Season tickets concern as BCM pools stay shut
BCM advises holders to approach pool officials if they want money back
Season ticket holders at Buffalo City Metro (BCM) public swimming pools are concerned they are getting a raw deal because the facilities have yet to open.
The pools, in particular the Joan Harrison and Ruth Belonksy complexes, were recently targeted by vandals. Now residents are wondering what they will get in return for money paid for season tickets.
Photographs sent to the Dispatch by readers wondering what will become of their investment show both the main pool and diving pool at the Joan Harrison without water.
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said so far, the municipality had not received requests for season ticket refunds.
“The affected members of public will have to approach the relevant pool officials with their request for refunding, including presenting their tickets as proof.
“This will not be applicable to all season tickets as there are different types of season tickets,” he said.
Ngwenya said the finance department and legal services would then be consulted.
“We also have to be mindful of the fact that Covid-19 was something that could not be predicted or foreseen and it affected everybody, so there’s no script on how this must be handled.”
Ngwenya said the opening of the pools would be advertised once BCM was ready to do so.
“We are currently exploring safety protocols for lifesavers like PPE [personal protective equipment] and so on. Once the safety of our lifesavers has been addressed and the proper safety gear has been acquired, then the facilities will be opened.”
Buffalo City Aquatics club’s Timothy September said: “We hadn’t bought our tickets yet and will engage with BCM once the pools are open.”
DA councillor Tessa Botha said it was no secret that the BCM community services department was dysfunctional.
“There are no proper management systems in place, resulting in a ‘ don’t care attitude’, no proper security and there are many vacancies,” she said.
Botha confirmed that the Joan Harrison main pool and diving pools were empty.
“It ’ s a shame that this one-ofa-kind complex, with an Olympic-sized pool, always lands up in the paper for all the wrong reasons — it should be a wake-up call for the community services department.
“If we don’t upgrade it, we’ll lose out on the economic benefits of something that’s an asset to the city — it’s sad to see the lack of insight.”
The Dispatch reported this week that the Joan Harrison complex had been hit by thieves who stole equipment worth R335,000.
The most expensive piece was the electronic timing device, which cost R260,000. A starting device, at about R70,000 and tools worth R5,000 were also taken.
Previously, Ngwenya said the community was also responsible for guarding properties.
“We are now repairing damaged property, but the communities also have a responsibility to safeguard their properties.
“We cannot have it as a normal thing that facilities, stadiums, schools and clinics have to be protected against the very same people they serve.”
At the Ruth Belonksy pool complex in Parkside vandals have ripped away barbed wire fencing and the CCTV cameras have been stolen.