Report: study tour to Eastern Cape, dated 30 October 2001:

INDEX

Item Paragraph

Introduction A

Delegation B

Areas and facilities visited C

Welcoming by MEC D

Visits to facilities and meetings
held with sports bodies and communities E

Overall observation F

Conclusion G


A. Introduction

The delegation visited the Eastern Cape from 3 to 6 March 2001. The purpose of the visit was to assess progress by the provincial department with regard to development and transformation of sport in South Africa. The Committee wanted to understand the problems and challenges that are experienced by the province. The Committee also wanted to assess the link and congruence between the programme of the provincial department of sport to the national vision on sport and recreation.

The delegation representing the Committee focused on the following:

1. Availability of sports facilities to all communities, which include the following:

(a) Provision of sports facilities to communities that were previously disadvantaged.

(b) Accessibility of sports facilities to all and in all areas.

(c) Sensitivity to disabled people when building sports facilities.

(d) The standard of facilities within different communities.

(e) The ownership of sport facilities by communities.

(f) The maintenance of facilities by both the community and the municipalities.

2. Accessibility of all sports to all communities, including the following:

(a) The integration of all to sports, irrespective of race and gender.

(b) The representativity of the previously disadvantaged people in the provincial and regional teams of different sports codes.

(c) The back up support that is given to the financial disadvantaged sports people who are selected for participation in the national and international tournaments.

(d) The promotion of the disabled people's participation on sport and recreation activities.

(e) The recognition of deserving sports people as role models and use of such people as human resources by the communities.

(f) The utilisation of sports people by the community and various structures in the programme of Nation Building.

3. Sport Development Programmmes that are run in the province.

4. The availability, accessibility and impact of the sports Academies.

5. The relationship between the provincial department, the Standing Committee on Sport and the local government structures.

6. Accessibility of all sports to all communities, including the following:

(a) The relationship between the government departments, the sports bodies and other role players in sport such as the business sector.

(b) The role of the community on sports issues.

(c) Challenges that are encountered by the Sports and Recreation Departments.

B. Delegation

The delegation consisted of Ms R Bhengu (chairperson), Mr Z I Ncinane, Mr C T Frolick, Mr J T Louw and Mr L Myoli, Committee Secretary.

C. Areas and facilities visited

The delegation visited the following areas:

Debenek Sport Facility
Port Elizabeth Sport Academy
Kariga Game Reserve
Mqanduli
Ngqeleni
KuTsolo
Idutywa
Park Side Sports Field
Schoeman Sport Ground
Duncan Village
Orlando Stadium in Mdantsane
Sisa Dukashe Stadium
High Way

D. Welcoming by MEC

The delegation was met and welcomed, at the Provincial Legislative Building, by the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Mrs Nosimo Balindlela, and officials of the department.

The meeting was opened with a prayer, after which Mr Nkwinti, Director for Sport in the Department, also welcomed the delegation.

The leader of the delegation, Ms Bhengu, introduced her delegation and proceeded to explain the purpose of the visit. The delegation was there to:

1. Ascertain whether provincial programmes are in line with the national vision.

2. Find out if there were hindrances to the programme.

3. Find out the progress that has been made by the department regarding the provision of sports facilities, particularly in the previously disadvantaged and rural areas.

4. Assess the level of participation of the previously disadvantaged people in sports codes that were known to be for whites only and what integration programmes were there.

5. Assess how accessible sports facilities were to the communities.

6. Assess the involvement of communities with sports matters and community ownership of facilities.

7. Establish the kind of relationship that exists between the three spheres of government regarding sports and recreation in the province.

8. Find out what plans were in place for skills development and capacity building of sport managers, administrators and players.

She also added that the delegation intended to interact with communities and structures, so as to get a feel of the level of utilisation of the facilities and protection of facilities by the community from being vandalised.

The delegation was then briefed by the MEC on activities of her department. These included:

(a) The second consultative meeting, which was scheduled for 9 March 2000. The aim of that consultative meeting was to culminate a process designed to develop a plan for the province.

