Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Anroux Marais has said that while they appreciated the context of the decision, it had been a disheartening announcement. Picture: Supplied
Cape Town - Parents and activists are fuming after the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s (DSAC) eleventh hour cancellation of the National SA School Sport Championship, scheduled for this weekend.
Department deputy director-general Sumayya Khan sent a letter to all heads of departments and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) on Wednesday informing them of directives on the National School Sports Championships and telling them of the cancellation.
Khan saidthe department had consulted extensively, including holding discussions with some provinces, and considered the logistics for holding the event.
She said the athletics championships were under way in Germiston from Tuesday until today.
Khan said the National School Swimming Championships scheduled for next week in Pretoria would proceed as planned, pending final discussions with Swimming SA and any decision from the National Treasury.
“The decisions were taken in consideration of a Constitutional Court judgment and the implications on the procurement processes that must be in place,” Khan said.
A Hout Bay mother, Emerentina Cloete, whose 14-year-old child was disappointed after the cancellation of his game, said she was sad for her child because of the effort he had put into practising his basketball.
Cloete said her son was going to compete as a base player at the school sport championships in Johannesburg.
Hout Bay sport administrator and community activist Roscoe Jacobs said learners and their families were informed at the eleventh hour that the National School Sport Championship for basketball and some other sport codes had been cancelled.
Jacobs said it was his view the decision taken in an “Ivory Tower” was a gross violation of human rights and a middle finger to grassroots sports development.
“This decision fails to protect the children from degradation; in fact, the decision has contributed to this and violates the rights of these children,” he said.
Jacobs asked that the South Africa Human Rights Commission investigate the matter urgently.
He said the letter sent to parents to inform them of the decision was without a proper explanation as to the reasoning for the decision.
“It is clear that DSAC through this decision doesn’t care about the poor child of colour whose parents had to borrow money to be able to be part of this,” Jacobs said.
Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Anroux Marais has said while they appreciated the context of the decision, it had been a disheartening announcement for them as the provincial department, but especially for the athletes and support staff who have been preparing for the event.
Marais said the DSAC’s decision to cancel the event was based on the advisory note issued by national Treasury on February 25 and March 3, about the suspension of the Preferential Procurement Regulations of 2017.
“This has led to DSAC suspending their procurement activities, pending further advice, over which the Province has no control,” Marais said.
Provincial head of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Guy Redman, said he understood the frustration and disappointment that many were feeling.
“We are also disheartened to have had to inform our athletes and support staff of the cancellation at such short notice,” Redman said.
However, he said the department remained committed to supporting its young athletes to develop their skills and talents, and that it would continue engaging with DSAC to establish how it could ensure that future events went ahead and that in future, a cancellation of such an important national event was communicated timeously.
sisonke.mlamla@inl.co.za