By MAMELA GOWA
Two sports fields in Nxarhuni built at a cost of millions thanks to funding from the National Lottery and the Eastern Cape government, have fallen into a state of neglect.
The fields, which lie next to each other, were meant to accommodate local soccer, rugby, cricket, netball and athletic clubs but due to neglect have become a haven for criminals and vandals who have dismantled the facilities.
Despite a National Lottery injection of R1.7-million for the upgrading of six sports fields in the Eastern Cape from 2008 to 2010, the Nxarhuni rugby sub-union field has very little to show for the money.
Meanwhile, R2-million from the provincial government to upgrade a second field has also gone to waste as the facilities are vandalised and it is a home to pigs and cattle.
Although the money came from Bhisho, the project was handed over to BCM to implement.
The change rooms have been stripped of their fittings as thieves made off with doors, sinks, the roof and windows. Even some fencing has been removed.
Concerned residents and sports leaders in the community said young people had nowhere to play.
President of the Nxarhuni rugby sub-union Xola Bikani said: “The Lotto money was kept by the Border Rugby and they only put up slabs for the rugby field and nothing else was done.
“When we enquired about why there was no progress they said Lotto said there were no financial reports and it was difficult to reapply and get funding from them again.
“We also have the Ntsokotha High School which takes part in a tournament sponsored by FNB. Our children can’t play in Nxarhuni. They have to go to Tsholomnqa because we don’t have the facilities,” said Bikani.
The provincial government sponsored field forms part of the failed 2010 BCM legacy project which saw the metro in 2014 unable to account for a R50-million cash injection to upgrade 14 metro sports fields.
BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi said yesterday: “We are saddened to hear that the state of the sports fields is in disarray and we will send the BCM team to go there and investigate further and make the necessary recommendations as to what must be done to deal with all the problems of sport facilities in Nxarhuni.”
“The current administration was not in place when that project was funded and right now we are seeking funding from businesses including the National Lottery again,” said Border Rugby’s general manager Dumisani Mhani said. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
Nxarhuni sports fields have fallen into disarray
Two sports fields in Nxarhuni built at a cost of millions thanks to funding from the National Lottery and the Eastern Cape government, have fallen into a state of neglect.
The fields, which lie next to each other, were meant to accommodate local soccer, rugby, cricket, netball and athletic clubs but due to neglect have become a haven for criminals and vandals who have dismantled the facilities.
Despite a National Lottery injection of R1.7-million for the upgrading of six sports fields in the Eastern Cape from 2008 to 2010, the Nxarhuni rugby sub-union field has very little to show for the money.
Meanwhile, R2-million from the provincial government to upgrade a second field has also gone to waste as the facilities are vandalised and it is a home to pigs and cattle.
Although the money came from Bhisho, the project was handed over to BCM to implement.
The change rooms have been stripped of their fittings as thieves made off with doors, sinks, the roof and windows. Even some fencing has been removed.
Concerned residents and sports leaders in the community said young people had nowhere to play.
President of the Nxarhuni rugby sub-union Xola Bikani said: “The Lotto money was kept by the Border Rugby and they only put up slabs for the rugby field and nothing else was done.
“When we enquired about why there was no progress they said Lotto said there were no financial reports and it was difficult to reapply and get funding from them again.
“We also have the Ntsokotha High School which takes part in a tournament sponsored by FNB. Our children can’t play in Nxarhuni. They have to go to Tsholomnqa because we don’t have the facilities,” said Bikani.
The provincial government sponsored field forms part of the failed 2010 BCM legacy project which saw the metro in 2014 unable to account for a R50-million cash injection to upgrade 14 metro sports fields.
BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi said yesterday: “We are saddened to hear that the state of the sports fields is in disarray and we will send the BCM team to go there and investigate further and make the necessary recommendations as to what must be done to deal with all the problems of sport facilities in Nxarhuni.”
“The current administration was not in place when that project was funded and right now we are seeking funding from businesses including the National Lottery again,” said Border Rugby’s general manager Dumisani Mhani said. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
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