(b) The Eastern Cape sports indaba/forum that was scheduled for 8 March 2000.

(c) A conference on sport for disabled people, which was scheduled for 4 March 2000.

The MEC went on to indicate that the province was represented in six national events and in world events, including softball. She also pointed out that although the Eastern Cape had produced boxing champions, the lack of adequate boxing facilities was still a problem. She also mentioned that there were disparities between sports associations and provincialisation of sports regions.

The MEC spoke about the province's international relations and the relations between the department and other stakeholders, i.e. USSASA, Eastern Cape Sports Council, PROREC, Eastern Cape Amateur Boxing Union, and the Sports Academy in Port Elizabeth. She indicated that the issue of the South African Sports Commission and its relationship with the NSC structures in the provinces was still being debated in the Eastern Cape province. She expressed the hope that the South African Sports Commission was going to get off the ground in the near future.

At the conclusion of the session, the leader of the delegation expressed her appreciation for the existence of the study tour programme and the ability of the department to coordinate the visit and creation of conditions conducive for carrying the programme forward.

E. Visits to sports facilities

1. Debenek Sports Facility

The delegation met with community representatives under the leadership of Rev D D Ngcuka, at the Debenek Sports Facility. Also present in the meeting was the provincial chairperson of the standing committee on Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Mazosiwe, and departmental officials.

The facility was built at Debe Valley. Because of its centrality, an extensive consultative process involving the 26 surrounding communities was done prior to the building of the facility. The facility is being utilised by 26 villages. Although the facility is incomplete, the communities who attended the meeting stated that the MEC had committed herself to ensuring that the facility was completed.

The discussions in the meeting included:

(a) The expression by the community of the high rate of unemployment in the area.

(b) The lack of understanding by the community on who is responsible for the maintenance of the facility between the three spheres of government, as well as the situation of rural areas outside the boundaries of the municipality. It was however impressing to observe that the community in spite of very limited resources was actually looking after the facility. This facility was the best in the province in terms of cleanliness, with no vandalism whatsoever.

(c) The commitment made by the Border Cricket Region and other codes in helping the community by cutting the grass.

(d) The lack of co-operation by the Alice Region in as far as the usage of the facility for community events other than sport. An example of the AIDS day was made where the Alice Region had problems in allowing the community to use the facility for the AIDS education campaign.

(e) The community praised the department of sport in Bisho for its efforts in building the capacity of the community for the maintenance of the facilities.

(f) The community expressed that the facility has contributed positively in making the youth from the surrounding villages to spend their time constructively. Mothers pointed out that children who are involved in sport have very little opportunities of getting involved in criminal activities. Women who attended the meeting also praised adult members of the community who avail themselves to train and coach the youth in sports.

The meeting ended with the leader of the delegation thanking the community for its warm reception and for the fact that the facility was not vandalised as in some other townships. She pleaded with the community to continue co-operating and liaising with the department and requesting the department to assist where possible.

2. Port Elizabeth Sport Academy

The delegation held an informal meeting at Holiday Inn Summerstrand in Port Elizabeth with Dr R Stretcher, Director of the Sport Academy in Port Elizabeth. This academy is said to be the initiative of the University of Port Elizabeth.

The delegation was informed that a delegation from the University of Port Elizabeth had visited Australia and brought back a model of a sport academy, which was approved by the NSC. The delegation was also informed that Makhaya Ntini and Mark Boucher, both cricketers from the Eastern Cape, who were now playing for the national team, represented the success of the sport academy.

The problems mentioned in the meeting by Dr R Stretcher were centred on funding, which had put the development programme in jeopardy. One of the problems around funding was the fact that it was not consistent, resulting in the academy being unable to plan for programmes.

Dr Stretcher informed the delegation that the sports federations supplied the academy with talented previously disadvantaged sports persons. It was also mentioned that sports development progammes of the academy were intensive and residential. Fees for trainees with a disadvantaged background were absorbed by the sports academy.

