Lack of funds scuppers projects
A LACK of money has temporarily put paid to plans to upgrade sports facilities and cultural precincts in Nelson Mandela Bay.
About 13 projects – including the Pebco Three and Northern Areas memorials – have been placed on hold due to budget constraints.
The metro’s executive director of sport, recreation, arts and culture, Noxolo Nqwazi, revealed this at a portfolio committee meeting on Friday.
Infuriated councillors immediately lashed out at officials, who they said were not taking the affected communities seriously.
Nqwazi said the projects were likely to be suspended in the 2017-18 financial year as well, due to the lack of funds. The affected projects are: ý Mqolomba Precinct – Phase 1; ý Jabavu Stadium upgrade; ý Daleview – upgrade of seating facility and new grandstand; ý Mzontsundu – new change rooms; ý Gelvandale Stadium – new roof; ý NU2 Stadium – completion of suites;
ý Uitenhage Indoor Sports Centre – assessment floor; ý Kwazakhele pool – entrance; ý Zwide memorial – Pebco Three; ý Northern Areas Memorial; ý Motherwell – Nobel Peace Prizewinners park; ý Gelvandale Hockey Turf upgrade; ý Red Location Museum; and ý Springs Resort – entrance canopy. Councillors were shocked at the cuts, saying all the affected projects were developments planned for poor communities.
ANC councillor Siphiwo Plaatjies said he was bothered by the number of projects put on hold while the city budgeted for the demolition of the derelict Telkom Park stadium.
“We are supposed to favour development in our communities, yet we are finding ourselves taking the very same resource of development and using it for other things that are not important, like demolitions,” Plaatjies said.
“The Mqolomba [sports park] precinct has suffered the same blow and we are told a certain amount was taken for a demolition – that I don’t understand. “Our areas have no sports facilities. “The Jabavu Stadium was left unfinished and all of a sudden there is no money to continue.”
Nqwazi said most of the affected
projects were still in the planning stages. “It is projects from the 2015-16 financial year that were in planning [that are affected],” she said.
“There were 42 projects added in 2015-16 and we provided the report with the status of every project to the committee.
“The report says some of the projects approved were put on hold because budget roll-over [applications] were not approved.
“Some were put on hold because there were budget cuts – and even in the adjustments budget there were cuts.
“There are projects that have already gone through the planning stages – and we paid for the planning – but there is no budget, so those are put on hold.”
United Front councillor Mkhuseli Mtsila said: “How do you go back to those communities after you have told them there is this project coming, and you now tell them it has been put on hold?”
DA councillor Margaret de Andrade said that it would not make sense to start projects that would not be completed.
“We have to be realistic with the money,” De Andrade said. “Water is a priority in this city.
“There was a burst pipe now in Motherwell and that is going to cost millions to fix.
“But I agree, let us complete one thing and say that in our term we completed this.”
Committee chairwoman Siyasanga Sijadu said she was fighting with the budget and treasury department to reconsider the suspension of some of the projects.
“I became very frantic when I saw this because I believe if you promise something and give hope, and then at the 11th hour you take it away, that is not correct.
“I am fighting for this one,” Sijadu said.
“You cannot spend R2-million on planning for a project, only for it not to happen.”