da blaze casino： CENTURION – The announcement by the United Cricket Board of South Africa ontransformation of cricket holds major implications for those entrusted withthe task of ensuring the unfettered growth of the sport
Bronwyn Wilkinson11-Jul-2002CENTURION – The announcement by the United Cricket Board of South Africa ontransformation of cricket holds major implications for those entrusted withthe task of ensuring the unfettered growth of the sport.This is the view expressed by sports and political leaders invited by theMinister of Sport and Recreation Ngconde Balfour to meet with the UCBfollowing the announcement by the national cricket body that quotas innational and senior provincial teams are to be discarded.Among those present at the meeting were MEC’s responsible for Sport andRecreation, Mondli Gungubele (Gauteng), Webster Mfebe (Free State) andSiphosezwe Masango (Mpumalanga), ministerial advisors Sam Ramsamy and MvuzoMbebe, member of the portfolio committee for sport and recreation in theNational Assembly Bheki Ntuli, CEO of the South African Sports CommissionJoe Phaahla, chief director of Sport and Recreation South Africa GregFredericks, sports administrator Kedi Tshoma and ANC Youth League presidentMalusi Gigaba and communications head Khulekani Ntshangase.The UCB was represented by its president Percy Sonn, CEO Gerald Majola,communications director Bronwyn Wilkinson and transformation managementconsultant Chris Day.As a result of the meeting, the UCBSA reaffirmed their commitment to thetransformation of South African cricket into a truly national sport,representative of all the people of South Africa.They also reaffirmed their commitment to the vigilance and critical reviewof transformation based on unlocking the full value of human and materialassets in order for the UCBSA to be responsible custodians of South Africancricket.The parties reaffirmed a commitment to give equal opportunities for all toparticipate so that South African cricket can draw on all its resources toproduce teams representative of the demographics of the nation.The UCB confirmed its understanding that an expectation exists in SouthAfrica that the team that takes the field during the 2003 ICC Cricket WorldCup in South Africa will have at least five players of colour. The UCBcommitted itself to ensuring that a minimum of five black players would bein the South African national squad for the event.The UCB also confirmed its commitment to the performance agreement signedbetween it and the Minister, in terms of which the UCB commits itself totransformation and representivity.Sonn stressed that the UCB acknowledged that the quota system had allowedcricket to reach a level of excellence and representivity and that quotasdid not mean non-merit. In turn, “merit” did not apply only to whitecricketers, but was a term for excellence of all players. The issue ofquotas should be understood as a transformation strategy employed toexpedite and achieve a merit-based demographic representation in sport inthe country, the meeting agreed.A ministerial committee has been tasked by Balfour to visit all provinces totest the validity of the claims made by the UCB about transformation in thesport. The UCB welcomed this decision and has agreed to co-operate with themembers of this committee.