Nathi Mthethwa, Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture announced that R1.154bn of his department's budget will go to the sports portfolio, with a substantial amount (40% of the department's grant to provinces) going to the School's Sports Programme. The minister also stressed the need for more sporting and recreational infrastructure.

Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture presented on Wednesday the budget for the sports half of his department in Parliament. The departments were merged by President Cyril Ramaphosa when he announced his Cabinet post-elections.

In his address, Mthethwa highlighted the need to cultivate South African sports at grass roots level, the need to invest and to continue championing women's participation in sports. He also announced that a Football Indaba to try and diagnose the issues plaguing the country's most popular sporting code would be held.

The minister said the total budget for the financial year 2019/20 for Sport and Recreation is R1.154-billion. Of this, R744-million will be allocated to mass participation sport and recreation activities, R620-million will be transferred to provincial departments by way of grants to support sport and recreation delivery in the provinces, with R239-million being allocated specifically for school sport. Various sport federations will collectively receive R109-million....