Budget Vote Speech on Sports and Recreation
2004-06-22. On behalf of the Independent Democrats I would like to take this opportunity in congratulating the Hon Minister in his appointment. Your first few months has truly been a baptism of fire, with the successful 2010 soccer bid and the scandal around soccer match fixing.
The Independent Democrats believes
that this ministry plays a pivotal role in bridging the divides of the
past, and building a united and proudly Team South Africa. With
this in mind I would like to turn my attention to an often marginalized
and forgotten sector of our society disabled people.
The Department of Sport and Recreation has achieved a lot in this sector, and for this they must be congratulated. However, Honourable Members an incredible amount of work still needs to be done in order to achieve the full intergration of the disabled person into South African society. The disabled person does not expect special treatment, we demand equal treatment. We insist that we are given the same opportunities as all other sportsmen and women, we require that we are given equal access to sporting facilities and stadiums, and finally are adamant that the barriers that exist to the usage of recreational facilities be removed.
These are not feeble requests or wishes, but are rather grounded in our constitution and reflect such important principles such as dignity, equal treatment and redressing the imbalances of the past.
Hon Minister, the Independent Democrats challenges you and your department to accelerate your program of intergration of the disabled person into mainstream society. Perhaps then, hon Minister the achievements of disabled athletes such as Ernst van Dijk, Zanele Zique, Natalie du Toit and will be the rule and rather than the exception.
I thank you.
The Department of Sport and Recreation has achieved a lot in this sector, and for this they must be congratulated. However, Honourable Members an incredible amount of work still needs to be done in order to achieve the full intergration of the disabled person into South African society. The disabled person does not expect special treatment, we demand equal treatment. We insist that we are given the same opportunities as all other sportsmen and women, we require that we are given equal access to sporting facilities and stadiums, and finally are adamant that the barriers that exist to the usage of recreational facilities be removed.
These are not feeble requests or wishes, but are rather grounded in our constitution and reflect such important principles such as dignity, equal treatment and redressing the imbalances of the past.
Hon Minister, the Independent Democrats challenges you and your department to accelerate your program of intergration of the disabled person into mainstream society. Perhaps then, hon Minister the achievements of disabled athletes such as Ernst van Dijk, Zanele Zique, Natalie du Toit and will be the rule and rather than the exception.
I thank you.
