ELANDSKRAAL – The Elandskraal Stadium, once a beacon of hope for the community of Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality (EPMLM), now stands as a haunting reminder of broken promises and neglect.
The sports facility, meant to serve as a hub for community activities and sports development, lies in a state of disrepair, reflecting the Ephraim Mogale Municipality’s failure to deliver on its commitments.
According to concerned residents, the stadium’s demise is a story of poor planning, inadequate budgeting, and a lack of vision.
The municipality’s decision to allocate taxpayer funds towards paying a security company to secure the dilapidated and non-functional facility has sparked outrage among concerned residents, who are questioning the logic behind this expenditure.
According to residents, the facility, often referred to as a “white elephant”, has been left to deteriorate and is no longer serving its intended purpose, yet the municipality continues to cough out money to secure it.
This has led many to label the expenditure as “fruitless” and a waste of hard-earned taxpayer money, which could be better utilized elsewhere.
Despite millions being spent on the project, it was left incomplete, and now it is at risk of being repurposed as an animal shelter.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in EPMLM has repeatedly raised concerns about the stadium’s condition, but their voices have fallen on deaf ears.
“The Elandskraal Sports Facility is an example of poor planning and bad service delivery by Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality. It is a travesty that a facility meant to serve the community has been allowed to deteriorate to this extent,” said Flip Jacobs, DA Councillor in EPMLM.
Residents are also outraged, calling for the municipality to fix its mistakes and deliver basic services to the people.
“Our community deserve better. We have been let down by the municipality and it is unacceptable. They need to take responsibility and fix this stadium,” said a community member, Mpho Mothupi.
He added that lack of maintenance, proper budget, and plans for revenue collection has led to the stadium’s current state, leaving residents feeling frustrated and betrayed.
“It is a shame because this stadium could have been a hub for sports and community activities. Instead, it is a monument to the municipality’s incompetence. The situation is dire, and residents are demanding action. We need answers, and we need them now. Why was this project abandoned? Who is responsible? And what will be done to fix it?” asked Mothupi.
He said they will demand the municipality to engage the community to respond their concerns and take concrete steps to address the situation.
“People of Ephraim Mogale Municipality deserve better than to be let down by their municipality. It’s time for accountability and action,” concluded Mothupi.
Unfortunately, the Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality was yet to respond on these matters, the Sekhukhune Times will run a follow-up when they respond.