19 September 2023 – SAFA Vice-President Linda Zwane says the Schools Sport symposium called up by Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa was great for the overall alignment of schools’ multi-coded structure.
Zwane said this way, all federations will work together with SASCOC to implement the department of Sports’ broader vision.
Minister Kodwa last week called up a two-day Schools Sport symposium, which was attended by various sporting federations, and which he said was about bringing schools under one umbrella body.
Zwane said aligning the running of schools sport was critical in having a single and strong body.
“The conference worked on trying to fix the fragmentation of the government departments (Basic Education and Ministry of Sports) and aligning the two departments, because it was agreed that there is a misalignment that needed to be fixed.
‘’But over and above, the conference also pronounced to have a multi-coded structure formed from federations who will work with SASCOC so that there is proper coordination of School Sports in the country,’’ said Zwane.
He said football, in particular, was willing to make the exercise a massive success but there has to be alignment within the government departments.
‘’Federations like football are willing to make Schools Sport work, but of course the differences that exist within the government departments also become a challenge. But I am glad that the symposium touched and is working on that,” he added.
Zwane said the South Association African Football is the custodian of football and that must always guide various stakeholders.
‘’If we have to coordinate Schools Sport, and particularly Schools Football, it is imperative that we must have people who understand the Vision of SAFA , who understand where we want to go and of course people who respect and do not undermine the Association,’’ he concluded.