The DA would like to applaud all the South African athletes who participated at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. They have truly made their country proud.
Team SA brought no less than 37 medals home, with the likes of Caster Semenya, Luvo Manyonga and Chad Le Clos outshining their international competitors in their respective codes.
Akani Simbine brought home our first-ever gold medal in the 100m event, while Martin Erasmus clinched the country’s first wrestling gold medal in 60 years.
Our athletes continue to fly our flag high and are consistently raising the bar in the global sports fraternity, despite receiving little institutional support here at home.
We reiterate our call to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) to prioritise and provide greater support for our athletes, instill a sense of competitiveness and ensure good governance in sporting structures to encourage more athletes to work towards competing in international competitions.
The DA is committed to transformation in sports and will continue fighting to ensure SASCOC is inclusive, well-run and sports focused.
Sport brings tangible changes to peoples’ lives and plays a vital role in our national project of social cohesion. It must therefore be given the attention it deserves and the DA will ensure that this is realised.