House Chairperson,
I firstly want to congratulate Banyana Banyana for beating convincingly beating Mali 4-0. And I want to concur with my colleague who said that Banyana Banyana has to be treated the same as Bafana Bafana are because if we compare the two, Banyana Banyana definitely outranks Bafana Bafana. That is why they have to be treated equally and they have to be acknowledged and promoted. We want to see stadiums full of men — and I’m planning to be one of them — to cheer on our ladies who are doing exceptionally well.
The 2025/26 budget for the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture reveals troubling stagnation in funding for Programme Two: Recreation Development and Sport Promotion. While other programmes see modest increases, Programme Two received a nominal decrease from R1.282 billion to R1.281 billion, an effective cut when adjusted for inflation.
This underinvestment is concerning, given Programme Two’s pivotal role in grassroots sports, school sports, and club development which are critical drivers of social cohesion. For many unemployed people, of whom we have too many, sport is a lifeline. It offers structure, identity, and skills that are transferable to work and brings hope in places where opportunity is scarce.
This year marks 30 years since the iconic 1995 Rugby World Cup victory, when a new democratic South Africa united behind the Springboks to beat the All Blacks. That spirit endures in Amajita’s historic Under-20 AFCON title, the Bok Women’s fourth Rugby Africa Cup triumph, the Proteas’ world title win against Australia in test cricket, and Banyana Banyana on their way to winning the R18 million prize money, defending their title in the 2025 Confederation of African football Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Honourable Minister, recreation facilities, swimming pools and more sporting fields are desperately needed, particularly in townships where our young people are being drawn to drugs. I think focus has to be shifted to the ’have nots’ rather than continue to increase finances for those who ‘have’ and ‘have arrived.’ [time expired]
