Sport, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has expressed his enthusiasm following the signing of a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube. The agreement, signed on Wednesday, aims to revolutionize access to sports and cultural programmes in schools, with a focus on ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, can thrive in these areas.

Minister McKenzie emphasized that this MoU represents a significant milestone in the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) commitment to providing equal opportunities for all young people, particularly those in rural, township, and underprivileged areas. The MoU is a direct outcome of the 2023 School Sport Indaba, which gathered various stakeholders to advance school sports at the grassroots level across the country.

“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,” McKenzie stated. He stressed that relying solely on private schools as talent feeders does not fully represent the country’s potential.

The MoU outlines a collaborative framework between the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to implement extracurricular programmes, including school sports, nationwide. Importantly, it envisions building shared facilities that can benefit multiple schools.

McKenzie added that the agreement encourages participation from all sectors of South African society, including government, private businesses, NGOs, and civil society. This collective effort aims to not only level the playing fields for young South Africans but also ensure those playing fields exist.

“This programme is an important first step in the right direction,” said McKenzie, who reaffirmed his commitment to Project 300, which aims to have 300 South African athletes represent the country at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Highlighting the importance of cross-departmental collaboration, McKenzie praised the unity of purpose within the GNU, under President Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership, which he believes will significantly transform South Africa over the next five years.