THE Ministry of Sport and Recreation is hosting a National Sport and Recreation Indaba next month to reconstruct and transform the sport and recreation landscape in the country, and at the same time improving the lives of all its people for an active and winning nation.

We do this inspired by the urgent task to build a collective case for sport and recreation in our national and global discourse, to sharpen our theory, analysis and organisation of sport and recreation in South Africa. Of cardinal importance, we do so to chart a common vision, a common implementation plan, common delivery mechanisms across all spheres of government and society in general for sport and recreation development and excellence, including the total transformation of our sector.

In this indaba we want to reaffirm that in order for the sport and recreation fraternity to contribute meaningfully to the vision of an inclusive citizenship and equal opportunity, it should firmly recognise that the sport and recreation sector involves "more than just playing". It should move from "theory to practice".

It is envisaged that out of this rolling, interactive and forward looking process will emerge a people-centered, developmental and transformative discourse that will continue to evolve organically from every nook and cranny of local society. It will be inspired by thoughts and enhanced by opinions of all sport-loving people in their organised and voluntary formations, gaining its own momentum and culminating in a vibrant debate and solid platform for national dialogue and implementation plan next month in Gauteng.

Planning towards the Indaba, I have instructed all my officials to vigorously roll out consultation forums in the form of sector-to-sector engagement and dialogue in order to reach everyone who has interest in sport and recreation in our country.

In this regard, SRSA has already integrated the programme for stakeholder engagement and consultation into the broader organisational timetable. The dates for the rolling consultation periods with different strategic partners are being synchronised for this month to mid-November.

We will organise different full-day sessions with the business sector, media, broader civil society including NGOs, youth sector, women, Sangoco, NPOs, labour federations, Contralesa, Sanco, sport councils, Salga, people with disabilities and Section 21 companies, coupled with those that are not directly dealing with sport. These consultations will further involve public entities like Boxing South Africa, SAIDS, Sport Trust, National Lottery, etc. In this case the delegation will not only be limited to the boards but also to other secondary players in this sector.

We are looking forward to engaging the broader education sector. We believe that the education sector plays a strategic role in promoting sport and recreation in our communities. This education consultation exercise will cover, but is not limited to, university sports associations, academia, education and training authorities, Council for Higher Education, student movements, governing body structures and teacher unions. It will cover all structured players both at secondary and tertiary levels, including FET colleges.

This process will culminate in Parliament. We have already solicited dates to brief both the National Assembly through the Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation and the National Council of Provinces through its Select Committee on Sport and Education. After committee consultation, we will ask the chief whip of the majority party in Parliament to convene a Joint Houses debate to debate the national Sport and Recreation Indaba and the state of sport and recreation in South Africa.

The indaba's purpose is more than just creating conducive environments, providing resources and facilities and providing scientific support and training. It will provide a platform where sport and recreation issues can be discussed frankly and without prejudice, where policies can be translated into practice and a National Sports Plan can be finalised.

The overall objective is to reach a mass-based, people-centred, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist, united and prosperous and transformative conversation that will continue to evolve purely from all communities to higher echelons of the state. It is our collective wisdom that these thoughts and opinions will result in a solid platform for national dialogue, adoption of a Transformation Charter and unveiling a Sport and Recreation Plan with tailored scorecards.

Thank you.

• Mbalula is Minister of Sports and Recreation