Football team cries foul over Hartleyvale
FC Kapstadt and CT City in lease agreement spat
TWO POPULAR city football clubs are at the centre of a tussle over of the use of fields after the City of Cape preferred one over the other in the awarding of a lease agreement. FC Kapstadt has a long standing agreement to use fields at Hartleyvale. However the City of Cape Town entered into a lease agreement with Cape Town City Sporting Club for Hartleyvale Stadium A and Malta Park B. The lease was issued earlier this year. It is valid for two years and 11 months.
President of FC Kapstadt, Zaid Omar, threatened to take the City to court over the agreement.
“FC Kapstadt will not give up its rights to Hartleyvale A field and remains defiant in using it for training and matches,” he said.
He alleged that Cape Town City colluded with the City in a corrupt manner to fast track their application and lease agreement. He further alleged that Cape Town City wanted to use the field for commercial development.
Omar said his club had a legitimate
expectation for a lease agreement from the City based on agreement made in 2009 when the club was moved from training at the Green Point Common, before the 2010 Soccer World Cup, to Hartleyvale Stadium D.
He said since then they had been making use of Hartleyvale A without a lease agreement.
“The historical nine-year exclusive use of Hartleyvale A and D fields by FC Kapstadt is also not taken into consideration by the City. Nor did the City at any point consult or consider FC Kapstadt or any other qualifying sports club or entity for a lease agreement for Hartleyvale A field or Malta Park B field.
“This demonstrates that the City was favouring Cape Town City for a lease agreement for the Hartleyvale Stadium when several other sports land is available,” he said.
However, mayco member for safety and security, and social services JP Smith said proper procedures were followed in granting the lease.
He said Omar’s club was using Hartleyvale A field on a pay and play basis which meant that they had to prebook the field just like any other club. He said no one had the rights to that particular field.
Smith said a usage assessment was done by the City where officials visited Hartleyvale and got comments and information from all clubs making use of the stadiums.
“Omar was entitled to one field only. He refused to participate in the usage assessment , but was rather evasive and sent us a lawyers letter.
“There are 1.5 clubs for every field; there are more clubs than there are fields.
The City’s policy is clear – we need to ensure that playing fields are available to all clubs,” he said.
Smith said the City tried to accommodate FC Kapstadt. He said they approached the neighbouring circus to share a portion of the field which they were not using with Omar’s club.
“We spent hours trying to find ways to solve his problem. But Omar did not conduct himself in good faith. He had been giving insults, defamatory statements to the City,” said Smith.
Cape Town City Sporting Club chairman, John Comitis refused to comment on allegations made by Omar.
“Cape Town City Sporting Club has a legally binding agreement which followed due process,” said Comitis.
OMAR WAS ENTITLED TO ONE FIELD ONLY. HE REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE USAGE ASSESSMENT