Cape Town - Sports and Recreation Minister Makhenkesi Stofile has joined a list of senior government officials in commending South Africans for their ability to deliver on the world's major sporting events.
Tabling his department's Budget Vote in Parliament on Wednesday Minister Stofile said the recent FIFA Confederations Cup and the Indian Premier League has once again demonstrated that the country can deliver on its promises to the world.
"South Africa has demonstrated a capability of staging major events ably supported by willing and welcoming assistance of many volunteers and also support from government," said Minister Stofile.
Sporting events, in particular the 2010 FIFA World Cup, will help bring economic activity and employment opportunities South Africans, he said.
"The significance of the economic and social success of smaller scale sports events should not be overlooked as every year all over the world supporters travel significant distances to watch their favourite sports on a regular basis," said Minister Stofile.
Sports events have also become part of a broader strategy aimed at raising the profile of a city or country and therefore success should not be judged on simply a profit and loss basis.
The minister further said it was imperative that South Africa develops a pro-active strategy aimed at hosting more major international sports events post 2010.
The investment made by the South African Government for the 2010 FIFA World Cup needs to be sustained, he said.
"While we will continue supporting the hosting of major international events in our country, we have realised the need for better coordination in scheduling such events.
"We cannot continue having competing events only a stone's throw away from each other. Neither can we afford to have competing events helping to divide our people instead of uniting them," Minister Stofile said.
He commended the Premier Soccer League bosses for scheduled matches in consideration of the Bafana Bafana matches.
"What still needs to happen, is to have such coordination across codes through an integrated seasons' planning," the minister said.
