Skating, on thin ice in Gauteng as DA accuses dpt of sports and recreation of false promises

With few skateboarding facilities to be seen in and around Gauteng, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has accused the province’s department of sport, arts, culture, and recreation of not delivering on “promises made” to the skateboarding community.

According to the DA, broken promises are worse than no promises at all.

DA Gauteng spokesperson for sport, arts, culture, and recreation Wildri Peach, said the Gauteng department had convened a meeting at the Johannesburg Stadium recently – along with Roller Sport South Africa and the Gauteng Sports Confederation – to outline the department’s interest in the sport.

But a recent written reply by MEC Mbali Hlophe in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature contradicted what was apparently said in the meeting.

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“In her reply, the MEC states that skateboarding is not one of the recognised sporting codes supported by the department and that the department does not actively promote skateboarding,” said Peach.

However, there seems to be confusion over who said what.

Josh Beukes, who was present at the meeting, said Hlophe was excited about the plans for skateboarding and assisting with the resources.

Beukes said the main purpose of the meeting was to determine who were the stakeholders in skateboarding and to look at collaborations to establish structures that could make the sport more official.

He said he was involved with government to acquire land for skate parks in the Mamelodi region in Pretoria.

“It involved introducing skateboard club setups across the region, with clubs and provincial competitions and national championships, and the importance of engaging with stakeholders to develop such,” he said.

Beukes said the funding was there, the main issue was trying to acquire land.

“The talent is available in this country to produce great skateboarders but we do not have the necessary resources that should be provided by the government,” Beukes said.

The president of Roller Sport South Africa, Wendy Gila, said she was not sure how it could be interpreted that the Gauteng department gave skaters false hope.

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Gila said to her knowledge the department had not allocated, promised or committed to any financial backing for skaters.

“They have committed to assisting with training, use of offices and Wi-Fi. No clubs have been properly constituted and once they are approved as members, they will be able to tap into the services,” she said.

“I don’t think any misleading information was given. The MEC included new disciplines in their plans and skateboarding is one. Once clubs are formed, we can assist them on different levels,” Gila said.

Founder of City Skate Tours organisation Ayanda Mnyandu said although he was unaware that the department intended to embark on any plans, it would be disappointing if “stuff was promised and not delivered”.

Mnyandu said skateboarding was a small community and had always been seen as a “do it your own” sport. He said he was not aware of government actively wanting to promote skateboarding.

Mnyandu said he believed skateboarding was very much a subculture.

“As an Olympic sport, skateboarding could empower the youth,” he said, with visions and goals of representing South Africa at the Olympic Games.

“[Skateboarding] was seen [by some] as a destructive activity, said to be done by delinquent youths who have nothing to do with their time,” Mnyandu said.

Investing in the sport “could change perspectives and make “it more accessible to everybody”