The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng welcomes the extension of the deadline for the submission of the proposals for the funding of sport, art and culture projects in the province.
This follows the declaration of the 21-day national lockdown by President Ramaphosa to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
The initial deadline for the submission of these proposals was 31 March, however the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation has extended the deadline to 29 May 2020.
The DA supports the extension of the deadline as this will give different sporting clubs, arts and culture projects particularly in the townships, an opportunity to submit their proposals.
Township sporting clubs and various arts and culture projects are facing serious challenges posed by the lack of sporting facilities, equipment and gear for different sporting codes.
The DA believes that this funding should be given to projects that will unearth and nurture local talent across different sporting codes as well as assist in grassroots development.
The DA will monitor how this funding will be allocated to ensure that projects that benefit residents are prioritised, and that the money is spent on fulfilling the core mandate of this department.