On the following day, the delegation held a meeting with the representatives of the provincial 2006 Bid Committee, the Sports Council, the NSC and USSASA. Issues of discussion in this meeting was sports in general including:

(a) The 2006 Bid, particularly the support of the bid in the province.

(b) The Sport Academy, particularly the supply of trainees to the academy and the impact of the academy on the issue of skills development as well as the relationship between the sports federations and the Sport Academy.

(c) The relationship between the sports bodies and the provincial department of sport.

In this meeting the Sports Council addressed the thorny issue of the Sport Academy and the commercialisation of sport. The council called for a review of how the academy was run. The council also pointed out that insufficient funding of the Sports Academy was creating a problem for the Sports Academy not to reach out to the intended target group of development programmes. The Sports Council representatives went on to say that most of the trainees in the Sports Academy were those who could afford to pay.

The situation presented was that the objectives of building the capacity and the development of skills of the previously disadvantaged people could not be realised under the current situation within the Sport Academy.

The Committee was urged to intervene, particularly on the issue of selection panels for channeling the talented sport people to the Sport Academy. It was also argued by the representatives of sports federations that the municipality should not charge exorbitant funds to local clubs, who are financially weak, for the use of facilities. This issue was mentioned within the context of making sports facilities accessible to communities.

The delegation identified that some of the issues raised in the meeting were actually related to a lack of coordinated efforts by different stakeholders around sports issues. Most of the issues raised did not need intervention by structures outside the region. The meeting was then advised by the delegation to open channels of communication between different sports bodies and with the government departments dealing with sports, including the local government.

The delegation however promised to raise the issue of the sport academy with the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture and also with the South African Sports Commission, once the Commission is up and running. This was going to be done in order to ensure that the objectives of the Sports Academy are actually realised.

The delegation felt that the whole Portfolio Committee would need a special session with the Chief Executive Officer of the South African Sports Commission where the issue of Sports Academies would be discussed. Included in the discussion would be:

* The target group for the existing academies.

* The funding for the academies.

* The involvement of local sports structure and the community within which the academy is located.

* The impact made by the sport academies in as far as skills development and breeding of competent sports people are concerned.

The issue of lack of support by the Department of Education in relation to school sport was raised. One of the concerns on this issue was the problem of not knowing which department is the custodian of school sport between the Department of Sport, Art and Culture and the Department of Education. USSASA mentioned that the current situation leaves USSASA not knowing which of the two departments should be approached for problems affecting school sports.

The leader of the delegation reported to the meeting that the Portfolio Committee was planning to invite the national body of USSASA to brief the Portfolio Committee on the programmes of USSASA and problems that are experienced by USSASA. She then informed the meeting that the Portfolio Committee would then analise the information presented by the national body of USSASA against the information gathered during study tours to various provinces. The Committee would then make recommendations to the national Department of Sport and Recreation and also to the relevant sports bodies.

The meeting ended with the leader of the delegation responding to issues raised and addressing the meeting on the legislation which were in the pipeline, including what those legislation aimed to address.

The meeting was asked by the leader of the delegation to look on the issue of establishing exchange programmes between provinces for the purpose of learning from one another. She mentioned that it is not only the foreign countries that could provide us with answers to our problems, some answers could be found from other provinces in South Africa as weaknesses of one province could be the strengths of another province.

3. Kariga (in Port Alfred near Grahamstown)

On Saturday the delegation visited the Kariga Game Reserve where a workshop on sport for the disabled people was held. The MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture together with officials from her department were part of the workshop. It became clear to the delegation as to why this workshop was held in Kariga Game Reserve, as the facility was accessible to the disabled, more especially those who were physically challenged.

