A “poor” state of sporting facilities in Gugulethu gives a local sporting body sleepless nights.
Regarded as one of Cape Town’s oldest townships, Gugulethu has witnessed a deterioration of its sporting facilities in recent months, with the Gugulethu Sports Council (GSC) seeking urgent intervention from the municipality.
The GSC says the conditions force the children to engage in dangerous alternatives, such as playing on public roads and other unsafe areas.
The sporting body claims that while most facilities are appalling those in good condition are controlled by individuals with personal interests.
Nceba Sandlana, GSC chair, says they want to revive the sport in the community to keep the children away from the streets. Meetings have been held with various sporting codes to find solutions, he says.
“In Gugulethu, we have different sporting codes including soccer, tennis, karate, netball, boxing etc. When we had a meeting with them they all complained about the poor facilities. Some of the centres, such as Ikwezi Sports and Recreation Centre at NY2, cannot be used by the children for various reasons. In most cases, some people rent the centres for memorial services and other activities which are not related to sports. These leave many children who are training karate, boxing, tennis and other sports codes suffering,” said Sandlana, adding that Luyolo Sports Centre at NY126 had become a home to more than 30 families.
The families moved to the hall in 2018 from a piece of land next to the facility. They illegally occupied the land.
Sandlana says all the tennis courts at the Gugulethu Sports Complex, Ikhwezi and NY 122 have been damaged.
While Vulindlela and Emthonjeni swimming pools, at NY117 and Ny 62 respectively, were closed before the Covid-19 restrictions. He stated that everything including soccer fields at NY 116 and NY 95 was in a shambles.
Sandlana said the council had spoken to the City’s Mayco member for Community Services and Health Patricia van der Ross regarding the conditions of recreation facilities. He said all they want is for the City to revamp its facilities so their children can play.
Gugulethu Development Forum secretary Vincent Domingo concurred with GSC and appealed for an intervention and upgrade of the facilities.
He said the City doesn’t take the facilities in the townships seriously. He lashed out at people who invade open spaces in the communities.
“Our children are resorting to substance abuse and gangsterism because they have nothing to do. In some areas, the spaces that were identified to build recreational facilities were invaded. The issue of poor facilities in Gugulethu is a huge problem. Almost all the playing grounds and community hall are vandalised or dysfunctional,” said Domingo.
The City of Cape Town had not responded at the time of going to print.