(Note to Editors: The following Budget Debate was delivered during a Sitting of the KZN Legislature held today)
Today’s KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Sports Arts and Culture debate comes just days after the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Democratic Alliance extends its congratulations to the Bafana Bafana team following its historic achievement in reaching the knock-out stages. This achievement again demonstrates how sport unites South Africans.
Sport, arts and culture is often viewed as a “nice-to-have” portfolio. The DA rejects this. These sectors shape our identity, preserve our heritage, inspire our young people, build healthier communities, and contribute significantly to our provincial economy. They are investments – not expenses.
The Budget
The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has managed to protect many important programmes despite continued fiscal pressures. The DA recognises the difficult financial environment in which this budget has been prepared. National Treasury reductions, lower inflation adjustments and reductions to conditional grant baselines have placed real pressure on the department’s ability to deliver. Those realities cannot be ignored.
However, acknowledging financial constraints does not prevent asking important questions about priorities, efficiency and measurable outcomes. Every rand spent must improve the lives of KZN’s people.
Encouraging aspects within the budget include:
• Continued investment in libraries, archives and digital access. Libraries remain one of the few public spaces where every citizen, regardless of income, can access knowledge, technology and opportunities.
• Continued provincialisation of libraries and the introduction of e-books are also positive interventions. E-books may be more economically viable, but access to connectivity can be an obstacle for residents. Libraries must still make physical books available for users.
Projects
Libraries such as those at Imbali, Umzumbe and KwaMdakane are promised to communities amid fanfare and sod turning then come to a standstill for various reasons. DSAC must implement stricter project management and oversight to ensure that possible interruptions and delays are immediately dealt with.
The DA welcomes ongoing investment in sporting infrastructure, community recreation facilities and school sport programmes. It has the potential to improve public health, reduce crime and create opportunities for young people.
Heritage Institutions
Continued support for heritage institutions demonstrates a commitment to preserving KZN’s rich cultural heritage of our province. All these cultures should be respected and celebrated equally.
Measurable Outcomes
This budget can be strengthened by ensuring these investments translate into measurable outcomes. Building facilities is important. Keeping them maintained, properly managed and actively used is even more important.
Across KZN sports fields stand unused due to inadequate maintenance budgets. There are new libraries with excellent infrastructure but insufficient new material and programmes to attract young readers.
Infrastructure without activity does not change lives. The department should therefore place greater emphasis on utilisation, maintenance and community partnerships.
The DA has consistently argued that municipalities, sporting federations, schools and local organisations should be empowered to manage facilities through accountable partnerships. Communities protect what they own.
Economic potential
One of the greatest opportunities contained within this portfolio is the economic potential of sport. KZN already hosts some of South Africa’s premier sporting events:
• The Durban July generates more than R700million for KZN’s economy, supporting more than 4 000 jobs,
• The Comrades Marathon contributes more than R210 million in direct expenditure,
• The Dusi Canoe Marathon injects between R25million and R30million into the economies of Pietermaritzburg and Durban,
• The Amashova Cycle Race contributes more than R60 million while creating hundreds of employment opportunities, and
• The Ballito Pro generates more than R50million for the KwaDukuza economy.
Collectively, these events inject well over R1billion into KZN’s economy annually. Sport is not just expenditure. It is investment, it stimulates tourism, supports hospitality, grows small businesses, creates employment, attracts visitors and it showcases KZN globally.
This is why DSAC cannot operate in isolation. The DA proposes stronger collaboration with KZN’s Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) department, municipalities, private sponsors and sporting federations to establish our province as South Africa’s premier sports tourism destination. With coordinated planning the calendar of international and national sporting events can be expanded, extending visitor stays and maximising economic benefits for local businesses.
Arts and Culture
The same applies to arts and culture. Artists, performers and creative entrepreneurs are not looking for permanent government dependence. They are looking for opportunity.
Government must focus on creating an enabling environment that allows them to thrive – through stronger private sector partnerships, greater support for cultural festivals, better marketing of heritage tourism and improved access to funding for emerging artists.
Projects such as Pietermaritzburg’s Churchill Theatre must be completed, handed over and start offering creative performers space to showcase their talent as well as generate income.
Organisational Capacity
DSAC plans to fill several critical vacancies and strengthen its organisational capacity which is encouraging. However, the DA believes that filling posts should never become an objective in itself. Every appointment must be made on merit and improve service delivery.
KZN’s people do not judge success by the number of organisational charts completed. They judge it by whether services improve in our communities. There must be stronger performance reporting and a focus on outcomes.
GPU performance
The Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) – of which the DA is a committed partner – has shown that constructive engagement delivers better results than political grandstanding. Where departments are willing to engage openly with oversight committees, recommendations are implemented more effectively and public money is better protected.
The DA remains committed to constructive oversight. Where government performs well, we will acknowledge it. Where improvements are needed, we will offer practical solutions. Our responsibility is not simply to criticise – it is to build a better KwaZulu-Natal.
This budget provides a platform to achieve DSAC’s strategic objectives. But budgets alone do not change lives. This takes leadership, innovation, partnerships and accountability. The focus must be on measurable outcomes, maintaining infrastructure, unlocking sports tourism, growing the creative economy and ensuring every rand delivers value for money.
The DA supports every initiative that expands opportunity, strengthens communities and builds a prosperous KZN. Sport, arts and culture must become recognised as powerful drivers of economic growth, social cohesion and hope for every resident of our province.