The delegation did not stay long in the workshop to understand issues that were being discussed at the workshop. The delegation was however satisfied by the fact that Eastern Cape was taking sports for disabled people seriously and was engaging the disabled people as full participants in workshops. This was seen as a very important aspect of making sport accessible to all. What was also remarkable about the workshop was that the disabled people were representing themselves, unlike the usual trend where those affected by the problem would be represented by people who would speak from a perceived need instead of a felt need.

This was seen by the delegation as a strength that other provinces could learn from.

The leader of the delegation addressed the workshop and expressed the joy of the delegation related to the workshop. She also encouraged the participants to claim their rightful positions as equal partners in the society. She also mentioned that the President of the country, Mr Thabo Mbeki, was taking the needs of the disabled people seriously. The sports for disabled people were a special project to the President, and therefore all of us have no other choice but to make sure that it becomes a success. The delegation then left for Umtata.

4. Botha Sigcawu Building

The delegation was received and welcomed by Mr Tambodala, the acting regional head of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. Mr Tambodala introduced the officials of the department, and then gave a brief overview of the sports-related activities of the department. In his briefing he mentioned that the region was made of eight districts, which included nine magisterial districts, meaning that the region was very big.

After a briefing by the leader of the delegation on the purpose of the visit and areas of focus, officials of the department told the delegation that there were basic sport facilities at eMqanduli, eNgqeleni and KuTsolo, which were semi-complete. It was also mentioned that these facilities did not have ablution blocks, ticket rooms, security offices and proper grass. It was reported that there was co-operation with relevant transitional rural councils. It was also mentioned that there was a facility earmarked for eNgcobo, but that the facility had not been built yet, due to a lack of funds for the provision of sport facilities in that financial year.

Satellite sport academies that are based at Unitra, Fort Hare and Border Technikon were alluded to, though community linkages with these was academies was seen to be not as sound as supposed to be.

It was however acknowledged that despite structural problems, the relations between the academies and some of the sport codes - boxing, netball and athletics - were said to be cordial. Money was said to be the main inhibitor for use of academy facilities by the intended target group.

The Committee concluded the session with an indication that the visit was not the last one to the province. The leader of the delegation highlighted the legislation that were on the pipeline and how those legislation relate to the situation that is found on the ground regarding sport issues.

The delegation then split into two, the one group going to eNgqeleni and the other to kuTsolo.

5. Ngqeleni

The group of the delegation visited a sport facility, which is at eNgqeleni and was met by Mr L Debwa, a local government councillor. The facility was in clean condition with short grass. The grass was however not the lawn type of grass and therefore not suitable for a sports field. The ground retains water, thereby making it impossible to use the facility for a few days after the rain. The RDP and the Premier jointly funded the building of the facility.

This facility is a multi-purpose facility that could be used for soccer and rugby. It is however not suitable for athletics, hockey and other similar sports, because of this type of grass.

It would be recommended that a suitable type be planted in this facility so as to make it accessible to quite a number of sports codes.

6. KuTsolo

The local government councillors and members of the community met the group that visited a sports facility at KuTsolo. The facility was seen to be clean and well looked after and there were no incidents of vandalism. The facility was incomplete. It was reported to the delegation by the local community that the local youth and local clubs utilise the facility. The community valued the facility very highly, linking it to the constructive engagement of youth.

7. Idutywa

The delegation made a brief stopover at a facility in Idutywa to see a rugby match between Abahlobo and Comrades, two local teams who were playing to celebrate a sponsorship from DMJ Transport Services. The sponsorship was in the form of jerseys, track suits, kit bags, and golf T-shirts to Abahlobo.

The delegation also went to a nearby sport facility where there was a soccer match played by other two local teams. The facility on which the soccer match was being played, was huge. It was however disappointing to witness that this facility was not well looked after. The grass was very tall. Change rooms and toilets were very dirty. It was even difficult to go nearer to the pitch because of tall grass.

It was however remarkable impressive to see the high level of sports activities that were taking place in the province. There were sports activities in each and every village the delegation passed through. There were sports activities in almost all the facilities the delegation passed through.

