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Date : 26/03/2003
Source: Ministry of Sport and Recreation
Title: Balfour: ICC Cricket World Cup 2003


STATEMENT PRESENTED BY THE MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION, NGCONDE BALFOUR, ON THE ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2003, HOSTED BY SOUTH AFRICA, National Assembly, 26 March 2003

Madam Speaker

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 has drawn to a close after 44 days of, at times, pulsating, crowd-pleasing and even frustrating cricket. As the host nation, we have set benchmarks that will have to be met or improved upon in future tournaments of this magnitude.

As a country and continent, we have sent a message to the global community that South Africa is up there with the best with regard to the hosting of major international events. We have effectively debunked the myth and mistaken notion that world-class events cannot be staged in the developing world. With our co-hosts, Zimbabwe and Kenya, we have staged an event that has been precise in its planning, superb in its splendour, efficient in its execution and unprecedented in its magnitude.

It is to the credit of our country that we could host an event of such long duration:

* Without a single significant security breach,
* With more than 1 000 accredited journalists lauding our communication expertise that made their jobs a joy to carry out,
* With volunteers who carried out their responsibilities and functions with pride, efficiency and courtesy,
* With an organising committee that displayed dedication, commitment and a determination to succeed and a policy committee that gave able and competent leadership,
* With tens of thousands of spectators and millions of supporters who opened their hearts and homes to 20 000 visitors,
* With the United Cricket Board of South Africa and its affiliates taking every conceivable step to ensure the comfort of teams, officials and spectators at all our stadium and venues,
* With service providers and government structures that provided efficient, consistent and top class support and,
* With an opening ceremony that reflected our continent and our people, driven by thousands of volunteers who offered their time, skills and even resources simply because of their love for their country.

The decision of the ICC to award the Cricket World Cup to us has been more than vindicated and it has set the scene for South Africa to host the Soccer World Cup in 2010 and even the Olympic Games in years to come. The economic benefits for the country have been tremendous and their impact will filter through in the months and years to come. Both SA Tourism and the International Marketing Council have been prominent in promoting our country and the CWC has given our blossoming tourism industry another major boost.

Of course, we cannot overlook the fact that our national cricket team did not live up to expectations but despite the disappointment of their performances, they added to the overwhelming success of the event and they can only be spurred on by the support that they received from millions of South Africans.

During the early days of the tournament, the ICC and their support experienced difficulties with teams such as England and New Zealand who were reluctant to meet their obligations outside the borders of our country but the leadership displayed for Zimbabwean and Kenyan cricket meant that scheduled matches could go ahead with minimum disruptions.

It is to the credit of the South African Police Services that they could assist their counterparts in Zimbabwe and Kenya in putting in place a safety and security plan of the highest international standards, comparable to our own safety and security plan. The tireless work of the women and men of SAPS ensured an event that was not only safe but also a pleasure to attend and to be part of. The services provided by other security agencies, our traffic officers and our intelligence officials contributed to the overall success of a safety and security plan that will stand us in good stead in our bid to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Madam Speaker

I have already given notice that I will present this House with comprehensive detail of government's role in staging the CWC. This will include information about the resources provided by all three tiers of government.

I would, however, want to extend my gratitude to President Thabo Mbeki and my Cabinet colleagues, especially the CWC Inter-Ministerial Committee, for the unstinting support that they have given in staging the tournament. The involvement of various government departments, provincial governments and municipalities has demonstrated the undoubted value of co-operative governance. The role of parastatals and other institutions has been phenomenal and the collective efforts of all South Africans are recognised, acknowledged and appreciated. It is appropriate to mention the roles played by, amongst others, Treasury, Trade and Industry, Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Foreign Affairs, GCIS, Department in the Presidency, Health, Home Affairs, Transport, Arts and Culture, the National Intelligence Agency and of course, Sport and Recreation South Africa. Without the support and assistance of these Departments, it is almost unthinkable to imagine that such events can be hosted independently of government. Cabinet took the lead in ensuring government participation and these levels of co-operation augurs well for future initiatives of this nature.

My personal appreciation is also extended to the Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation under the leadership of Sis Ruth Ntshulana-Bhengu, the Select Committee on Education and Recreation, and the MECs responsible for Sport and Recreation for their significant support and involvement throughout the event.

It is now important that the gains of CWC be consolidated and serves as a springboard for taking the game to every corner of our country and our continent. We are once again presented with a vehicle that will ensure that every South African will have the opportunity to participate in cricket and all its related activities. In addition to that, the economic benefits derived from staging such major sports events are no longer in question. It is imperative that we not only host such events successfully but that we take full advantage of the socio-economics spin-offs in building a better South Africa.

On behalf of government, I wish once more to say: Congratulations to all South Africans for this magnificent achievement. We are a nation alive with great possibilities, creating a new dawn everyday.

Enquiries: Graham Abrahams at 082 453 2244
Issued by Ministry of Sport and Recreation
26 March 2003

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