Minister Marais empowers Swartland sport clubs with much needed equipment

As we safely move forward in the Western Cape, Minister Anroux Marais handed over much needed sport equipment to sport clubs in the Swartland Municipality at the Malmesbury Care Facility yesterday, 23 February 2021. The official handover forms part of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport’s Club Development Programme.

The Club Development Programme serves to revive and capacitate local clubs that have become non-functioning due to lack of administrative capacity, access to funding for transport, training kit and equipment.

Clubs are involved in the programme for a 3-year cycle where attention is given to human resource development, which includes:

• Sport education and training
• Club support (transport, kit and equipment)
• Facilitating leagues and tournaments

The following clubs benefitted in the Swartland municipality from the Club Development Programme on Tuesday:

• Koringberg RFC
• Mooreesburg RFC
• Darling RFC
• Darling Cricket Club
• Darling Netball Club
• Abbotsdale RFC

At the socially distanced handover ceremony, Minister Marais said, “As we are now navigating to and through our new norm, we have prioritized optimizing social behavior through sport and recreation. We will continue monitoring the situation, and remain committed to working with our partners in ensuring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sport federations, recreation entities, affected events and programmes will be minimized to ensure sustainability of the sector. By providing needed sport equipment through the Club Development Programme, it is hoped that affiliated clubs are able to commence some of their very significant activities which is instrumental in creating a province in which all who call it home can live healthier lifestyles, in safer communities, more prepared for tomorrow’s economy”.

While we are to be physically distanced, in the Western Cape, we are still socially connected through sport and recreation and ready to move forward and to do so safely.