The SA School Sport National Championships is the culmination of the minister' sports plan, which seeks to ensure maximum access to sport, recreation and physical education in most schools within South Africa.
In 2011, the Ministry of Sport & Recreation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Basic Education, wherein both departments had an agreement on specific roles to play regarding the programme.
This agreement saw the development of the School Sport programme, which was launched on 5 November 2011 at Vista, Soweto, followed by the signing of the MoU.
The MoU commits both departments to deliver a sustainable integrated plan to provide school children with opportunities to take part in physical education and organised sport through the creation of an accessible and implementable school sport support system.
To drive the programme further, the SA Schools Shootout took place for six days during a three-week period earlier this year in Johannesburg. The National Schools Sport League Programme was then launched on the 28 March 2012 in Mamelodi.
The SA School Sport National Championships is the ultimate sport competition for various schools in the provinces, which compete in nine sporting codes, namely:
- Athletics : Tuks Stadium from 14 to 15 December 2012;
- Basketball : St Mary's High School & University of Pretoria, Mamelodi Campus from 11 to 15 December 2012;
- Wheelchair Basketball : Pretoria West Indoor Hall from 11 to 15 December 2012;
- Chess : Pretoria Show Grounds from 11 to 15 December 2012;
- Cricket : St. Alban's College from 11 to 15 December 2012;
- Volleyball : Heartfelt Centre, Valhalla from 11 to 15 December 2012;
- Gymnastics : Joni Bach Sport Centre from 11 to 13 December 2012;
- Football : University of Pretoria TUKSSPORT from 11 to 15 December;
- Netball : University of Pretoria TUKSSPORT from 11 to 14 December; and
- Rugby : University of Pretoria TUKSSPORT on 11, 12 and 14 December.
The competitions started at 8h00, the opening ceremony was held on 10 December 2012 at Lucas "Masterpieces" Moripe Stadium, Atteridgeville, at 5pm.
The closing ceremony will be held at TUKSSPORT, University of Pretoria's Rembrandt Hall on 15 December at 6pm.
