Minister Gayton McKenzie excited about roll-out of extracurricular activities for school children after signing MOU with Basic Education Minister
Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie has expressed his excitement following the signing of a ground-breaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with his counterpart in Cabinet, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube.
This 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.
Minister McKenzie emphasised that this MoU marked a milestone in the Government of National Unity’s (GNU’s) 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 in efforts to developing school sport at grassroot level through the country. “This agreement is a vital first step in unlocking talent and boosting transformation in both sport and the arts,” noted Minister McKenzie.
"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,” added Minister McKenzie.
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 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 Minister 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.”
Minister 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.
For media enquiries:
Mr Cassiday Rangata-Jacobs, Media Liaison Officer: Office of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture │Email: CassidayR@dsac.gov.za │ Cell: +27 (0) 61 300 2963
Ms Zimasa Velaphi, Head of Communication and Marketing: Department of Sport, Arts and Culture │Email: ZimasaV@dsac.gov.za │ Cell: +27 (0) 72 172 8925
ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF SPORT, ARTS AND CULTURE