Trialogue conducts annual research into CSI spend on each development sector in South Africa. In 2023, 68 large companies participated in Trialogue’s primary research survey. Sports development was supported by 28% of companies and received 1% of average CSI expenditure in 2023. This is higher than in 2022 when 18% of companies supported the sector.
National context of sports development in South Africa
- The national budget for arts, culture, sport and recreation was R6.3 billion in 2023/24, constituting 0.8% of the consolidated government expenditure of R2.24 trillion for the year. Of this, R1.4 billion was allocated to recreation development and sport promotion.
- An additional R229 million has been allocated from the conditional grant to the school sport programme, and R118 million to the club development programme, which includes athletics, aquatics, netball, rugby, cricket and soccer.
- The National Education Infrastructure Management System (Neims) reported in 2021 that 10 038 of the 23 276 public schools in the country – two out of every five schools – do not have sports facilities. Just over half of the country’s schools have sports facilities but Neims does not track whether the facilities are functional and in good condition or not.
- Sport tourism contributes to South Africa’s GDP through domestic and international sports events. In the 2022 financial year, numerous events contributed to the country’s GDP, including R2.13 billion from the Cape Town ePrix held in February 2023 and R765 million from the 2022 Rugby Sevens World Cup in Cape Town.
- South Africa hosted the Netball World Cup in Cape Town in August 2023, with the South African team finishing sixth overall. According to the South African Government News Agency, the event was expected to contribute about R68 million to Cape Town’s economy.
Overview of CSI spend in sports development
Sports development was supported by 28% of companies and received 1% of average CSI expenditure.

2%
Cycling
2%
Athletics
4%
Water-based sports( including swimming, paddling, etc.)
4%
Basketball/netball
4%
Rugby
8%
Multi-disciplinary( i.e to multi codes)
15%
Non-specific general donations
16%
Cricket
45%
Soccer
Average % CSI ports development 2023 n=13
- Soccer remained the most funded sporting code, with an average of 45% sports expenditure in 2023.
- Cricket received the second-largest share of CSI funding in this sector in 2023 (16%).
- Rugby, basketball, netball, water-based sports, cycling and athletics each received less than 5% of sports funding in 2023.
Source: The original version of this article was published in the Trialogue Business in Society Handbook 2023 (26th edition).
Find out more about sports development:
- Read the 2023 case study Pathways to professional sports development: women’s cricket
- See the Overview of CSI spend in sports development for 2022, along with a timeline of notable sports development events in South Africa over the last 25 years.