, regional, provincial, national and even international sports events to take place with the aim of developing sporting talent at different levels.

Today, we present a total of R1 601 000 to the municipalities of Drakenstein, Cape Agulhas, Laingsburg, George, Saldanha Bay, Theewaterskloof and Witzenberg.

 I thank the Mayors and representatives here today for collaboratively assisting us in realising our mission to encourage excellence and inclusiveness in sport through the effective, efficient and sustainable use of our resources, and through innovative partnerships in order for the Western Cape to become the sporting destination of South Africa. Together, we are building a winning province, which will ultimately create a winning nation as we promote accessible participation in sport and recreational activities for all.

Following requests from the different municipalities on their specific sport facility needs, these cheque handovers signify the funding allocated for the 2018/19 financial year. Breede Valley, Stellenbosch and Oudtshoorn benefitted from previous allocations to establish mountain bike facilities. The first phase has been completed and facilities in Stellenbosch and Oudtshoorn have been officially handed over to the municipalities. This year, we have allocated R360 000 to complete three such facilities in West Coast South: Saldanha Bay, Drakenstein and the third in Eden: George, Rosemore.  

As a rural town in the Overberg region with a fast growing population, Grabouw’s sport facilities have been located in the three growth areas of the town which was historically racially based. Therefore, R401 000 was appropriated for the upgrading of the playing surface of the fields.

The initial lack of seating and crowd control measures proved problematic at the municipal sport facility in Ceres and it is for this reason that we have allocated R300 000 to the municipality for the provisioning of mobile seating to ensure that spectators are able to be seated around the middle line and not simply “walking the game”.

Together with the sport fraternity in your respective municipalities, I look forward to opening these much needed facilities with you. I also urge you to take ownership of these gems to the communities, maintain and respect them as they are invaluable assets to the enrichment of the livelihoods of all who will use them for constructive development of not only the physical being but for the social inclusion of all.

I thank you, enkosi, ek dank u.