EIGHT amateur sports clubs, some of which are more than 100 years old, fear the day their long-term leases with Buffalo City Metro (BCM) come to an end.
Most signed 99-, 50-, 25- and 20-year leases with BCM, but have only six to eight years left.
Fears abound that politically connected developers are waiting to pounce on prime club land once the leases run out.
BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi confirmed this week that city planners were looking at all available land to “prioritise” housing development.
All the clubs expressed frustration with BCM, citing a breakdown in communication, random billing and ill-tempered exchanges with officials.
Short-term leases were described as a hold-up for clubs trying to raise loans, bonds and funds to maintain and develop facilities.
Meanwhile, clubs which opened to all races decades ago are seeing a slow but steady growth in black membership, the highest being Hamilton Club, where black membership is currently at about 40%.
Zane Williams, chairman of the 495-member “Hams” Club, said “old toppies” on the previous committee who would not accept change were voted out of office, and the new committee attracted new members with a fresh ethos of diversity, innovation and volunteerism.
“The perception was that clubs were white havens, but we are the most integrated club,” Williams said.
Old Selbornian Club vice-president Grant Hobbs said that with only seven years to go on its lease, the club, with its 500 members and numerous sporting codes, was “absolutely concerned”.
“BCM won’t talk to us before renewal. We are frightened about what is going to happen,” he said.
Stan Barbour, chairman of the 200-member Oxford Striders running club, said their 20-year lease ran out recently and was only renewed as a five-year lease.
He accused BCM of adopting a “dictatorial” approach, coupled with an inconsistent policy. He said city officials accused the club of being “white”, despite 25% of its members being black.
Buffalo Club chairman Callan Hempel said their lease, due for renewal in 2020, was “up in the air”.
“It’s such an issue with the club burning and members commit to rebuilding with no guarantee of tenure.”
At a special meeting on February 17, members voted to mandate the club to extend the lease, but Hempel said: “It’s been hard to find a person to speak to at BCM.”
Cambridge club chairman Mike Stanyon said they were shocked last year when BCM sent them of a letter of demand for monthly “rent” of almost R3575 plus VAT, backdated by a year, which the club could not afford to pay.
“We had no warning ... Our lease used to be a nominal R10 a year,” he said. –– mikel@dispatch.co.za
Sports clubs fear for future
Most signed 99-, 50-, 25- and 20-year leases with BCM, but have only six to eight years left.
Fears abound that politically connected developers are waiting to pounce on prime club land once the leases run out.
BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi confirmed this week that city planners were looking at all available land to “prioritise” housing development.
All the clubs expressed frustration with BCM, citing a breakdown in communication, random billing and ill-tempered exchanges with officials.
Short-term leases were described as a hold-up for clubs trying to raise loans, bonds and funds to maintain and develop facilities.
Meanwhile, clubs which opened to all races decades ago are seeing a slow but steady growth in black membership, the highest being Hamilton Club, where black membership is currently at about 40%.
Zane Williams, chairman of the 495-member “Hams” Club, said “old toppies” on the previous committee who would not accept change were voted out of office, and the new committee attracted new members with a fresh ethos of diversity, innovation and volunteerism.
“The perception was that clubs were white havens, but we are the most integrated club,” Williams said.
Old Selbornian Club vice-president Grant Hobbs said that with only seven years to go on its lease, the club, with its 500 members and numerous sporting codes, was “absolutely concerned”.
“BCM won’t talk to us before renewal. We are frightened about what is going to happen,” he said.
Stan Barbour, chairman of the 200-member Oxford Striders running club, said their 20-year lease ran out recently and was only renewed as a five-year lease.
He accused BCM of adopting a “dictatorial” approach, coupled with an inconsistent policy. He said city officials accused the club of being “white”, despite 25% of its members being black.
Buffalo Club chairman Callan Hempel said their lease, due for renewal in 2020, was “up in the air”.
“It’s such an issue with the club burning and members commit to rebuilding with no guarantee of tenure.”
At a special meeting on February 17, members voted to mandate the club to extend the lease, but Hempel said: “It’s been hard to find a person to speak to at BCM.”
Cambridge club chairman Mike Stanyon said they were shocked last year when BCM sent them of a letter of demand for monthly “rent” of almost R3575 plus VAT, backdated by a year, which the club could not afford to pay.
“We had no warning ... Our lease used to be a nominal R10 a year,” he said. –– mikel@dispatch.co.za
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