Neglected and dilapidated sports facilities a cause for concern
MOROKE – The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo has expressed concerns over the neglected and dilapidated state of sports facilities in parts of the province.
The terrible state of the facilities prompted the DA to call for assistance of the Limpopo Department of Sports, Arts and Culture to save municipalities in that regard.
The party’s call is subsequent to an oversight inspection of municipal sport infrastructure in Musina and Fetakgomo Tubatse, Moroke Village outside Burgersfort that revealed that the facilities built at great cost have become neglected and dilapidated white elephants.
Suzan Phala, Limpopo DA Spokesperson on Sports, Arts and Culture, indicated that they have written to the Limpopo Sport, Arts and Culture MEC, Thandi Moraka to engage corporate and support municipalities in better maintaining and utilizing their sport infrastructure.
Phala said that Ntoampe Sports Centre in Fetakgomo Tubatse which was upgraded at a cost of R3 million was a shell of what it once was after it was vandalized and stripped of all the fencing and bathroom fixtures.
According to Phala the Masisi Sports Centre in Musina has no security guards and this has led to the vandalism and dilapidated state of the facility which was built less than four years ago.
She further said that Madimbo Sports Centre, also in Musina, also has been vandalized with equipment at it, including water pumps, stolen and the facility left in a state of despair. Phala informed that the two facilities in Musina cost in excess of R12 million.
“It is clear that these facilities have fallen victim to neglect, incompetence and poor management. We cannot continue to let taxpayers’ money, which could have been used for other priorities, go to waste while other services in municipalities collapse,” said Phala.
Phala added that the department has a responsibility to make sport and recreation accessible to all people in the province and to maximize access, development and excellence at all levels of participation in sport and recreation.
“MEC Moraka and her department must engage, support and assist municipalities in ensuring the complexes are regularly in use for sporting other purposes , and to share best practices in securing and maintaining sport infrastructure,” said Phala.