8. Park Side Sports Field in Buffalo Flats

The delegation visited a sport facility in Park Side, which hosted the head quarters of the East London Rugby Union. The facility was previously maintained by the old structures, which were racially based - the CMCs. The delegation was then informed that the facility was now under the Parks and Amenities division of the East London municipality. It was also reported that there was a plan to upgrade the facility at a cost of R800 000. The upgrading would include the extension of the field and the provision of floodlights to make the facility usable at night.

The problems that were mentioned was that the facility's change rooms were not usable due to lack of maintenance. It was also mentioned that the facility was over-utilised to the point that school children from a nearby school were only able to make use the facility during school hours, other times being reserved for local clubs.

9. Schoeman Sports Ground in Buffalo Flats

This facility was in an impeccable condition. It was reported to the delegation that the East London municipality maintained it. The facility had clean change rooms and floodlights. It was said that Border Cricket used the facility for their development programme.

10. Duncan Village

The delegation visited Lujiza Primary School in Duncan Village to see a Presidential Project that is a multi-purpose facility. It was reported that two schools use the facility, as the facility is located between them. This facility was in good condition with no vandalism.

11. Orlando Stadium in Mdatsane

This facility is located behind Sisa Dukashe Stadium. It is a massive facility with three netball courts, six tennis courts, a clubhouse, the caretaker's house, a practice wall for tennis, and a pump house for an Olympic-size swimming pool, change rooms and toilets. The sad thing about this facility is that it stands derelict and is being vandalised.

12. Sisa Dukashe Stadium

This is a complete facility, which is used mostly for soccer. This facility is suitable for other codes as well. It is also used for open-air boxing tournaments.

The problem highlighted there was over-usage of the facility. The delegation was also informed that there were plans to enlarge the stand but problems were being encountered in raising the funds.

The Committee recommends that, whatever plans exist that are related to enlarging this facility, such plans should viewed against the conditions of both the Orlando Stadium and Sisa Dukashe stadium so as to arrive at a decision that would avoid duplication, waste of limited resources and maintenance-related challenges to local municipalities.

13. High Way Indoor Facility

The delegation visited a multi purpose indoor facility, which was built from funds donated by Sun International and the Sports Trust. It was reported that the facility was used for volleyball, karate, aerobics and other social activities of the community. The facility was also in an impeccable condition.

The delegation then drove to Bisho for a debriefing session with the department of Sport, Arts and Culture. The MEC, Mrs Nosimo Balindlela, at her office, again received the delegation. The leader of the delegation shared with the MEC and officials from the department the experiences of the delegation during the study tour. Issues raised by the communities particularly around the sport academy, the custodian department for school sport were reported to the MEC.

The leader of the delegation expressed the appreciation of the delegation for the manner in which the delegation was treated by the MEC and officials of the department. The fact that there were sports activities in almost all villages was also appreciated. The leader of the delegation pointed out that there seemed to be problems around the staff complement of the department, which could be attributed to the fact that the provincial department absorbed two structures with their entire staff, namely the former Ciskei and former Transkei. The leader of the delegation asked the MEC to look at the staff structure to see whether there was a need for maintaining it.

F. Overall observation

The Department Sport, Arts and Culture absorbed all the staff from the former Ciskei and Transkei departments; therefore the delegation recommends that a staff audit should be done in order to assess what staff positions should be kept in future.

G. Conclusion

The MEC was seen to be on top of sports issues and had a clear plan of action. Eastern Cape had demonstrated to the whole of South Africa that given the opportunity, people from the disadvantaged communities are capable of excelling in any sport code. This was more visible on the level of participation of the black people, particularly in rugby and cricket. The Eastern Cape was also acknowledged for its performance in producing professional champions in boxing.

It is recommended that the MEC meet with the sports federations and the NSC to begin with the process of ensuring that the sport academy in Port Elizabeth works towards the attainment of the initial objectives.