Gauteng Premier David Makhura says putting proper infrastructure and resources into sports facilities in townships will have a positive effect on the lives of young people.

He was speaking at the Gauteng Women in Sport Festival in Kagiso in the West Rand.

“Sport is about nation building and it is also about the economy. This means that as government we must put resources into sport by investing in proper infrastructure in the townships in particular.

“We need proper infrastructure. We need to ensure that in the townships in particular, there is proper facilities…where our children must not be wasted to drugs. They must have places to burn their energy. If that energy is not directed, it will be wasted,” he said.

The Premier added that government must also invest in the talents of young people and ensure that young prodigies are nurtured.

“Those sports personalities, young people and young women who excel in sports…we must support their education, their university studies and make sure that they get into the best academies not only in South Africa, but also in the world. That’s our function as government,” he said.

The provincial government is dedicated to the empowerment of women and girl children.

“That includes ensuring that our communities are safe but it also includes ensuring that our girl children are raised empowered, educated…to be independent. So the first act of empowerment, of creating a more equal society is to educate the girl child. We invest hugely…to educate the girl child,” he said.

Turning to the scourge of women and child abuse, Premier Makhura called on men to take responsibility for the high rates of gender based violence, rape and abuse in society.

“The police figures say that many of the women who are raped are actually raped in their homes where they are supposed to feel much safer. We as men dip our heads in shame. We must dip our heads in shame. It’s not enough to say ‘It’s not me’. We have to be on the side of action. To take action in our society to bring this to an end and to bring this to an end,” he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency