TRANSFORMATION – NETBALL SOUTH AFRICA

1. TRANSFORMATION – NETBALL SOUTH AFRICA BACKGROUND • Netball captured the attention of South Africans in 1995 when an all-white team won silver at the World Netball Championships; although this was a great achievement to a certain extent, it was not celebrated by one and all since it highlighted the effects of apartheid in the exclusion of the majority of other racial groups that make up the majority of S. A’s population. • In 1998 the then National Sport Council engaged in consultative sessions with Netball, the primary objective of which was to set up a Task Team that will lead the process of transforming netball as a code. • The areas of transformation in netball are with regard to redress of inequalities around access (all South African citizens who want to play the sport should be given equal opportunity to play and be eligible for selection into national teams), provision of facilities (all who want to play netball must do so with proper facilities regardless of their location, since history is such that proper netball facilities were (and still noticeably are) found in town areas and capacity building (creating a base of “accredited/qualified” technical officials). • Netball has got 38 affiliate regions and seven Associate Members.

2. POLICIES AND RULES THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE TO ADDRESS TRANSFORMATION • NETBALL STRUCTURES – All netball structures (from the NSA Executive Committee to regional structures) are to be inclusive of all racial groups at a percentage of 50/50 and was implemented successfully with the NSA executive committee. • SELECTION POLICY – Representation on national teams should be 50/50 (6/6) for U/19 and 7/5 for U/21 and Senior Teams and selection should strictly be on merit. The on-court ratio should always be 5/2. Schools use a 4/3 ratio on court to comply with the transformation policy. • TEAMMANAGEMENT (national teams) should be inclusive of all racial groups, if possible a 50/50 ratio should be met. POSITIVES • The policies and rules have changed the face of netball in that all people of South Africa who like netball and are part of netball play netball and participate in most activities organized by NSA. • There has been a number of players of colour (black) who have broken through the ranks and represented S. A. at national and international levels. Most national teams do present the required ratios on merit. The on-court ration of 5/2 is sometimes broken to be 4/3 and this shows growth particularly for the players who were previously disadvantaged. • Team Management complexion has also improved as opportunities have been given to representatives of the previously disadvantaged racial groups.

3. TECHNICAL OFFICIALS • We have two Internationally graded Umpires – Annie Kloppers from Boland and Theresa Prince from Nelson Mandela Bay. • We have Africa Graded Umpires – Elliot Gamede, Rose Wolmarans, Marielouw van der Merwe; the three of them are currently on IFNA’s program as Identified Talent International Development Umpires (have been invited to be observed by IFNA Umpires Grading Board for assessment towards becoming international umpires.

4. CHALLENGES/GAPS • Attitudes and perceptions – Netball still suffers from negativity from those who still believe that good players will be of a certain colour, which implies that other racial groups (black players in particular) should do more than their white counterparts to get into a team. • Demographics – We realize that some of our regions are predominantly populated by one racial group and this puts a challenge on the regions to ensure that they get on board the minority groups; this does not imply that we exclude teams which do not meet the required ratio, we allow them to participate at national championships but they lose points. We expect that at regional and provincial levels they present the required ratio since this is where development takes place. • Funding – NSA urgently needs to get more funds to be able to decentralize its activities and programs, this will ensure that we monitor policy implementation in regions and schools. • International Standard Netball Facility – NSA still has to meet the requirements for provision of facilities to ensure development of netball. Ideally, each province must have an indoor netball facility with a fully-fitted sprung wooden floor.

5. CHALLENGES/GAPS continued........ • Technical knowledge is still centred around the minority who were previously privileged, this purports the exclusion of the previously disadvantaged technical officials who have experience in the technical aspect of the sport but cannot back it up with the required “ accreditation/levels” required for certain technical positions. • The language policy states categorically that English will be the preferred language used by technical officials (coaches in particular) but this also has been used to exclude players or other members when technical officials deliberately use other languages beside English. It is also imperative that English is used so that netball in S. A. does not lag behind as the affiliate member of IFNA. • Netball still struggles to bring on board Asian communities (both as players and officials) due to a number of reasons, some of which are culturally-based. • Netball reflects that more men achieve higher grading in coaching and umpiring as compared to women and this becomes a threat to the growth of netball as the main women sport.

6. PROPOSED WAY FORWARD • NSA proposes to have a new structure in place which will ensure that development programs focus on the regions and that monitoring systems are in place (funded structure in each province). • Decentralizing competitions (regional and provincial championships) and only have provincial teams participating at S A Championships. • Putting in place a system that recognizes knowledge gained through experience vs “levels and grading” that presently act as stumbling blocks for the advancement of more black and Asian people into decision-making positions (coaches/umpires boards). • Strengthening the already existing good working relationship with school netball by intensifying the support given to school technical officials, the involvement of national coaches in their U/17 programs (talent identification) and taking care of the U/19 netball players who are still school-going.