MEDIA BRIEFING BY THE MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION, NGCONDE BALFOUR, AT THE GCIS PARLIAMENTARY MEDIA BRIEFING, 22 September 2000

Your Excellencies - Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is now just over seven months ago that I addressed you at a similar gathering. At the time we were in the final preparations of our bid to host the Football World Cup and our team for the Sydney Olympic Games was taking shape.

Since then, much has happened in South African sport. The result of our 2006 Bid is now history and our team is in Sydney. We were also faced with other critical issues in sport; amongst others, allegations of cricket match-fixing. I will address such matters in due course. Allow me first to deal with our Olympic team in Sydney.

I have just returned from Sydney where I attended the opening ceremony and some of the events. It was a proud moment watching our team as they entered the arena at the opening ceremony. More important, the Games have created the opportunity for our sportspersons to compete against the best in the world in their respective codes of sport. Furthermore, our young, promising talent will be the richer for the experience. We are not performing as many of us expected. As I said to the team before their departure, the Olympics is a test of excellence but it also espouses friendship, understanding, fair play and solidarity. Penny Heyns encapsulated this with her gracious response to her being defeated by younger swimmers and the youthful Terence Parkin displayed modesty in his great achievement.

Our baseball team showed grit in the face of tremendous odds. They performed poorly against top class sides but the experience they gained is an undeniable fact. It is, therefore, necessary for me to once again raise the issue of our men's hockey team. I still remain convinced that the decision not to allow them to go to Sydney, was one of missed opportunity. Some of our most talented young hockey players have lost the chance of broadening their experience at international level, in the same way afforded to baseball. In our preparation for future international events, we will have to devise a policy that is understood and agreed to by the full spectrum of our sports movement, in order to prevent similar incidents that leave frustration, bitterness and even division.

The period since February this year, has been a busy one for Sport and Recreation, especially with regard to restructuring and transformation.

I will highlight a number of key areas:

1. Sport and Recreation South Africa and the South African Sports Commission
Two separate entities are now responsible for the delivery of Sport and Recreation in the country. With the South African Sports Commission (SASC) now fully functional, the former Department of Sport and Recreation, is now officially named Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA). The latter is essentially responsible for the delivery of government's role in sport and recreation that includes management of the Vote for Sport and Recreation, inter- and intra- governmental relations, interpretation of government policy for Sport and Recreation, transfer payments and legislation. The SASC is responsible for delivery of Sport and Recreation through its programmes and those of its clients (the National Federations).

2. Performance Agreements
I have signed performance agreements with National Federations aimed at the transformation of Sport and Recreation. The agreements include the setting of specific targets for the transformation of all facets of Sport and Recreation, thus ensuring representivity. Netball South Africa is one of the Federations that have concluded such an agreement. At their national championships held in Cape Town recently, some of the provincial affiliates, notably Western Province, flagrantly contravened NSA policy with regard to transformation. NSA acted boldly by penalising the transgressing provinces, resulting in such provinces failing to reach the finals.

On the other hand, rugby is still not being decisive in their actions.

The South African Rugby Football Union has put in place policies to expedite transformation but the vast majority of the provinces still do not appear to have completely embraced these policies of transformation. There are exceptions, among them, Boland, who has been a consistent model with regard to transformation. Regularly they include as many as seven black players in their squad. They have qualified for the top eight of the Currie Cup and have proved that black players can hold their own. Such efforts should be rewarded. It is no window-dressing. It is a commitment to change. The same cannot be said of other provinces. Western Province persists in selecting Breyton Paulse and Sevens Springbok, Jeffrey Stevens, under the quota system. So too, the Golden Lions, with Chester Williams. Surely, Western Province, with such a rich tradition of black rugby, should have no excuses.

I wish to, once again, remind our rugby-playing provinces, no document can change attitudes; only people can do that. If you refuse to make the mind-shift, it will have to be done for you. Either you act decisively or I would have to pursue my moral and political responsibility that I have been entrusted with as Minister.

The matter of Springbok colours and the emblem have once again led to public attacks on SARFU by individuals who refuse to accept that such national symbols do not belong to a specific group of people. The decision of SARFU to honour all players who played rugby at national level is to be supported and lauded. Yet, there are those who insist that the Springbok emblem should be treated as a holy cow, reserved for those who benefited from apartheid. I have news for such people - the Springbok belongs to all the people of South Africa. You received it at a time that you did not deserve it, simply because you happened to be white.

