The Swartklip Sports Field is unsafe and is a health hazard.
Sub-council 12 councillors visited the site on Friday November 18 after the matter had been discussed at their final Sub-council 12 meeting for the year, on Thursday November 17 at the Lentegeur sub-council office.
Swartklip Sports Field’s facilities fell into disrepair due to vandalism and illegal land invasion.
The walls are cracked and have split in two on the upper level stands, the floor has lifted due to sewage issues and its foundation have been compromised. Floors and outside walls are cracked and fencing has been stolen.
Sub-council manager Mcebisi Fetu said the facility was “a very sensitive topic”.
“The report has been reluctantly submitted to the sub-council.” However, he said, what was contained in the report “is different from what we’ve seen on Friday November 18. There are investigations looking into this matter of this building”.
Ward councillor Norman Adonis said the place was “useless”.
“When it moved into Tafelsig in the 1980s, this was initially a dumping site. The lives of our security guards are in danger. There are many challenges at this site, especially crime and land invasion affecting it,” he said.
Mr Adonis said Sub-council 12 was investigating the challenges they faced with this facility.
“This facility was used for community sports and other activities. It was used especially during the 2010 soccer World Cup. The facility cannot be used for the purpose of sports and community events (anymore). We came to see for ourselves why the facility cannot be used. It is a sad issue we’re facing as the community,” he said.
The security guard, who did not want to be identified, told the Plainsman he felt unsafe at the facility.
Sub-council 12 chairperson Solomon Philander said the visit was part of what he described as a fact finding mission. “After this meeting and site visit, we must escalate this matter.”
Proportional representation (PR) councillor of ARA, Grant Classen said the state of the Swartklip Sports Field was appalling.
“This is purely because of processes that may not have been followed when it was built initially. This is also negligence from the City of Cape Town by not maintaining the place. An alternative for the floor lifting, could have been a different floor installed,” he said.
“It is sad that this facility may be taken away. Crime is rampant here. We could have used sports to enhance the place as well as community engagement. This is a sad state,“ he said.
Proportional representation (PR) councillor for the Good Party, Saul Markgraff said the safety of the community was important and alternatives should be looked at.
“Based on what I see it’s practically useless. I support replacing what needs to be replaced,” he said.
Mr Philander said while the building was clearly unsafe, “we can not agree to demolishing without a replacement of a facility for the community”.
