FREE DAILY EMAIL

Date : 14/02/2006
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: Creecy: Gauteng media briefing 2006


  Statement by MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Barbara Creecy: Gauteng's contribution to hosting the 2010 soccer World Cup

Following last week's announcement of the province's 2010 match venues, the Gauteng 2010 Political Committee understands the challenge posed by President Mbeki when he called for tournament preparations to be tackled with the necessary 'seriousness, commitment and patriotism'.

Working with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) as well as municipalities the Province will ensure that the investment injected into the match stadia benefit our people in line with the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA). We will ensure that work gets underway to meet the tight deadlines of the LOC and that the work done at Soccer City, Ellis Park and Loftus will be at the centre of our efforts to build a legacy from hosting the 2010 World Cup.

We want to make this event the best ever World Cup both for our continent and our people in all aspects of their lives. We will also ensure as Gauteng that the sense of patriotism and pride brought by our right to host this international soccer showpiece strengthens our work of deepening democracy and nation building.

Competitive Sport Strategy

Ensuring the 2010 World Cup creates a lasting legacy for our people, requires us to build the province as a home of competitive sport in the years preceding the tournament. In this regard we are proud to report that following the adoption of our Competitive Sport Strategy at a summit in July 2005, significant steps have been taken to promote Gauteng as the 'Home of Champions'.

In November 2005, provincial government allocated R45 million towards this strategy which includes the first phase of a two year programme to upgrade Rand Stadium, HM Pitje, Sinaba and George Thabe Stadiums. With the exception of Sinaba, the other three stadia were identified as practice venues in the 2010 Bid Book.

Progress has also been reached in ensuring that Gauteng-based Premier Soccer League (PSL) and first division teams have permanent home grounds in the province: Kaizer Chiefs is currently based at FNB; Orlando Pirates at Ellis Park; Sundowns at HM Pitje; Swallows are using Orlando Stadium, Cosmos at Rand Stadium; Supersport based at Atteridgeville Stadium and Benoni United at Sinaba Stadium.

The following competitive sporting events were amongst others hosted by the province in 2005: the Davis Cup Tennis Tournament at Ellis Park in March 2005; two one day international cricket matches between South Africa and Australia at Wanderers Stadium; two Derbys between Pirates and Chiefs at FNB (April and December); the Telkom Charity Cup at FNB in July; the ABSA Currie Cup finals and semi finals at Loftus in Tshwane; the Vaal Canoe Marathon. One of South Africa's three accredited grand prix canoe marathons in the City of Sedibeng in November 2005; the Spar Invitational Netball Tournament at Randburg Stadium in Johannesburg; the Legends Soccer tournament at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg and the Under 23 International Soccer championships at venues throughout the province in January 2006; and the Chiefs vs FC Moscow friendly match at FNB.

In addition the provincial government supported two Gauteng-based tournaments in February this year: the Gauteng Cup and the Chailanse Cup. Both tournaments aim to encourage Gauteng based teams to compete with teams from other provinces or elsewhere in Southern Africa.

Already in the pipeline for later in the year is a grand prix accredited athletics meeting between SADCC countries involving 21 champion athletes in April 2006; the SADCC netball challenge in February; six international boxing bouts in Ekurhuleni in March, the Gauteng Tennis Cup in March 2006 and the national swimming championships.

Building Gauteng's creative industries

In November 2005, the Provincial Executive Council passed the Arts and Cultural Industries strategy. This strategy aims to build on the already substantial contribution creative industries make to the province's economy by looking for ways to align public and private sector initiatives and investment. Currently 40% of the country's creative industries are located in the province. This emphasises the importance of synchronising government interventions to Gauteng's Growth and Development Strategy.

To support this process, the Department will in March this year host a Creative Industries Summit where over 400 delegates from government, the arts and culture sector, organised labour and community organisations will adopt a strategy to promote growth in this area.

Key pillars of the strategy to promote the creative industries include supporting cultural business initiatives; expanding cultural markets; skills development; networking and cultural exchanges; promoting performance circuits; and marketing crafts.

The strategy hopes to build on the initiatives taken last year by the Department to promote the creative sector including:

* the Pale ya Rona Carnival which involved 5 000 participants last September
* the partnership to promote the Joy of Jazz festival
* Renovating Uncle Tom's Hall to promote community theatre
* Upgrades to the Katlehong and Daveyton Art Centres to promote centres of excellence at local level

Building Safe and Sustainable Communities

In an effort to promote the social well being of the province's youth, the Department has embarked on a major restructuring exercise to relocate staff at 30 community-based recreation centres across the province. Working together with volunteers, these staff members aim to offer youth and students daily after-school programmes of sport, arts and culture and reading programmes. While the programme has not been without its teething problems, we are happy to announce that in December 2005, our holiday programme attracted an average of 700 youngsters a day for the first two weeks of December.

During 2006 we aim to build on early successes by partnering with local schools to ensure easier access to sports venues and qualified coaching at these same centres. We also plan to re-align our grants for developmental sport to sports federations operating from these same recreational centres. Already these centres form the basis for recruiting for 2006 Masakhane Games, an important activity to ensure that in 2007 Gauteng can retain its three year unbeaten winner record at the South African games.

A year of important anniversaries

2006 sees the celebration of three significant milestones in our province including the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Democratic Constitution in Sharpeville; the 30 anniversary of the 1976 uprising and the 50th anniversary of the Women's Anti-Pass March to the Union Buildings. The Department is already participating in planning committees to ensure the success of these events.

Enquiries:
Nomazwe Ntlokwana
Tel: (011) 355 2578

Issued by: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Gauteng Provincial Government
14 February 2006
   

SPONSORED BY

Advanced