By Ken Borland
JOHANNESBURG, March 23 (Reuters) – South Africa’s Olympic
prospects were boosted on Friday when sports officials received
more than 80 million rand ($10.36 million) from the government
and national lotteries to help with their preparations for the
London Games.
“This amount is an attempt to boost the morale and readiness
of our team,” sports minister Fikile Mbalula said after handing
over a cheque for 34.2 million rand to officials from the Sports
Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).
National Lotteries Board (NLB) chairman Alfred Nevhutanda
said his organisation was giving 47.5 million to Sascoc, up from
allocations of 14 million in 2009/10 and 17 million in 2010/11.
Sascoc has previously complained of underfunding, leading to
a decline in South Africa’s Olympic performance. Having won six
medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, South Africa picked up a
single medal – Khotso Mokoena’s long jump silver – in Beijing
four years ago.
Mbalula used the presentation, in front of Sascoc
executives, heads of federations, athletes and media, as an
opportunity to invite corporate South Africa to support the
Olympic effort.
“We believe that government cannot do this alone. We need
all South Africans, especially our private sector, to come on
board and contribute towards the success of our team in the
Olympic Games. We hope the investment we make today will
encourage the private sector to do likewise,” he said.
Sascoc first vice-president Hajera Kajee said he was
optimistic about the team’s prospects in London in July and
August.
“We are humbled by this support that will help achieve our
athletes’ dreams of being Olympians. Minister Mbalula has been
fully behind Sascoc and our Olympic effort since he came into
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