Department shocked by mayor’s attempts to hand over sport field
THE KZN Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has expressed its shock at what it termed Jozini Mayor Mfananaye Mathe’s ‘underhanded attempts and tactics to hand over a sports field’ in the area.
This after Mathe recently announced that since the construction of the Indumo
Sports Complex had been completed, an announcement by the local municipality would soon be made about when it would be handed over.
The DSAC said the sport complex was built by the national and provincial governments and so it was condemnable that Mathe intended ‘to officially open’ it and hand it over independently.
“It is important to clarify and set the record straight that the Indumo Sport Complex is part of the Inkululeko Development Project and was developed with funding from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (national and provincial) and the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG), amounting to over R21-million between 2012 and 2023.
“Contrary to misleading information, Jozini Municipality contributed only R302 000 to Phase 4b, completed in the 2022/23 financial year. Phases 1 to 4a were funded by DSAC and MIG, totalling over R21-million,” reads a statement by the DSAC.
The department further said it retains ownership of public sport and recreational infrastructure.
It added that the library in Ndumo, which is yet to be officially opened, also belongs to the provincial government.
DSAC MEC Ntuthuko Mahlaba emphasised that Jozini Municipality cannot hand over this project without involving the department that spearheaded its construction.
"We are aware that the municipality has issued statements about Mayor Mfananaye Mathe's intention to officially hand over this facility without consulting my office. This misrepresentation misleads the people of Jozini and uMkhanyakude, who might believe the facility was entirely delivered by Jozini, which played a minimal role in its construction," he said.
The department said it and the provincial government would, in the near future, announce plans and dates to hand over the sport complex to the Indumo community as part of its Sukasambe programme.
The department further said Mahlaba warned Jozini Municipality about opening the sport facility when he addressed the people of uMhlabuyalingana during a Sukasambe programme event held in Mbazwana last Sunday.