Sports indaba brings hope for unity
2005-08-04
A WORKING group was formed at last week’s Sports Indaba in Drakenstein to form a representative Sports Forum for the municipality.
Herman Bailey, executive mayor of Drakenstein, opened the indaba held in the Wellington town hall, saying sport is a very integral part of the cultural lives of the people in our valley.
He reflected on the previous dispensation, when every town or hamlet had its own sporting bodies and or council.
“However, since the year 2000 when municipalities amalgamated, no such governing body for our area has been established.”
Bailey appealed to all sports clubs to “please get your sporting homes in order”.
“The municipality has made R1,5 million available for sport in Drakenstein.
“Furthermore, we have also recently donated the sum of R500 000 to farm schools in our area.
“But that is not all: we have yet another R500 000 available for sport in rural areas in this financial year and a sport liaison officer will also be appointed shortly.”
He said the rationale behind this latter donation is that those schools can upgrade their own sport facilities.
The only stipulation being that the rural people in close proximity to those schools being allowed to utilise those facilties in an organised manner.
Bailey also referred to the 2010 World Soccer Cup, saying a united sports forum could help to bring practices and games to Drakenstein.
His sentiments were supported by Tjoko Kambule, Director of Sport and Recreation.
He asked the delegates to get consensus on which ideal venue needs to be developed for the World Cup.
The delegates deliberated on three main issues: establishing a representative sports forum, a sports policy for Drakenstein and the rural areas and the provision, procedures and maintenance of sport facilities.
It was decided that Paarl and Wellington will each have four delegates on the working group, with two each for Saron, Gouda, Mbekweni and Hermon. In each area provision must be made for the rural areas as well as a secundus.
Hermon was not represented at the meeting and one of the first tasks of the working group will be to get them on board.
Albert van der Merwe will represent the Municipality and will also be responsible for the first meeting.
Glen Goldman is the representative from province. The working group also has a mandate to co-opt specialists and roleplayers as necessary.
The focus date for the group is end of March 2006, when the newly established Sports Forum should be launched.
In the meantime they will start working on a draft policy document.
They will also monitor existing sports projects, liaise with Council on spending the sports budget and do an audit of the various roleplayers, codes, facilities, etc.
One of the delegates summarised the indaba as follows: “The main objective must be to get better fields and facilities in Drakenstein and not the different sports codes. The vocal issue should be sports development in Drakenstein”.
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