GSWP 69 – SSA Investigation follow up & other clarifications

To whom it may concern…

Please note the letter from Mr Badenhorst, copied and pasted verbatim except for numbering his points.

Some comments on his question in reply…as I highly doubt an answer from SSA will be forthcoming.

I must also with sadness note that of the 5 members contacted to attend the GSWP awards function as guests of honor, none even bothered to reply to the invitational email. A leadership body that fails to connect, communicate and inspire following only engender distance, misperception and mistrust. Not at all an ideal situation in a sport driven by people who are definitely more passionate than your average man in the street.

Answers to the best of my knowledge:

1) The Organizational structure for Gauteng:
a. Minister of Sport
b. SRSA (Sport and Recreation SA)
c. SSA (Swimming South Africa)
d. GA (Gauteng Aquatics) & Schools Water polo SA (on a separate leg)
e. Central Gauteng Aquatics
f. Central Gauteng Water Polo Board of Control
g. Gauteng Schools

2) SSA is supposed to request funding via a SRSA for water polo through a budget plan that is approved by SRSA if the books of the previous year are in order. The monies allocated depend on the number of participants, development, transformation and mass participation.

3) At point g in the structure Gauteng Schools only receive ad hoc information from SSA through media releases and from the Central Gauteng Water Polo Board of control. I need to note that Ms. Peta Kaplan who has to represent schools at the CGA Board meetings does not, by her own admission at a CGA board meeting, represent water polo schools. The reason she has given is unclear and I have observed at the meetings that no funding for schools for water polo is submitted from her desk. Swimming on the other hand, receives significant funding from CGA and SSA.

4) My understanding is that someone hijacked the South African Olympic teams entry as the quota was not at the desired level. If you start speaking to people in positions that matter everyone suddenly develops selective amnesia.

5) To date Gauteng Schools have not been invited to a single planning meeting and in fact we were specifically told that we were NOT allowed to attend. I have spoken to Mr Ishmael Vaieej via telephone and have met Mr. John Moodley once or twice. To date only demands have been made and certainly money has not been made available. There is much talk that there is money available but I will believe it when I see it. Provincial Schools also operate under the umbrella of SWPSA which have good and functional policies and are able to usefully implement decisions made by leadership. (In my opinion)

6) SSA have held a coaching clinic in 2008. The clinic was excellent.

Yours in polo
Marius Buys
Chairman Gauteng Schools Water Polo
11 November 2008
076 800 6983
buysm@stdavids.co.za

Dear Aquatics Sports Management

As a passionate supporter of water polo as sport and a parent of current players, a number of questions come to mind, especially after the recent Olympic Games and having seen the Media Statement on a Commission of Enquiry to be held into SSA as attached underneath. It would be much appreciated if you could assist me in understanding these and to obtain a clearer picture of the vision of our current management for this specific aquatics sport. The following questions and comments illustrate some of the uncertainties that I currently have and that one find difficulty in getting answered by administrators:

1) How exactly does the governance of water polo work, because I understand that it resides under SA Swimming. This fact makes one think that the attention to it would be in a diluted and un-informed format? One for example does not even see water polo being mentioned in the Media Statement underneath and when searching for it on the SRSA site (srsa.gov.za) a search on water polo returns with “Sorry no matches found”;

2) What support (organisational and monetary) does the government through its governing bodies like SSA provide to water polo? I trust that this is a matter that is handled in a transparent manner?;

3) Is there an existing written strategy for the development of water polo in South Africa? One virtually never hears anything about water polo in the press or on TV and very limited coverage was received for the sport during the recent Olympic Games;

4) Talking about the Olympic Games, why didn’t our national team participate in the Olympic Games this year? As understood, they are the African champions?

5) To date I was only exposed to the sport on a Provincial level and experienced a lack of commitment, co-ordination, alignment and vision from administrators, especially from SSA and nowhere one can find anything that illustrates government and associated administrative commitment to the development of players of colour. It just seems to come in the form of demands without any tangeable support to achieve these demands or objectives for the future;

6) Similarly one does not see this type of support for coaching personnel and clinics in order to enhance the level of players in the country. Success for any individual player seems to rest solely on the shoulders of such player and his immediate friends, family and support group;

There is a real concern in my mind regarding the vision (or lack thereof) and current status of affairs surrounding water polo in South Africa and your reply on these questions and comments would be greatly appreciated. Any references or contact names where more information could be obtained would also be of great help.

Best regards
JACO BADENHORST
Tel: + 27 12 307 4070
Fax: + 27 12 307 3780
Mobile: + 27 83 609 1322

SSA MEDIA STATEMENT Commission of Inquiry 25th October 2008

For immediate release

The Commission of Inquiry appointed by Swimming South Africa (SSA) has almost completed its work, and is aiming to provide its Report to the SSA Executive Committee on or before 10 November 2008.

The Commission has met on several occasions, and has interviewed coaches, swimmers, management, and officials. It has also received many written submissions from swimmers, coaches, management, officials, and interested members of the public.

The Commission will sit again on 3 and 4 November 2008 in Johannesburg where it will interview witnesses who have to date not been available. The Commission has also sought the assistance of overseas-based coaches, and they have indicated their willingness to co-operate by teleconference.

Recently, the Commission conducted an audit of all the written and oral information received to date, and it is satisfied that it is in a position to fulfil its SSA mandate as contained in its terms of reference.

The Commission has enquired fully into the Sunday Times publication of 31 August 2008 which prompted SSA to appoint the Commission in the first place. It has enquired into performance-related issues such as the SSA national strategy; the national coach; the coaching staff; SSA relationship with SASCOC; the SSA financial support for its swimmers; the SSA management and administration in relation to high-performance swimmers; SSA communication strategies, etc.

The Commission has also enquired into the SSA preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and issues relating to high-performance support, and facilities for its elite swimmers.

The Commission has prepared a time-table with a view to finalising its Report as soon as possible, and this has been communicated to SSA. We trust that with the co-operation of all concerned, we will be in a position to deliver the Report on or before 10 November 2008.

Lastly, it remains to draw attention to the fact that the Commissioners are all volunteers, and are conducting the inquiry on a part-time basis. We therefore wish to stress that the inquiry is on-going, and we ask for patience from the media and anxious swimmers and parents. Whilst the Commission has not yet finalised its Report, it remains open to swimmers, coaches, officials, and interested members of the public to make further or additional written submissions to the Commission.

It is important that the Commission is as fully-informed as possible by all relevant role-players for it to make informed decisions in relation to its findings and recommendations.

We wish to reiterate that the Commission functions entirely independently of SSA, and that its only link with SSA relates to it making logistical and similar arrangements for the Commission to meet and convene from time to time.

NORMAN ARENDSE SC, CHAIRPERSON
KIRSTEN VAN HEERDEN, MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION
ROWEN METH, MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION