Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has vowed to invest in programmes that ensure athletes' success, improve health care and wellness, eradicate hunger and improve life in townships.
In his state of the province address on Thursday, he said lifestyle audits on all heads of departments and CEOs of the GPG agencies had been completed and he was awaiting a report from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
Lesufi said Gauteng was the home of champions. Today this august house is privileged to be joined by, among others, Tatjana Smith, Bradley Nkoane, Bayande Walaza and Shaun Maswangane. All of these distinguished athletes, including Akani Simbini, have put Gauteng on the map. We are ready to unveil our incentive package to these athletes as a token of appreciation by the Gauteng government.
As part of our investment in sports and the creative arts, we have allocated a budget of R340.14m in the 2024/2025 financial year for school sports and recreation programmes to ensure that young athletes have access to quality training, facilities, and competitions through the renewal of the Wednesday League School Programme, he said.
Smith, Simbine and Alan Hatherly lifted Team South Africa to a six-medal haul at the Paris Olympics, doubling the countrys total from Tokyo 2020. Much has been said about the government's lack of support for athletes, but sport, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie has promised to reimburse the parents of Olympic javelin silver medallist Jo-Ane van Dyk.
