Municipalities across the country will no longer receive millions of rands in funding for sports infrastructure development.
The funds will instead be moved to the national Department of Sport which will, on its own, allocate funding to develop infrastructure in communities. It will come into effect in the 2016-2017 financial year.
Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said he had requested government to allocate the 15% of the municipal infrastructure grant (MIG), which municipalities allocate for sports infrastructure development, to his department from next year onwards.
He said municipalities often used the funds for other projects instead of developing sports infrastructure.
“We made a plea to government and we have agreed now because the 15% grant cannot do what it is supposed to do to build the stadium and infrastructure. The bosses, when faced with problems, that money and say we will money here and build infrastructure for sport.
“When people have no water, they divert that money.
“So I said to the government . . . that , take it and bring it to Razzmatazz so I could be able to build infrastructure for sport and oversee that in the different localities around the country. We agreed with the government that money will come to the Department of Sport.”
Earlier this year, Mbalula said his department was in discussion with the Cooperative Governance Department and the South African Local Government Association (Salga) about the use of the MIG allocation.
While some municipalities have allegedly failed to spend sports infrastructure development funding, Mnquma Municipality spends about R10-million each year developing sports fields and other facilities.
The King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipality has also held its own despite the demand for road infrastructure. In the 2015-2016 financial year, KSD received R83-million in MIG funding and will allocate R87million in the 2016-2017 financial year.
Of the total funding, a percentage is spent on sports development each year. The bulk of the funding is, however, spent on road infrastructure.
Mbalula, speaking in Mthatha recently, said he would allocate funds for the revamp of the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) sports grounds.
He said the department of public works needed to pump funds into rebuilding Mthatha Stadium.
Cogta Deputy Minister Obed Bapela said the matter had also been discussed in the cabinet lekgotla.
He said Cogta Minister Pravin Gordhan and Mbalula had met and a memorandum of understanding would be signed with Cogta, Treasury and the Sports Department.
“The money needs to be ringfenced for sport and infrastructure, nothing else.”
Sports MEC Pemmy Majodina could not be reached for comment at time of writing.
Boxing SA provincial manager Phakamile Jacobs said he welcomed the decision.
“The decision was taken in a conference in Bloemfontein. Sports is not the core business of municipalities. We believe that any funding related to sports should be managed by the department that deals with sport.”
Safa’s OR Tambo regional chairman and Mhlontlo municipality speaker Xolile Nkompela admitted that some municipalities may have been unable to spend enough on developing sport infrastructure.
“I believe each municipality should sign an undertaking with the minister saying they will spend the funds for sport-related projects and if they do not do so, the funds must be taken from them.
“In Mhlontlo, we are currently constructing four sports grounds, so we are spending it on what it is meant for,” Nkompela said.
South African Rugby Union administrator Monde Tabata said sport unions needed to take “ownership” of the sport infrastructure as municipalities cannot “dream” about what sports bodies want.
“Even if the funds were to be moved to the department, they will have the same problem.
“Who is going to look after the structures and make sure the facilities are in working order?”
“I do not subscribe to that kind of approach. Some municipalities are helpful when approached for assistance.”
Razzmatazz to manage sports funds
The funds will instead be moved to the national Department of Sport which will, on its own, allocate funding to develop infrastructure in communities. It will come into effect in the 2016-2017 financial year.
Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said he had requested government to allocate the 15% of the municipal infrastructure grant (MIG), which municipalities allocate for sports infrastructure development, to his department from next year onwards.
He said municipalities often used the funds for other projects instead of developing sports infrastructure.
“We made a plea to government and we have agreed now because the 15% grant cannot do what it is supposed to do to build the stadium and infrastructure. The bosses, when faced with problems, that money and say we will money here and build infrastructure for sport.
“When people have no water, they divert that money.
“So I said to the government . . . that , take it and bring it to Razzmatazz so I could be able to build infrastructure for sport and oversee that in the different localities around the country. We agreed with the government that money will come to the Department of Sport.”
Earlier this year, Mbalula said his department was in discussion with the Cooperative Governance Department and the South African Local Government Association (Salga) about the use of the MIG allocation.
While some municipalities have allegedly failed to spend sports infrastructure development funding, Mnquma Municipality spends about R10-million each year developing sports fields and other facilities.
The King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipality has also held its own despite the demand for road infrastructure. In the 2015-2016 financial year, KSD received R83-million in MIG funding and will allocate R87million in the 2016-2017 financial year.
Of the total funding, a percentage is spent on sports development each year. The bulk of the funding is, however, spent on road infrastructure.
Mbalula, speaking in Mthatha recently, said he would allocate funds for the revamp of the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) sports grounds.
He said the department of public works needed to pump funds into rebuilding Mthatha Stadium.
Cogta Deputy Minister Obed Bapela said the matter had also been discussed in the cabinet lekgotla.
He said Cogta Minister Pravin Gordhan and Mbalula had met and a memorandum of understanding would be signed with Cogta, Treasury and the Sports Department.
“The money needs to be ringfenced for sport and infrastructure, nothing else.”
Sports MEC Pemmy Majodina could not be reached for comment at time of writing.
Boxing SA provincial manager Phakamile Jacobs said he welcomed the decision.
“The decision was taken in a conference in Bloemfontein. Sports is not the core business of municipalities. We believe that any funding related to sports should be managed by the department that deals with sport.”
Safa’s OR Tambo regional chairman and Mhlontlo municipality speaker Xolile Nkompela admitted that some municipalities may have been unable to spend enough on developing sport infrastructure.
“I believe each municipality should sign an undertaking with the minister saying they will spend the funds for sport-related projects and if they do not do so, the funds must be taken from them.
“In Mhlontlo, we are currently constructing four sports grounds, so we are spending it on what it is meant for,” Nkompela said.
South African Rugby Union administrator Monde Tabata said sport unions needed to take “ownership” of the sport infrastructure as municipalities cannot “dream” about what sports bodies want.
“Even if the funds were to be moved to the department, they will have the same problem.
“Who is going to look after the structures and make sure the facilities are in working order?”
“I do not subscribe to that kind of approach. Some municipalities are helpful when approached for assistance.”
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