Minister Meyer Outlines Western Cape Government's Approach to Sport Transformation

Dr Ivan Meyer, Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport in the Western Cape, has welcomed the opening remarks of the National Minister of Sport and Recreation Fikile Mbalula's approach to transformation at the National Sport Indaba (held on 21 and 22 November 2011).

Minster Meyer said, "It is heartening to see that in his opening remarks, the national minister has taken a broader approach to sport transformation and not focused entirely on the rigid racial quota system. A focus on school sport development, which the minister, together with the National Education Department, has now made compulsory as of next year, mass participation and club development is what is needed; however, it is concerning to note the closing remarks at the Indaba, which once again point to the inclusion of the rigid racial quota system."

The Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport has over the past year been piloting the School Sport-Based MOD (Mass Participation, Access to Opportunity and Development) centre programme. The MOD centres are about giving our youth the right opportunities to succeed, providing a platform for talent identification and preventing anti-social behaviour. Minister Meyer recently invited the national minister to come and see the Western Cape's MOD centres in action.

Minister Meyer said that the hosting of this National Sport Indaba was a clear indication of the failures of the past 17 years to address sport transformation. Minister Meyer continued, "Minister Mbalula said that the time for talking is over and that we now we need to act. We welcome this view and in the Western Cape we have already implemented our programmes. I hope to see the same happen across the country."

Minister Meyer continued, "In the Western Cape, our approach is to support and develop our clubs, prioritise school sport through our MOD centre programme, invest in high performance centres, promote healthy lifestyles and reject the rigid racial quota system. Access and opportunity for all, with hard work, will transform our sport in the coming decade."

"After sufficient development, the youth of today will not need to concern themselves with quotas in the future. They will be naturally talented and feed into national federations organically, competing on an equal footing with the best talent that South Africa has to offer."

"By developing our youth we're looking after our future."