R74m of Botha’s budget set aside for MODs

IN HIS first public appearance after a lengthy sick leave period, a re-energised Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Theuns Botha returned to the Western Cape Legislature yesterday, to present his department’s budget vote.

Botha, who has been out of the limelight after suffering kidney-related health problems, has been on sick leave since undergoing major surgery.

His parliamentary appearance yesterday, was also the first since Premier Helen Zille’s controversial cabinet reshuffle which saw, Botha and MEC Nomafrench Mbombo swopping portfolios at the beginning of the year, with Mbombo taking over as provincial Health MEC.

Botha outlined the redistribution of the Cultural Affairs and Sport budget in order to prioritise expenditure on providing afterschool opportunities for young people to par- ticipate in sport, cultural and academic activities.

He said the Department has a budget of R706.5 million, of which R74m is set aside for Mass Opportunity Development centres (MOD), where community-based programmes such as life-skills and entrepreneurship training, sport coaching and arts projects will be offered to youths.

Named one of the Western Cape government’s game changers, the after-school project is aimed at improving education outcomes and opportunities for youth development. Botha said the budget has been allocated in tandem with budgets from the departments of education and social development, to focus on mass development programmes for MOD aftercare centres.

“Ultimately this game changer will empower and develop the skills of the next generation, which we require as a society to reduce poverty in the province and redress the legacies of the past. We also need this to bring many of the proposals contained in the National Development Plan to fruition.”

Botha said he is working with education and social development to develop an after- school-care model that can be replicated throughout the province. “We will facilitate planned and structured daily afterschool recreation programmes for our youth. These programmes will bring us closer to a socially inclusive, creative, active and connected Western Cape,” he added.

He said opportunities facilitated by cultural affairs and sport, also contribute towards nation-building and social cohesion, which is in line with the National Development Plan 2030.

While the ANC gave Botha a warm welcome back, ANC MPL Pholisa Makeleni made it clear the party would not support the departmental budget. And the ANC expressed concern about the small budget allocated to the department.

Makeleni said the department has a huge responsibility of changing the mindset of many people through sports and culture, but the budget lacks how diverse cultural groupings will be supported.

The EFF said it was unfortunate that the Western Cape government sees the portfolio as a parking bay for funds until they can be applied elsewhere.