ATC090630: Report Budget Vote 17

Sport, Arts and Culture

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation on Budget Vote 17: Department of Sport and Recreation, dated 30 June 2009

 

The Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation, having considered Budget Vote 17: Department of Sport and Recreation, report that it has concluded its deliberations thereon.

 

The Committee further report as follows:

 

1.                                                                                                             The Portfolio Committee met with the Department of Sport and Recreation and certain statutory bodies and sports entities on 17 June 2009. The statutory bodies and other entities that formed part of the budget briefings included:

 

o        South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS)

o         Boxing South Africa (BSA)

o        South African School Sports Association(SASSA)

o        Sports Trust

 

2.                   The budget Vote briefings also served to acquaint the Committee with the strategic objectives and projects of the Department and its entities.

 

3.                   Although the Committee deliberated on the Budget Vote 17, the Parliamentary Programme allowed little time to have meaningful interaction with the Department of Sport and Recreation and its entities.

 

4.                   The Committee raised the following concerns on the submissions of the SASSA, BSA, SAIDS and Sports Trust:

 

·                     The Committee took a decision based on the non-availability of the Chief Financial Officer of the Boxing South Africa, that it was a fruitless exercise to engage the Annual Report of the BSA since the board was unable to respond to some of the key issues and matters raised by the Committee Members and the Auditor General in his Report on the financial state of affairs at BSA.

·                     The Committee would consider its own report emanating from the meeting with the BSA board and make a determination as to whether BSA is a viable entity receiving monies and funding largely from the Department of Sport and Recreation. The Committee expressed serious doubt about the current leadership of the board and the entire management of the boxing federation.

·                     The Committee was concerned about the inadequate oversight by the Department of Sport and Recreation over Boxing South Africa in order to prevent mismanagement and poor financial controls.

·                     The Committee was dissatisfied with the fact that farm schools were being excluded from funding allocations done by the Department.

·                     The Committee was concerned with the interference of SASCOC in school sports administration. The Committee was emphatic that SASCOC’s mandate was for it to deal with team preparations for Olympic Games as they are not supposed to run school sports.

Committee’s responses and recommendations

 

·                     The Committee resolved that the singing of the national anthem during the football matches at the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 was mandatory and non-negotiable as it is the pride of the country. The Committee agreed that it cannot accept that the national anthem should be shortened under any circumstance.

·                     The Committee recommends that the House requests the Department of Sport and Recreation to keep a database or register of all existing sports facilities in order to ensure monitoring and evaluation. 

·                     The Committee recommends that the Municipal Infrastructure Grant should be returned back to the Department of Sport and Recreation in order to ensure allocations are directed at building sports facilities.

·                     The Committee resolved that a motion to dissolve the existing board of Boxing South Africa be recommended to the Minister.

·                     The Committee recommends that the House requests the Minister of Sport and Recreation to submit a legislative amendment to the Boxing Act.

·                     Public education and parental consent were necessary prerequisites for drug testing in schools. The Director Generals of Departments of Sport and Recreation and Education should hold discussions to ensure that SAIDS gained access to school children involved in doping during school sports activities.

·                     The Committee will have follow up meetings with Sports Trust, where the entity would be required to submit a detailed report on the total number of beneficiaries per province who have received funding.

·                     The Committee recommends that the House requests the Minister of Sport and Recreation to consider the provision of additional funding to assist SAIDS to execute its international obligations in terms of World Anti-Doping Agency.

·                     The Committee recommends that SAIDS must submit an additional funding application to National Treasury for its consideration since the anti-doping agency had received an unqualified report from the Auditor-General during the 2007/2008 financial year.

·                     The other 10% funding should be secured through soliciting of funds from sponsors and donors of codes such as rugby and other sports federations that are beneficiaries of the anti-doping process and activities of the SAIDS.

·                     The Committee resolved that a dedicated and deliberate programme for development and funding for farm school be designed and implemented by the Department in collaboration with the Departments of Education and Rural Development.

The Portfolio Committee on Sports and Recreation, having considered Budget Vote 17 of the Department of Sports and Recreation recommends that budget Vote 17 be passed.

Report to be considered