Pretoria – The establishment of provincial and local transformation committees is expected to fast track transformation in sports, says Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula.
Receiving the Transformation Status Report 2013, from the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Transformation in Sport, on Tuesday, Minister Mbalula said his department would oversee the establishment of the committees which were recommended in the report.
The EPG was appointed to assist the minister on monitoring and evaluating the current transformation process in sport, as outlined in the National Sport and Recreation Plan (NSRP).
A pilot Transformation Status Survey, which was conducted by the EPG and chaired by Dr Somadoda Fikeni towards the end of 2013, was concluded in 2014.
As part of the NSRP, the EPG was given a task to provide independent advice to the department on the issue of transformation.
“This report comes out today after long deliberations. As the EPG, we’ve come to one conclusion, that a country like ours with a history of division, with the history of marginalisation, transformation is not optional, but is a must, hence this report has tried to unpack many dimension of transformation,” said Dr Fikeni.
The survey comprised of five national federations, namely, Athletics SA, Cricket SA, South African Football Association, Netball SA, and Rugby SA.
The five national federations were subjected to complete a data sheet, on which information on the multi dimensions, as indicated on the Scorecard, could be obtained.
The multi dimensions on the scorecard consist of six dimensions, which include access, skill and capability development, demographic profile, performance, contribution to government priorities, and good governance.
Minister Mbalula further urged sport federations to relook at the multi-dimensional scorecard of the Transformation Charter.
He said in the near future, any federation or sport body will be benchmarked according to transformation priorities and failure to comply will result in the withdrawal or with-holding of the component of the grant.
Minister Mbalula said the EPG will further avail itself to sports’ bodies that require assistance on achieving transformation targets.
“As sport, we also have a good story to tell as you might have seen in the recent past the ability of sport to unite our nation through hosting major sporting events.
“I can guarantee you that this report is not going to catch dust as there’s a programme of action,” Minister Mbalula told SAnews.
National Sport and Recreation Plan (NSRP)
The NSRP, which was adopted at the National Sport and Recreation Indaba, held in 2011, identified transformation as one of the five transversal issues which permeate every building block of the NSRP, and considered a non-negotiable imperative.
The NSRP further defines transformation as a strategic objective to ensure that equal opportunities exist for all South Africans to participate and excel in sport and recreation through the adoption of deliberate transformation initiatives. - SAnews.gov.za
