2024 – THE YEAR THAT WAS AN APPRECIATION FOR MY READERS

As I reflect on 2024, I’ve gained valuable insights from those who took the time to comment on and like my posts. I learnt, for instance, that many South Africans are passionate about school and community sports and physical education. Almost everyone who commented shared excellent ideas on what should happen in South African sport, and here are some of the key points they raised:

• The government appears to treat sport as an afterthought, whereas other countries regard it as pivotal to community and personal development.

• The National Sport and Recreation Plan, which could have been reviewed in 2020—two years before its 2022 end date—leaves South Africa with an unclear vision for sport in schools and communities. One wonders whether the process to review it or develop the next 10-year Sport Plan is underway.

• South Africa disclosed their interest in bidding to host the 2036 Olympic Games. I wonder where the participants will come from without a viable and sustainable local, provincial, and nationwide sport programme. If South Africa is to host the 2026 Olympics in 11 years, we should already have children under 16 in elite sport programmes, given that the average age of an Olympic athlete is 27.

• The country needs to establish a Sport Integrity Commission to develop a code that will be adopted by all sport governing bodies, councils, and clubs.

• Women’s sport must be prioritised, alongside the establishment of support programmes for sport administrators who volunteer in the multitude of sports that South Africans play.

• The government urgently needs to finalise the Women in Sport Policy.

• We need to ensure that most schools build effective sport programmes given the number of schools across rural and urban areas. It doesn’t take a genius to see schools as low-hanging fruit for the development of a sustainable and highly successful sport programme in South Africa.

• The Department of Basic Education must introduce sport science, sport management, and other sport professionals in schools to support teachers/educators running school sport programmes.

• All schools should focus on physical education to ensure children’s motor skills are developed at an earlier age.

• The government should provide support to non-profit organisations involved in school sport programmes.

• The appointment of school sports coordinators, who will drive sport programmes for all learners, must take priority.

• The development of an inclusive and accessible national sport programme for South Africa’s elite and grassroots athletes is crucial to ensuring that all participants realise their full potential and should be a priority for the 7th Administration.

• The successes of South African teams such as football, rugby, cricket, and netball at global events create a framework for the Minister, SASCOC [South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee], and sport governing bodies to build a sustainable sport programme.

• A succession or continuous plan is needed to build on programmes left by the previous administration if indeed such programmes exist to build upon.

• Easily accessible sports facilities need to be provided at a local level. This will require municipalities to maintain facilities in excellent condition, and for communities to be able to access them easily for recreational and competitive purposes. It is at the local government level where jobs for sport administrators and coaches can be created in large numbers.

These are just a few of the comments and helpful tips from a small group of South Africans who engaged with my posts. While their number may be small, the suggestions and recommendations are both valid and informative.

The key to developing an effective sport programme and system is strong leadership. In July 2024, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture acknowledged the letter I wrote to him by making a public commitment via X to meet with me. I eagerly await his invitation. But this meeting should not be limited to just me. Rather, the Minister should engage with South Africans who are passionate about sport and facilitate the formation of a think tank comprising men and women with expertise in school sport, community sport, physical education, competitive sport, and elite sport.