Speech of Minister Anroux Marais at Municipal Sport Facilities cheque handover

WESTERN CAPE MINISTER OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND SPORT, ANROUX MARAIS

MUNICIPAL SPORT FACILITIES CHEQUE HAND OVER

4 JULY 2017

Good day, goeiedag, molweni nonke,

It has become an absolute highlight of my days in office when we as sport stakeholders join together to increase sport development and participation in the Western Cape. Today’s ceremonial cheque handover is one such auspicious occasion. 

The National Sport and Recreation Plan prescribes that “for South African sport to achieve its goals of an active and winning nation, it is necessary to have a range of strategic enablers in place”. Developing facilities in previously disadvantaged communities is considered one of the 14 key enablers for a conducive environment for South African sport to flourish in terms of mass participation, skills development and talent identification to perform at higher levels. 

The provisioning of key facilities such as sport academies is a critical component of the South African sports development continuum. Sport facility provisioning creates an enabling environment for local, district, regional, provincial, national and even international sports events to take place with the aim of developing sporting talent at different levels.

Today, we present a total of R1 471 000 (1 million, 4 hundred and 71 thousand rand) to the municipalities of Breede Valley, Mossel Bay and Overstrand. I thank the Mayors here today for collaboratively assisting us in realising our mission to encourage excellence and inclusiveness in sport through the effective, efficient and sustainable use of our resources, and through innovative partnerships in order for the Western Cape to become the sporting destination of South Africa. Together, we are building a winning province, which will ultimately create a winning nation as we promote accessible participation in sport and recreational activities for all.

Following requests from the different municipalities on their specific sport facility needs, these cheque handovers signify the funding allocated for the 2017/18 financial year:

Breede Valley Municipality will receive R100 000 to fund a feasibility study for the planning of a much anticipated swimming pool facility in Zwelethemba. The Mossel Bay Municipality will receive R200 000 for a new netball facility. The Overstand Municipality entered into a partnership agreement with the Hermanus High School, the Overberg Sport Council and the WP Hockey Federation to develop a Hockey Academy. The synthetic hockey field development is already underway, the allocated R1 171 000 will fund the completion of the change rooms and clubhouse facilities.

Together with the sport fraternity in your respective municipalities, I look forward to opening these much needed facilities with you. I also urge you to take ownership of these gems to the communities, maintain and respect them as they are invaluable assets to the enrichment of the livelihoods of all who will use them for constructive development of not only the physical being but for the social inclusion of all.

I thank you, enkosi, ek dank u.

Media Enquiries: 

Stacy McLean
Spokesperson for Minister Anroux Marais
Email: Stacy.McLean@westerncape.gov.za
Tel: 021 483 4426
Cell: 083 504 1171