R17 million spent on SA Sports Awards

In response to a DA parliamentary question, the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula, revealed that his Department spent R17,7 million on the 2012 SA Sports Awards. This is a 31.6% (R5,6 million) increase compared to the amount spent on the awards in 2011. It is a disgrace that Minister Mbalula chooses to spend this much on a single non-developmental or competitive event while our athletes are in serious need of financial support and poor communities continue to lack access to basic sport and recreation infrastructure.

I will submit a series of Parliamentary questions to Minister Mbalula to determine: 

• Exactly how the Departmental funds allocated to the 2012 SA Sports Awards were spent; 
• The budget for this year's SA Sports Awards; and
• Where the funding for this year's SA Sports Awards will be coming from.

Minister Mbalula needs to get his priorities in order. His role as the Minister of Sports and Recreation is to maximise access, development and excellence at all levels of participation in sport and recreation and not to engage in PR exercises intended to boost his public profile. He needs to be less concerned about his own razzmatazzand provide support to our athletes and develop infrastructure in communities.

While we agree that our athletes' efforts and successes should be acknowledged, events like the SA Sports Awards would be better off funded through donations and sponsorships from the private sector.

With organisations such as the South African Football Association's (SAFA) spending money allocated to it by FIFA for the development of our country's football talent and infrastructure on 27 Mercedes-Benzes and other luxuries, the support provided to developing South African sport is woeful. Minister Mbalula must hang his head in shame.

Statement issued by Winston Rabotapi, DA Shadow Minister of Sports and Recreational Development, April 29 2013

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