Sascoc welcomes new Minister of Sport, Gayton McKenzie - SABC ...
Reading Time: 3 minutes
The South African Sports Confederation Olympic and Paralympic Committee (Sascoc) has congratulated Patriotic Alliance leader, Gayton McKenzie, on his appointment as Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.
The 50-year-old McKenzie replaces Zizi Kodwa, who resigned last month amid corruption charges.
Shortly after his appointment, the Patriotic Alliance leader jokingly said he was going to declare spinning South Africa’s national sport. It was a sport associated with the gangster culture before it was officially recognised by Motorsport South Africa 10 years ago.
But McKenzie is taking his portfolio seriously.
“I love sports, I follow sports, I am passionate about sports. And I also know the discrimination that’s happening with poor people, the discrimination that happens with indigenous sport, people in the villages. I have contacts in the world when it comes to sport,” says McKenzie.
Sascoc President Barry Hendricks has welcomed the appointment of McKenzie.
With less than a month to go before the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Hendricks says it’s a positive appointment in exciting times for sport in the country. He hopes it will help to accelerate sports development and high-performance sport in South Africa.
Other federations have also welcomed the appointment of McKenzie.
Swimming South Africa Chief Executive, Shaun Adriaanse wants the new minister to focus on sport facilities in townships, rural areas and previously disadvantaged areas.
“For swimming it’s important for us that the new minister focus on the work that has already been on place in the ministry to focus on facilities as you know for our sport facilities are important and we’ve seen less and less public facilities being available for our sport,”
Athletics South Africa president, James Moloi, says McKenzie will not be starting on a clean slate, but will have to continue with the solid foundation laid by some of his predecessors. But both federations agree, the revival of physical education in schools should also be a priority.
“That one is a key for us because the supply for the talent comes from the primary schools and high schools and I so wish that if he can push this thing of having competitions during the week maybe to have and allow the children to run during the week maybe once a week like normally during our time Wednesdays you still remember we used to run on Wednesdays. If we can sign an agreement between ourselves and the department of education,”
The ANC’s Peace Mabe, an experienced parliamentarian will be McKenzie’s deputy.
7th Administration | Many saying new cabinet is bloated: Prof. Susan Booysen
