Schools across country must get bicycles, says ‘Yster’ Xatasi
NEW Brighton’s Zamuxolo “Yster” Xatasi, who was recently elected vicepresident of Cycling South Africa, wants to see people of all colours integrated into cycling.
Xatasi said his main objectives were to see to it that cycling was transformed from top to bottom and to provide bicycles.
“There are about 25 members sitting on the board,” he said.
“I am the only black person there in the whole structure.
“We need to transform cycling at top and ground levels.
“It is my duty to see to it that cycling is properly transformed.”
Xatasi was elected unopposed to be right hand man to CSA president William Newman at the annual general meeting in Johannesburg at the weekend.
He has been CSA’s transformation and development director for the past three years.
He said his other mandate was to see to it that the sport was funded by the government.
“The KwaZulu-Natal government is giving cycling millions of rands and the Western Cape is mostly funded by big stakeholders and corporate companies,” Xatasi said.
“So it is my duty to see to it that all other provinces get the same, by approaching these provincial governments.
“I will make sure that happens so that they can fund cycling.
“The government gives R600 000 as a grant to cycling nationally.
“That is peanuts as far as cycling is concerned, because it is one of the most expensive sports.”
He said his appointment was a great honour and he hoped that it would bring hope to people in formerly disadvantaged areas.
“It brings hope to the people of the Eastern Cape and other provinces, especially in the previously disadvantaged areas,” he said.
“I want to see to it that a black child gets a bicycle.
“To me the appointment means much because I come from a poor background.
“I come from the townships and I am representing in a previously white-dominated sport,” Xatasi said.
“My term is four years. During my stay I want to work hard and see that people of all colours are integrated into cycling and that they have bicycles.
“Our schools must get bicycles across the country.
“I want to visit townships and rural areas across the country to see to it that development takes place.”
The appointment comes with more responsibilities and extensive travelling.
As the founder and owner of the Siyanqoba Cycling Development Programme, Xatasi said it would not suffer from his absence as there were other people who were able to run it.