When politicians attempt to further capture sport.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) has just received an e-mail from the Gauteng Sports Council (GSC) in which GSC is attempting to get a 'Johannesburg Sports Council' (JCS) off the ground.

The preamble of such JCS states:

"The Johannesburg Sports Confederation is herein established in terms of the Articles of Association of Gauteng Sports Confederation and South African Sports Confederation Olympic Committee. JSC stands by confirming the philosophy of non-racial and non-sexism to be the guiding principle in our endeavor to enhance unity, peace and harmony in sport in Johannesburg. The main object of JSC is to implement all GSC and SASCOC programs and to act as a controlling body of sports and recreation in Johannesburg.

The main object of JSC is to implement all GSC and SASCOC programs and to act as a Coordinating body of sports and recreation in Johannesburg.

JSC is responsible for the oversight of transformation, development and all the activities of all the sports and recreation done by its members. JSC will act as a controlling body for preparation and delivery of Team Johannesburg to all provincial games.

JSC will act as a coordinating body for preparation and delivery of Team Johannesburg to all provincial games."

Immediately on reading the preamble, warning bells sound off in my mind.

Really, the main object is to implement GSC and SASCOC programs, what about those of the athletes?

This is the danger of having too many tiers of membership, those who accept the positions of being an office-bearer quickly forget that they are there to serve the athlete, not the entrenched status quo.
Those drafting the JCS' Constitution have also seemingly forgotten to read the Sport and Recreation Act, Number 110 of 1998 (as amended) which makes the national federations to be the sole authorities.

Also, how will this new organisation deliver 'Team Johannesburg' to all provincial games? For a start it will have to comply with the national federation, and be affiliated to the national federation.
Only a politician with a very poor grasp of sports law could have drafted this document, and only politicians with ulterior motives could be proposing this half-baked proposal.