Government, not sporting bodies, must build facilities in poor areas

TO THE individuals at Ekurhuleni who have mooted the idea of a zoo, they need to look at the harsh realities of housing and taking care of wild animals. Wild animals belong in the wild, where nature dictates whether they survive or die.

A zoo, like any other business, requires highly qualified and committed staff, ensuring the animals are cared for on a daily basis… there can be no shortcuts here. Vets have to be on standby all the time, and tons of nutritional food must always be available, the cages cleaned daily… no exceptions.

Ekurhuleni’s track record in looking after the Bunny Park in Benoni and the Bokkie Park in Boksburg is both shameful and abysmal.

A zoo was established in Springs many years ago and eventually had to be shut down because of lack of funding and apathy from the general public.

Mayor Masina, use your creative thought processes and clean up the CBD of all the towns, before concerning yourself with this absurd zoo idea.

Benoni

IN YOUR your recent article, ”Rugby must transform”, your correspondent lauds the Springboks for the recent heroics in winning the Rugby World Cup in Japan, but warns that for the SA Rugby Union, the real work is only just starting.

The implication of the article that it is up to SARU to transform, by utilising Siya Kolisi to develop the game in poorer communities. SARU, he insists must not allow this opportunity to slip as they did in 1995 and 2007.

To my mind, this simply perpetuates the notion that transformation and growth in rugby, and indeed in all

MADAM & EVE sports, is the sole responsibility of the various sporting bodies.

Obviously, they are best placed to provide the quality coaches at all levels, in all sports, and that I’m sure they do, many for nothing more than the love of the game. But ultimately, proper coaching is highly dependent on quality facilities, especially in under-developed areas.

So, what exactly is the government’s role in ensuring that they provide adequate facilities for all sports, including rugby, in these under-developed areas? This question would apply at both national and provincial level simply because we, as tax-payers, are paying handsome salaries and perks to the minister of sport and recreation and his personnel.

The responsibility to provide the critical infrastructure in these neglected areas is those of these departments.

If, as Morgan Bolton says, rugby must transform, then the responsibility lies squarely at the door of national and provincial governments, not the various sporting bodies!

Remember the famous line from the movie, Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come!”

Mogale City

By Stephen Francis & Rico