Sport, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has expressed his excitement following the signing of a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube on Wednesday.
The partnership aims to progressively transform access to both sports and cultural programmes in schools, ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to thrive in sport and the arts.
McKenzie said the MoU marked a milestone in the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) vision to deliver equality of access for all young people, particularly those in rural, township, and underprivileged areas.
The signing of this MoU is a significant outcome following the 2023 School Sport Indaba with various stakeholders to develop school sport at grassroots level throughout the country.
The Minister said the agreement was a vital first step in unlocking talent and boosting transformation in both sport and the arts.
“The key to transforming South African sport is to ensure that as many schools as possible – from the townships to rural areas and other less fortunate communities gain access to similar kinds of facilities, coaching and equipment.
“For too long, South Africa’s national teams have relied on private schools as talent-feeders, which, while valuable, does not represent the full potential of this country,” McKenzie said.
The MoU establishes a collaborative framework between the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to implement extracurricular programmes, including school sports programmes, throughout the country.
Importantly, the MoU envisions an approach where facilities are built in such a manner that numerous schools will be able to benefit from them and share them.
The Minister added that the agreement will encourage partners from every sector of South African society - from government to private businesses, commissions, foundations, trusts and NGOs, as well as civil society more broadly – to get involved and play a vital role in not just levelling the playing fields for young South Africans, but to ensure that those playing fields exist at all.
“This programme is an important first step in the right direction for us,” said McKenzie, who recommitted himself to Project 300, an undertaking that 300 athletes will be at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles to represent South Africa.
“We won’t achieve that if we don’t keep finding the other Bayanda Walazas in our schools.”
McKenzie underscored the importance of cross-departmental collaboration, highlighting how this agreement exemplified the unity of purpose that exists in the GNU.
“We are collaborating and working well and this GNU, under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa, is going to transform South Africa vastly for the better over the next five years,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