It is those same people who believe that they have the exclusive right to talk on rugby matters as so-called experts. They cling to their abominable love for the past, hankering for what they refer to as "traditional South African rugby". This tendency is also found in sections of both the print and electronic media. Those who have the answers to rugby's playing woes, are always white. Is it a co-incidence or simply prejudice? Are there, seriously, no credible black commentators whose views on rugby are worth reading about or listening to?

I appeal to all players who played at a national level to accept the honour being bestowed on them by Sarfu. Ignore the calls being made on you by conservative apologists to turn your backs on being part of a process that has as its aim, the positioning of rugby as a truly national sport.

3. The South African Football Association and the Premier Soccer League
I have engaged in talks with both SAFA and the PSL following their reports submitted to me in January, dealing with concerns I raised with the administration of football. I am satisfied with the assurances given to me by SAFA with regard to the state of the game. They have acknowledged the areas that require attention and under Danny Jordaan as CEO, systems have either been put in place or are in the process of being implemented to ensure that football remains one of our leading codes of sport. Quite often, there is the mistaken belief that professional football is the only component of the game deserving of attention. We should never overlook the fact that SAFA administers football in 25 regional football associations throughout the country, making football the most populous sport.
I will be meeting with the Board of Governors of the PSL and the new CEO, Robin Petersen, on 02 October 2000, following preliminary discussions I have had with them in August. Thereafter, I will consider the possibility of meeting both SAFA and the PSL in a joint meeting.

4. Boxing
The South African Boxing Bill is currently before the Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation. The process of public hearings is well-advanced and it is hoped that boxing will soon be regulated by an Act of Parliament that is in line with our constitution and that conforms to our new democratic ethos.

There are individuals within professional boxing who are resisting change. They are determined to cling to positions of power in the provinces, using any means to obstruct the course of democracy. They deliberately mislead role players in boxing about their roles in deliberations that have led to the drafting of the Boxing Bill. Those very individuals are now attempting to have the electoral college system retained in the appointment of commissioners. It is a system that has been totally discredited and has been rejected by the vast majority of role players as corrupt and manipulated by those who want to protect their personal interests in the sport at the expense of exploited boxers and officials.

5. Karate
The administration of the sport is in disarray and the infighting within the Karate Association of South Africa has reached alarming proportions. I have met with several of the role players and we have agreed that the only way in which to resolve all disputes would be to convene an all-inclusive indaba where all role players will have the opportunity to raise their problems with the sport. This will be held before the end of the year to map out a course for the sport.

6. Athletics South Africa and the Comrades Marathon Association
My office has facilitated the resolution of a deep-seated dispute between ASA and the CMA. The two bodies have reached agreement on all issues that led to a breakdown in communication between them. Both ASA and CMA have agreed to work together to ensure the growth of the Comrades Marathon, with ASA recognised as the national-controlling body of athletics in the country.

7. Cricket
The Commission of Inquiry into Cricket Match Fixing and Related Matters is expected to resume hearings in October. I am satisfied that the Commission is making substantial progress in its investigations. Staff of the Commission are currently in India, engaged in talks with authorities there. Reports indicate that they are receiving the co-operation of the Indian authorities.

8. Paralympic Games
Our Paralympians, Amakroko-kroko, are in the final stages of preparations for the Paralympics in Sydney in October. The team includes a number of world champions and record holders and I am confident that they will emulate their performances in Atlanta in 1996.

9. Hosting International Events
It has now become crucial that a clearly defined policy dealing with the hosting of international events be adopted. There are growing requests for National Federations to host international events. We need to ensure that hosting such events do not impact negatively on the country and that adequate business plans and guarantees are in place.

10. Women in sport
I am not satisfied with the levels of involvement of women in sport. I am currently considering a revised strategy to ensure greater participation of women in sport. Fresh impetus is needed to ensure gender equity and to dismantle barriers that might still be preventing the active participation of women in all spheres of sport.

11. South African National Recreation Council
I am reviewing the state of recreation under SANREC. Recreation has failed to give effect to the key principles outlined in our White Paper. SANREC has not succeeded in fulfilling its objectives.

12. Meeting with Broadcasters
I will be meeting with the three broadcasters next month to pursue talks held earlier this year on the issue of broadcasting of sport events of a national interest. I am inundated with complaints from members of the public, dissatisfied with the coverage of sport events by both the public broadcaster and the pay channel. Solutions will have to be found soon.

13. Revision of strategic plan for Sport and Recreation
While our White Paper and the Sport and Recreation Act remain essential instruments in achieving our theme of "getting the nation to play", I am currently in consultation with stakeholders to review our strategic plan for Sport and Recreation. We have to assess whether we are giving effect to our objectives from increasing the levels of participation to ensuring greater success at international level.

Issued by the Ministry of Sport and Recreation, 22 September 2000