The Hout Bay Hurricanes Basketball Club has issued a scathing rebuke of the City of Cape Town. They cite years of ”neglect” at local sporting facilities, which have now reached ”crisis point”. This neglect threatens both the safety and dignity of athletes and young residents.
This comes after sheets from the roof of the Hangberg Sport Centre were torn off during a recent storm. They landed at the neighbouring Wavecrest Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre.
Roscoe Jacobs, chair of the Hurricanes and community activist, says “the incident is just one example of the City’s failure to maintain vital infrastructure in the area”.
“It’s completely unacceptable that our youth and athletes are being sidelined due to the City’s failure to maintain key infrastructure,” said Jacobs. “These are basic needs, a roof over their heads and sanitary facilities. How is it that we have to beg for safety and dignity?”
In addition to the damaged roof, Jacobs says the community has been battling ongoing sewage spills near the basketball court at the Hout Bay Sports Complex. The situation has deteriorated to the point where the Cape Town Basketball Association has deemed the court and adjacent toilet facilities unsafe for use.
As a result, the Hurricanes have been forced to host all matches outside of Hout Bay. This move has increased transport costs for the club and robbed the local community of home games.
“The City of Cape Town has turned a blind eye,” Jacobs claimed. “The damage to the roof and the health hazard of raw sewage have been left unattended for far too long.”
In response, the City has confirmed that repairs to the Hangberg Sports Centre roof form part of a broader infrastructure improvement plan. This also includes work at the Hangberg Civic Centre and the Recreation Centre.
According to the City, a contractor has been appointed and is currently preparing the specialised roof sheets.
Installation is expected to take place soon, with all repairs targeted for completion by the end of this month (June).
With regard to the ongoing sewage issues, the City said an assessment will be carried out at the facility. They aim to determine the overall condition of the sports centre and prioritise maintenance.
“The level of maintenance requirements at recreation facilities across the City is an ongoing challenge,” the City explained in a written response. “We are constantly responding within the parameters of available resourcing. It is not within the means of the department’s budgets or mandate to offer any teams or clubs additional support.”
The City further stated that while no upgrades are currently planned for the facility, maintenance efforts are being investigated. They aim to regularise usage and establish a more sustainable operational model.
Despite these assurances, Jacobs remains critical.
“We are building champions and leaders through sport,” he said. “But we cannot do this if our facilities are falling apart and unsafe. Our community deserves better.”
The Hurricanes and the Hout Bay community say they will keep pushing for action, before someone gets hurt.
