KwaMsane High-performance Center in KwaMsane township remains closed, despite being officially opened by the MEC. Picture: Supplied
Durban - A multimillion-rand high-performance centre that was completed five years ago remains unused in KwaMsane township in Mtubatuba in northern KwaZulu-Natal despite interest from local athletes to use it.
The KwaMsane high-performance centre was commissioned in 2010 by the KZN Department of Sport and Recreation to assist athletes in the Umkhanyakude District which includes most areas in the far north of KZN.
The centre was said to be of a world-class standard, featuring advanced training machines, power-lifting irons, and air conditioning, among other draw cards. The facility has 24-hour security and is well-maintained. Mfundo Msweli, the owner of Mtuba All Stars FC which plays under Motsepe ABC, a second0division football team and the overall third-tier of South African professional football, said they were frustrated by the situation. Msweli said they had written to the department in the district enquiring about the use of the facility.
He said this has disadvantaged their club as teams they competed against were well-funded and had access to state-of-the-art facilities. Muzi Mfeka, a community activist who works with youth involved in athletics, said they too were unable to use the facility.
He said having such a structure would have assisted many young people who had the potential to run professionally. “I believe we have the potential to produce top athletes like big cities, but our training is not up to standard.
This high-performance centre would have helped us to get to the next level,” he said. Francois Rodgers, DA provincial leader, had visited the facility and found that it was filled with brand-new, stateof-the-art equipment that has yet to be used by a single person. “Clearly, there are more questions than answers and the DA has today written to MEC Amanda Bani-Mapena for answers.
The MEC needs to come clean on why this valuable facility remains closed after five long years,” he said. Thabo Mofokeng, spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport and Recreation, said the academy was not established for use by the public, but it was for registered sport bodies including schools and clubs.
He acknowledged the delays, adding that the department was working on them. “Once the structure of the facility was completed, it had to then be equipped with all the necessary gym equipment and all the necessary maintenance contracts put into place.
“The equipment had to meet all the necessary health and safety standards. There was a slight delay in ensuring the ventilation system was properly installed.
The operational framework for the academy has been completed and the board to manage the academy is being finalised by the KZN Sport Confederation,” Mofokeng said. The academy had to be resourced with staff and at present had four sport science and exercise science graduates employed.
“The facility is open to talented athletes identified by sport clubs, district sport federations, district sport confederation, schools, and other registered structures,” Mofokeng said. “It can be accessed immediately by talented athletes through the relevant club, sport federation and structures that they are registered with.
“Use is by appointment for teams to avoid crowding. Access to the academy has also been given to provincial sport federations who have selected district teams and identified talented athletes from district squads.”
SUNDAY TRIBUNE