The South African Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (SASAPD) hosted a focused strategic planning session this past weekend in Cape Town, where key leaders from across the country gathered to align around the organisation’s long-term vision and ensure meaningful implementation at all levels.
The weekend brought together the National Executive Committee, provincial leadership, and national code convenors representing the eight disability sport codes. Delegates arrived from across all nine provinces for three days of intensive strategic discussion and collaborative planning, from Friday through to Sunday. The session marked the culmination of months of preparation and forms part of SASAPD’s broader strategic outlook toward 2029 and the next Paralympic cycle.
At the heart of the gathering was a unified commitment to SASAPD’s new strategic direction and securing buy-in across every level of the organisation. The goal: to ensure that vision translates into real-world delivery for athletes, clubs, and communities involved in disability sport.
A major focus was the SASAPD Membership Management Portal, a digital system developed to assist clubs, provinces, convenors, and classifiers with managing member data and planning deliverables. Attendees workshopped the platform, offered input and discussed how best to encourage clubs on its use to maximise usage impact.
The event also included detailed discussions on club growth, with provinces sharing insights on expanding participation, building sustainable structures, and overcoming barriers in under-resourced areas. Strengthening club systems and supporting grassroots sport were identified as key pillars of SASAPD’s long-term success.
Another critical area of focus was athlete classification. Delegates highlighted the need for improved coordination, scheduling, and communication to ensure athletes are fairly and timeously classified. The strategic plan recognises this as foundational to athlete development and equitable competition.
Code convenors from the eight recognised disability sport codes—Athletics, Swimming, Powerlifting, Boccia, Cerebral Palsy Football, Judo, Para Cycling, and Goalball—presented updates on their current performance levels, upcoming events, and strategic priorities. These reports helped identify areas of excellence and concern, and contributed to refining SASAPD’s performance-focused planning going forward.
SASAPD President Jean Miggels commended the commitment shown over the weekend, saying: “I was very happy with the 100% attendance turnout—but mostly with the passion everyone has for disability sport. There is no doubt that the future of disability sport looks bright, and that our added value to members truly shows that SASAPD is a home for all sport persons with a disability.”
The weekend not only strengthened internal alignment but reaffirmed SASAPD’s commitment to inclusive growth, athlete-centred development, and excellence in delivery. With a clear roadmap and renewed energy, the organisation now moves forward with confidence toward its long-term goals.
