Nathi Mthethwa (Gallo Images)

• Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa has met with three sporting codes regarding their transformation scorecards.
• This comes after his department released the Eminent Persons Group report in June.
• Mthethwa took issue with two codes in particular – swimming and hockey – while cricket is also under the microscope.

Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa has met with three sporting codes regarding their transformation scorecards.

This comes after his department released the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) report in June.

The report, which focused on the 2018/2019 period, was thoroughly studied by the minister who made his assessment on the state of transformation in 19 sporting codes.

Mthethwa took issue with two codes in particular – swimming and hockey – and said he would be meeting with the individual federations to engage further on the EPG findings.

He said the two failed as they did not meet their self-set barometer targets.

Cricket is also under the microscope and was only given conditional approval because, amongst other reasons, it fared poorly on African representation. However, it did achieve 70% of its self-set barometer targets, which is higher than the 50% required to avoid penalty imposition.

“Federations should take the issue of transformation seriously as it is non-negotiable. As the minister of this portfolio, I would be failing the people of South Africa and violating our constitution if I fail to act decisively against sport transformation delinquents,” Mtethwa said in a press statement.

For federations achieving less than 50% of self-set targets, one or more of the following penalties may apply:

– The suspension or withdrawal of Government funding

– The authority to bid or stage international tournaments locally may be revoked

– The withdrawal of the right to award national colours

– The withdrawal of the recognition of a national federation in terms of the National Sport and Recreation Act, 1998 (Act No 110 of 1998 as amended)

The affected governing bodies now have the obligation of making a representation as to why the minster should not impose one or more of the above-mentioned enforcement measures.

– Compiled by Sport24 staff