Cape Town sport to resume safely following DCAS funding allocations

Sports clubs and federations in Cape Town will be able to safely resume their activities following an investment of just over R2.3 million rand by the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS).

With sport having already resumed (under protocols as per the regulations) around the country following the easing of lockdown restrictions, the money will be used to fund events, competition and education.

The funding allocation was marked by a socially distanced cheque handover ceremony at the John Tyers Hall in Kenilworth on Tuesday, 29 September 2020.

Dr Lyndon Bouah, Chief Director for Sport and Recreation at DCAS, spoke about the importance of sport to the communities and economy of the Western Cape. “I have been pointing out that this is an Olympic year and next year is as well. Many of our athletes reside in Cape Town and the Western Cape and they need to be supported. That means we need to have ad hoc funding when we support professional athletes and we need the federations to have their events,” he said.  “If we don’t do things to support those athletes, we will not be benefitting. Our communities need role models, because if they don’t have role models who will our society aspire to. They need to know that athletes coming from our land have the ability to go to the World Championships or Olympic Games.”

Dr Bouah also cited the findings of The Case For Sport, a study undertaken by DCAS and the University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) Interdisciplinary Centre of Excellence for Sport Science and Development (ICCESSD). The study, which began in 2012, found the sport contributes R8.8 billion to the Western Cape’s gross domestic product and also supports 60 000 jobs.

Minister Anroux Marais attended the event to hand over the cheques and deliver the keynote speech. “We are happy to present cheques to the Cape Town District Sport Council to empower 300 federations and clubs with funds needed to again administer, develop and host capacity building workshops,” the Minister said during her speech.

Tuesday’s event was the fifth handover to take place, following events in West Coast, Central Karoo, Eden and Cape Winelands municipalities.

The Overberg ceremony will be the last and takes place on Wednesday 30 September in Swellendam.