Minister Zizi Kodwa’s Media Briefing: Ensuring Sports Accessibility for All South Africans

Honourable N.G Kodwa, Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, recently held a media briefing to address several critical issues related to sports accessibility for all South Africans.

SABC MultiChoice Broadcast Deal

The negotiations between SABC and MultiChoice over broadcast rights for the 2023 Rugby World Cup recently hit an impasse, raising concerns that most South Africans would be unable to watch the event on SABC channels. Minister Kodwa navigated the complexities of the situation, discussing it with the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies and meeting with senior executives from SABC. His primary interest was ensuring that all South Africans could access sports events of national significance. Fortunately, MultiChoice agreed to sublicense the 2023 Rugby World Cup broadcast rights to SABC, allowing millions of South Africans to view the prestigious event. Kodwa emphasized the need for a permanent solution to prevent similar problems from arising in the future.

Supporting the Springboks

As the Rugby World Cup is set to begin, the Minister expressed support for the Springboks, South Africa’s national rugby team. He acknowledged the team’s role in fostering national unity, social cohesion, and national identity. The current Springboks team represents the nation’s diversity and excellence, carrying forward the legacy epitomized by President Nelson Mandela during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. On behalf of all South Africans, Kodwa wished the team success and encouraged them to make the nation proud.

School Sport Indaba

On September 14th and 15th, the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture will host a School Sport Indaba aimed at establishing a national sports program benchmarked against the world’s most effective school sports programs. The Indaba underscores the Department’s focus on grassroots sports development, identifying and nurturing sporting talent at an early stage to bolster South Africa’s future athletic prowess.

Over 30 organizations, teacher unions, sports federations, international bodies, and governments will come together to exchange ideas and develop a blueprint for South African school sports. This collaborative effort seeks to strengthen the country’s sports infrastructure and contribute to the realization of South Africa’s athletic potential.

Minister Zizi Kodwa’s media briefing highlights the government’s endeavors to ensure sports accessibility for all South Africans. By addressing the SABC MultiChoice broadcast deal, supporting the Springboks in the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and organizing the School Sport Indaba, Kodwa demonstrates a commitment to fostering a nation united through sport.