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Mbeki: Sport development key
26/10/2007 14:14 - (SA)
Pretoria - The failure to develop sport at school level is one of the country's biggest mistakes, President Thabo Mbeki said in Pretoria on Friday.
"We don't put sufficient development in sports and we haven't committed resources needed and this is one of our biggest mistakes, " Mbeki said at the Union Buildings, where he was handed the Webb Ellis Cup by the Springboks following their World Cup victory against England.
He said development needed to be built from below.
He joked that the rugby team's win at the Rugby World Cup inspired soccer team Bafana Bafana to win against Zambia on Wednesday.
Mbeki said we need to put behind the controversy of transformation in sports teams, and instead create conditions which will build sports.
The Union Building was decked with decorations during the handover ceremony.
Employees at the Union Buildings were showing their support by wearing green shirts emblazoned with the words "Rugby World Champions".
Green flags were draped over the building and vuvuzelas could be heard outside the marquee
The team was treated like royalty as they walked down the read carpet to the tune of "We are the Champions".
There were loud cheers and applause when they entered one of the marquees that had been erected at the buildings.
They would spend Friday in a victory parade through Pretoria and Johannesburg.
- SAPA
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