Premier Panyaza Lesufi announces incentives for Gauteng based Olympics winners - but what is in the packages?
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has announced an incentive package for several athletes who competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, putting South Africa on the global map.
While opening the seventh administration Gauteng Legislature on Thursday night, Lesufi was joined by some of the Olympic medallists.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in this august house, I am not only proud but I am filled with joy to welcome the silver medal winners of 100 meters relay in Paris Olympics that are in the house so that we can congratulate formally for a job well done,” said Lesufi.
The premier saluted Bradley Nkoana, Bayanda Walaza, Shaun Maswangani, Akani Simbine and Tatjana Smith and every South African athlete who won medals at the Olympics.
“Those that are residing in Gauteng, we are ready to unveil our incentive package to you so that it can serve as a token of appreciation from the Gauteng government,” he said.
To unearth new talent across the province, Lesufi announced that a budget of R340 million in the 2024/2025 financial year has been allocated for school sports and recreation programmes to ensure that young athletes have access to quality training, facilities, and competitions through the renewal of the Wednesday League School Programme.
On Friday, Lesufi told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that the packages to be given to the Olympics athletes will be determined by the needs.
Asked about the budget, Lesufi responded: “I will have to talk to them first. Really, you can say you want to give them a car, and you find that you are giving them a cheaper car – they have got a car that is much better. Or you are giving them a house, only to find that they are not ready for a house, they are ready for something, they want to conclude their studies, they need a bursary”.
Lesufi said the provincial government is keen to assist the athletes, including their educational needs.
“Let us engage their representatives … I am glad that there is somebody there (Bayanda) that is in matric and definitely they will need a bursary, and we are ready to step in and provide the particular bursary,” said the premier.
Earlier this week, IOL reported that Team South Africa concluded the 2024 Paris Olympics with an impressive haul of six medals.
The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) has also announced financial incentives for the country’s athletes prior to the games, rewarding them for their performances on the global stage.
South Africa finished in joint 44th place on the medals table, sharing the position with countries like Jamaica. Kenya led the African nations with a total of 11 medals, including four golds. Other African countries that made the medals table include Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia, while Nigeria, despite sending 88 athletes, did not secure any medals.
The next Summer Olympics will take place in Los Angeles in 2028.
IOL