Bay risks losing Ironman champs without funds

Time running out for metro to resurface roads

NELSON Mandela Bay is at risk of losing the Ironman 70.3 World Championship event next year if it does not secure R200-million to resurface a 40km stretch of road along the route.

Budget and treasury political head Retief Odendaal issued the warning at a council meeting yesterday.

The city has just more than a year to go before it hosts one of the biggest international showcases.

The municipality wants to use R13-million meant for resurfacing roads in wards across the metro to fund parts of the road upgrades for the Ironman route.

“We have to fund the upgrades of these roads.

“Where do we get the money? We have to start now. If we don’t start now or in the next couple of weeks, we stand a big chance of losing this event,” Odendaal said.

“We all know that we can’t afford to lose this event. The economy and the people of Nelson Mandela Bay cannot afford to lose this event.”

The 40km stretch of road covers Marine Drive, Sardinia Bay Road and Seaview Road. But the R13-million would cover only 3km.

The upgrade of the road was one of the conditions the city had to agree to in order to secure the bid to host the world event, which is expected to bring in about 16 000 visitors.

The roads do not meet the international standards required for the event.

While Odendaal assured councillors that the money would be reinstated in the adjustment budget, he urged councillors to ask themselves how the programme would continue.

“If we are honest about growing sporting tourism, if we are honest that we have a 34% unemployment rate, we have to address these issues,” he said.

But councillors vowed they would not allow money meant for tarring roads in the townships to be used for Ironman.

EFF councillor Yoliswa Yako said her party would not support the move as roads in townships continued to be in a deplorable state.

“I find it quite patronising. I understand how the Ironman is going to be a boost for the economic situation and tourism in Nelson Mandela Bay.

“It is going to look good for the DA to host the Ironman. You can take a million but you can’t take R13-million from money that is supposed to be used in our townships and use it towards tarring a road in a predominantly suburban area,” she said.

ANC councillor Rory Riordan said city manager Johann Mettler had told him earlier in the year that using metro money to upgrade provincial roads would be regarded as fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

“If we start and spend R13-million of our money, and we can’t raise enough money then there’s still a need for a whole lot more money and a whole lot of arrangements,

“We do not know if our money is going to be properly spent. The matter has not been properly interrogated; there is too much that needs more detail,” Riordan said.

Riordan asked that the item be taken back to the budget and treasury committee where it would be interrogated further.

Mayor Athol Trollip agreed to withdraw the item for further discussion, but said councillors needed to be mindful that road construction took time.