Pretoria - Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula has resolved not to revoke punitive measures against four federations that have failed to meet transformation targets.
Speaking shortly after receiving the Eminent Person’s Group (EPG) report on transformation in sport, the Minister said the department has revoked the Athletics South Africa (ASA), Cricket South Africa (CSA), Netball South Africa (NSA) and South African Rugby (SARU) right to host and bid for major and mega international tournaments.
“I have therefore resolved to revoke the privilege of ASA, CSA, NSA and SARU to host and bid for major and mega international tournaments in the Republic of South Africa as a consequence of the aforementioned federations, not meeting their own set transformation targets with immediate effect,” said Minister Mbalula on Monday.
At the handover of the 2014/15 report, the Minister said he will review this decision when considering the results of the 2016/2017 Transformation Barometer.
In 2015, after the EPG report was released in May, the “big five” federations namely Athletics South Africa , Cricket South Africa (CSA), the South African Football Association (SAFA), Netball South Africa and the South African Rugby Union (SARU) out of their own volition, signed a Memoranda of Agreements (MoA) with the Department of Sport and Recreation.
The MoA is premised on the transformation barometer with clear and concrete transformation targets and goals over the next five years. The MoA further outlines roles and responsibilities of each party to the agreement and stipulates punitive measures to be taken in the event of non-compliance.
At the release of the report compiled by the EPG -- of which its primary task is to provide the Minister with strategic policy advice on the status of transformation within the sports sector -- Minister Mbalula said he was pleased that the SAFA has met its transformation targets.
“I will however issue a Ministerial directive to SAFA as a consequence of their poor drive to penetrate and roll-out football in former model C schools and private schools,” he said.
Transformation committees
In addition, the Minister is directing all federations and sport bodies to establish transformation committees and appoint transformation officers as cricket and rugby has done.
“South Africa needs more than ever before, sport for development and peace. This report is about the future of South African sport provisioning and quality of opportunities to all sport-loving people of our beloved country,” he said.
While the Minister has taken into account strides made by the sporting fraternity to achieve transformation goals, he also recognises and acknowledge the political will and tremendous efforts made by federations and sport bodies in the implementation of National Sport and Recreation Plan and its attendant Transformation Charter.
It was also not his intention to disrupt the momentum gained from the implementation of the Transformation Barometer and the global competitive edge of some federations and sports bodies.
“However, I am mindful of the urgent task for federations to move with speed in the direction of providing quality of opportunities and access to the youth of our country. On the basis of the aforementioned reasons I have therefore resolved not to revoke punitive measures that may either paralyze our federations financially or deny opportunities to our athletes to compete continentally and globally,” he explained.
Punitive measures
The punitive measures that the Minister can take include the withdrawal or suspension of government funding to a federation, as well as the withdrawal of a federation’s opportunity to be awarded national colours via the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) to players who participate under the auspices of that particular federation in order to represent the country internationally and nationally.
The Minister may also revoke the privilege of a federation to host and bid for major and mega international tournaments in the Republic and withdraw recognition of the said federation, among others.
Minister Mbalula said he is applying these measures informed on the urgent task for the sport sector to reconstruct “the fragmented and deeply discriminatory sport and recreation landscape”.
In addition, the Minister said he has informed Director General Alex Moeti to convene a Special Heads of Departments meeting to consider the EPG report implications on the recommendations pertaining to government.
“These include but not limited to school sport, club development, funding for sport and facilities,” he said, adding that the transformation project must succeed as government directed the sport sector to among others promote social cohesion and nation building across society through increased interaction across race and class through sport.
Responding to a question on his decision, the Minister said as much as work has been done by the federations there is still gaps that exist in terms of transformation for the “big five” federations.
“However it will be up for review for 2017/18 equally if they are not moving the punishment will increase. It’s just that we can’t start from the biggest which means total isolation and not participating.
“In my consideration I felt that lets give them time to go back to the drawing board and do exactly what needs to be done because we want transformation in the six scorecard dimension that they themselves have committed and agreed upon,” explained the Minister.
Report
Among the highlights of the report was that the number of codes that showed measurable change in the most of the seven dimensions of the Transformation Charter on and off the field of play has increased.
The report, among others, also noted that six codes, including football and gymnastics among others, have exceeded the set 60% charter generic black African (coloured, Indian plus black African) target. It also stated that black African representation is above 60% in basketball, football and amateur when coming to the profiles of senior male national teams of the 19 codes of sport.
Presenting the results of the report, EPG Secretariat Dr Willie Basson said the wrongs of the past can’t be forgotten, adding that there were several challenges that the report picked up on.
Among those challenges, said Dr Basson, is that schools fall within the Department of Basic Education’s jurisdiction, while sport falls under the Department of Sport and Recreation and that there is a low commitment of provincial federation sport structures to transformation.
According to the report, netball (4378); football (3051); rugby (880); hockey (758); volleyball (716) and table tennis (640) reported the highest number of participating senior schools.
SASCOC President Gideon Sam said it was clear that the report needs to be interrogated. “What existed many years ago has to be corrected,” he said. - SAnews.gov.za
