Minister Nathi Mthethwa meets with swimming, hockey and cricket to discuss EPG barometer scorecards on transformation

5 August 2020

On an annual basis, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture releases the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) Report. The report for the 2018/2019 year was submitted to the Minister by the EPG, who appraised him on their findings and thereafter, the report was published in June 2020.

The Minister had an opportunity to study the report and made his assessment on the state of transformation in the 19 codes of sport. Having made his assessment, he is now meeting with the individual federations for the EPG to present their report and to engage further on its findings.

Minister Mthethwa said “Federations should take the issue of transformation seriously as it is non-negotiable. As the Minister of this portfolio, I would be failing the people of South Africa and violating our constitution if I fail to act decisively against sport transformation delinquents”.

Furthermore the Minister added, “For those federations that achieve less than 50% of self-set targets, one or more of the following penalties may apply:

The suspension or withdrawal of Government funding

The authority to bid or stage international tournaments locally may be revoked

The withdrawal of the right to award national colours

The withdrawal of the recognition of a national federation in terms of the National Sport and Recreation Act, 1998 (Act No 110 of 1998 as amended)”

Swimming and hockey failed, as they did not meet their self-set barometer targets.

They now have an obligation of making a representation as to why the Minister should not impose one or more of the enforcement measures, as alluded to above.

Cricket was given conditional approval because amongst other reasons, they fared poorly on African representation. However, they did achieve 70% of their self-set barometer targets, which is higher than the 50% required to avoid penalty imposition.

By the end of the week, these three federations are required to give a convincing motivation as to why the Minister should not consider enforcing transformation, as per the above penalties.

On another matter, Minister Mthethwa informed Cricket South Africa (CSA) that he met with former cricket players who raised issues of systemic racism in the federation. In this meeting, he indicated that a day would have to be set aside to tackle this issue. Furthermore, CSA has expressed readiness and are looking forward to meeting with the Minister to proactively deal with this matter.

[For the full EPG Report as well as the overview and performance of Swimming,

Hockey and Cricket, log onto www.srsa.gov.za or www.dac.gov.za]

Issued by Masechaba Khumalo, Spokesperson, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, 5 August 2020