New Sports Minister Nxesi commits to R4.6bn Olympic training centre

The new Minister of Sport and Recreation‚ Thulas Nxesi‚ has revealed that his department has committed to funding for the establishment of a R4.6 billion National Training and Olympic Preparatory Centre (NTC) to be based in Bloemfontein.

Speaking at the Sascoc (South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee) general meeting in Johannesburg on Saturday‚ Nxesi said the NTC will be the first of its kind in the country.

He said it represents a decisive step by the government and Sascoc to invest in high-performance sport.

“Previously our top athletes have had to go to other countries to receive the necessary training and preparation. The NTC changes that‚ saves on costs and safeguards information relating to our athletes from the competition‚” Nxesi said.

“Since Sascoc presented the project to Sports and Recreation‚ the department has engaged all provinces to commit 5% of their conditional grant budget to this vision.

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“Today‚ I am pleased to inform you that the provinces have agreed to increase their commitment to 10% of their ring-fenced budgets. The NTC also links to earlier initiatives such as the academy system and the sports bursaries.”

Director General in the department Alec Moemi added that currently Sport and Recreation are running the centre as a temporary site‚ but that they are in the process of building a permanent site.

“Right now the site is physically there‚ we have built a few gymnasiums which are operational and can cater for about six codes‚ but we want to expand it to the 16 priority codes. We now have a bigger budget to build a world-class facility‚” Moemi said.

“We are building it in phases‚ the quantity surveyors have told us that it will require at least R4.6 billion to build the whole thing‚ which includes facilities such as hospitals‚ recovery centres‚ accommodation for athletes‚ gymnasiums‚ testing centres and laboratories.

“It will take us up to 12 years to complete building it and at the current funding levels we are looking at investing in excess of R90 million a year.”

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Nxesi also said that he was beginning to find his feet at the department since he took over from Fikile Mbalula following the recent cabinet reshuffle by President Jacob Zuma.

“I had to start with Sascoc to understand all the issues. Once I have completed all the engagements with all the stakeholders‚ I will be able to come back and have full press briefing to articulate my priorities‚” the minister said.

“I am not going to throw away anything that is there‚ but I am going to build on what all my predecessors started‚ from the late Steve Tshwete.

“Transformation is very central and there is a report that we are waiting for which we will discuss with the relevant stakeholders. School sport and youth development are also issues that I am very passionate about.”

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport