Media Alert: DCAS has the Potential to Bring about Positive Change

Statement by Anroux Marais, newly appointed Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport

Humbled, today I was sworn in as the Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sports. I am under no illusion of the great task ahead, yet, at the same time, enthusiastically optimistic about the potential of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport to bring about positive change to make a significant difference in the lives of the citizens of the Western Cape.

The Department has a pivotal role to fulfil in facilitating community conversations, promoting culture and heritage and using sport and recreation to advance social cohesion. With the Department’s vision of a socially inclusive, creative, active and connected Western Cape, the first priority is to enhance the Mass Participation; Opportunity and access; Development and Growth (MOD) programme. MOD centres across the province provide sport and recreational activities, life-skill training, entrepreneurship coaching and opportunities for youth to participate in community development initiatives. By improving the already established achievements and redressing the challenges of the MOD programme, through relevant partnerships, constructive monitoring and evaluation, the MOD programme has the potential to contribute to social development in communities. Thus, offering youth an alternate way of life as opposed to the adversities of substance abuse, gangsterism, teenage pregnancies and other social ills plaguing the Western Cape.

I am well acquainted with the Department’s 2015/2020 Strategic Plan and coming from an oversight position as a member of the Standing Committee, I am fully aware of what is expected of me and my department and what we are to be held accountable for. Aligned to the mission to encourage excellence and inclusiveness through sport and culture through the effective, efficient and sustainable use of our resources, and through creative partnerships with others, we will create the conditions for access and mass participation, talent identification and skills development. Guided by the Constitution, the Western Cape Language Committee, Heritage Western Cape and the provincial sporting fraternity, I am confident that working better together towards the common goal of creating opportunities for the people of this diverse province, the Western Cape will indeed be more socially inclusive, creative, active and connected.

I look forward to working with the Cabinet of the Western Cape Government, the Head of Department, Mr Brent Walters and the department as a whole. To the citizens of the Western Cape, I will make you proud.