Sports development within the Ehlanzeni District Municipality (EDM) is headed for a brighter future following a successful Sports Indaba held by the district municipality which incorporated 85 delegates that represented various sporting codes under the theme:
“Playing globally, winning locally.”
The sports associations and federations were drawn from the five local municipalities under EDM which are Mbombela, Thaba Chweu, Bushbuckridge, Umjindi and Nkomazi and they deliberated on sporting matters from May 22 to 24.
Among the resolutions taken during the Indaba, pertaining to the Mayoral Cup, was that there needed to be refined and clearly set guidelines in the manner in which the Mayoral Cup must be staged and conducted.
It should entail formal programmes of talent identification, which must be the culture and norm, thus linking all mayoral cups from all the municipalities – a pool of talent must be identified and rightfully nurtured, ready for bigger markets.
Concerning sports development programmes, it was resolved that municipalities needed to ensure that there was adequate funding available for all sports programmes within all communities.
Federations were encouraged to organise local tournaments and competitions, whereby talent could be identified and nurtured – identified talent will thus be referred to the District Sports Academy.
It was further resolved that district sports federations needed to ensure that they functioned within all localities.
Local municipalities should provide access to office space for all local federations and sports councils/federations.
In that regard, the expectations were that all local sports structures should have annual sports and recreation programmes.
Empowerment is also in the offing as the provincial department of culture, sport and recreation, including the provincial sports federation, should ensure that there is a continuous training of sports administrators to ensure effective management and administration of the local sports federations and clubs.
The District Sports Council had been tasked with conducting an audit of all existing sports structures within the district. Structures should ensure that they uphold the principles of good governance.
The indaba further resolved that the District Sports Confederation and Provincial Confederation needed to ensure that its members were aligned to the objectives of the Transformation Charter.
Equity of treatment and catering should be the norm for women and people with disabilities within sport structures.
Each designated municipality needs to ensure that all clubs and federations have access to sports facilities and also that federations create equal opportunities for all athletes to participate in sport.
Most importantly, the District Sports Confederation should develop a funding model.
In this regard, the private sector needs to be approached to fund local programmes within our municipalities.
For further funding, all federations and clubs have been encouraged to apply for lotto and other donor funding for their sustainability.
The Local Municipality MIG grant should be administered by the district municipality to ensure that sports facilities are built within our communities.
The district and local sports confederations need to be consulted when it comes to the lease agreements between municipalities and private company/individuals.
Municipalities still have the responsibility of maintaining all sports facilities, irrespective of its tier, as they are built within their locality.
An integrated sports strategy needs to be developed by local and district sports confederation to ensure that all sports and recreational facilities are optimally used.
The provincial department of sports and recreation still has the responsibility of building facilities with grants that they receive and the municipality should be responsible for the operational and maintenance of that facility.
