South Africans love sport and many companies have exploited this to build their brands. When it comes to corporate social investment (CSI), though, they must do more than just sponsor highÂ-profile events that guarantee a return on the millions spent on them.
This year the Mail & Guardian introduces a new category in its Investing in the Future Awards to honour companies that have invested in sports development.
Almost 50% of companies involved in sports development pick one sport to support. One of the most popular is cricket.
In the past weeks cricket has been in the spotlight for less positive reasons as South Africa’s cricket management fights about how transformation should take place. But if true transformation starts at the bottom, that is where the most help is needed from companies.
Standard Bank is one of the biggest cricket sponsors in South Africa and is well known for supporting high-profile events. In 2005 the bank announced it would donate R19-million to Cricket South Africa development projects: Standard Bank High Performance Cricket, the Standard Bank Schools Development Programme and Standard Bank Under-13 National Cricket Week.
Another sponsor, cookie company Bakers, has taken a special interest in school-age cricket. Launched in 1982, Bakers Mini Cricket began in Gauteng with R50 000 in sponsorship. To date, more than 100 000 children have been involved in Bakers Mini Cricket all over the country.
To address South Africa’s desperate need for spin bowlers, North West agricultural company Senwes stepped in and launched the Senwes Spinners Cricket Development Programme in Potchefstroom’s Sedgars Park in 2006.
That year the programme focused on rural communities of North West, providing learners with equipment, clothing and coaching. It included a knockout competition for under-13s at primary schools in eight towns. Twelve top players from the tournament were chosen to attend a rural excellence academy where they were trained by coaches for the North West Cricket Association.
“Coaches are the salesmen of dreams. They don’t just teach them [the youngsters] how to play cricket, they’re teaching them to dream,” said Jacques Faul, CEO of the North West Cricket Association.
In the Border area, where development cricket is experiencing a boom, the Border Cricket Development Programme Project is encouraging previously disadvantaged children to play cricket. DaimlerChrysler became involved with the programme a few months before taking on the provincial sponsorship in 1991.
Through sponsorships, donations and sports development programmes great talent has been discovered. Makhaya Ntini and Nolubabalo Ndzundzu, who became the first black woman cricketer to represent South Africa in England and at the World Cup in New Zealand, are two of the programme’s success stories.
According to DaimlerChrysler, in 2004 more than 65% of the players selected for the province’s teams came from previously disadvantaged communities.