A decade after millions were spent to upgrade a sports facility in the northern areas of Nelson Mandela Bay in the run-up to the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the Finnis Street Sports Grounds are little more than a health and safety hazard.
The facility in Ward 35, was once a crown jewel of sport in the metro, but due to vandalism, the sports field, boundary walls, toilets, changing rooms and clubhouse on the premises, are now in a state of utter disrepair.
Some walls inside the clubhouse have crumbled to the ground, shattered glass, waste and rubble are scattered all over the floor; all windows and glass doors are broken and most of the tiles have been removed or damaged. There is also evidence that fires are being made inside.
All electrical wiring has been removed and vandals seem to be in the process of removing the roof tiles as the ceiling has been taken out too.
During a recent oversight visit to the facility, Ward 35 councillor, Helga van Staaden, was shocked at the condition of the sports grounds.
“Everything came to a standstill during COVID-19, except for vandalism,” she said. It is really disheartening that this facility, which was once one of the most popular in the metro, is now in such a terrible state. Various clubs used to practise on this field but that has now been taken away from the sporting fraternity.”
Van Staaden said her father’s 80th birthday was held inside this very clubhouse eight years ago. It is therefore not only a loss to the sporting fraternity, but also the whole community as it used to be a venue for social functions and school award ceremonies.
“I just want to know what is going to happen when our country moves to level one of the national lockdown and contact sport in the metro can take place again. They won’t have this facility like they used to,” she said.
Van Staaden explained that vandals first started carrying the bricks away one by one. Now, they have taken the silver railings, double doors and even the geyser.
“This was an upmarket, modern building, but there is basically nothing left of it. The roof tiles are already stacked up and just need to be carried away,” she said.
“The thieves and vandals are so brazen these days, that they don’t even wait until it’s dark, but just steal during the day.
“The worst part is that the community members who see them, are too afraid to talk because the thieves might attack them with the sharp instruments they used to demolish the building.
“The community feels powerless,” Van Staaden said.
She added that a few community meetings had been held to discuss the problem, but that they haven’t got very far. Additional funds from a project in Ward 34 would also have been transferred to Ward 35 in order to secure fencing around the facility, but that didn’t happen either, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“One does not want to use COVID-19 as an excuse, but most funds have gone into the pandemic.”
DA Nelson Mandela Bay spokesperson for sport, recreation, arts and culture, Margaret de Andrade, who joined Van Staaden on the oversight visit, said the grounds were a big attraction for the community of the northern areas.
“There is not enough space or even time slots for all sports teams in the area to practise. Therefore, this is a much-needed resource to accommodate the sporting fraternity of the northern areas,” De Andrade said.
She added that during a previous oversight visit, with a caretaker in November 2019, the facility had already been vandalised, but not to the extent that it is now.
“Most of the boundary brick wall was broken down and the entire area was used for illegal dumping.
Three outside changing rooms were vandalised and damaged by a fire, in May last year.
“I have submitted questions to the municipal Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (SRAC) directorate requesting feedback on why these sports grounds have been allowed to fall into disrepair and ruin. I have also questioned whether any of these vandalised and destroyed buildings are insured,” De Andrade said.
NMBM spokesperson Mamela Ndamase said, “We have a caretaker on site residing in the cottage but he is intimidated constantly by the vandals and gangsters of the area.
The SRAC directorate has requested Safety and Security to place security guards there, especially at night.
“In addition, the directorate will work with the facility management committee for community to take ownership of the facility. Several cases have been reported to the police to ensure we are able to claim from the insurance and to do regular patrols in the area. Safety and Security is currently working on a plan to secure all municipal infrastructure.
The plan for the 2020/2021 financial year is to utilise the payout from the insurance claim amounting to R720 000 to fix the facility.
The money must be transferred to the directorate budget in order to commence the work.
Once the insurance claim of R720 000 is transferred to the directorate budget, the rest of the refurbishments will commence.
It must be noted however, that over the last three years since 2016, when the boundary wall was reinstated, more than R2 000 000 was spent on this facility.
Fencing of the ablutions and clubhouse will be prioritised before all other repairs to the doors, windows and plumbing works start. The insurance pay-out will not be sufficient and an additional R1 500 000 will be required.
The repair work will be done in phases. The security measures at the facility must be upgraded and an alarm system should be installed.
Partnership with the safety and security department, metro police, community structures and the sport bodies of the area is critical to ensure vandalism of our infrastructure is curbed.”
