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Who gave the go-ahead?

Date: 26 January 2018 By: Isabel Venter

The Makhado Municipality remained mum this week as to who had given the go-ahead to start demolishing the town’s sports facilities to make way for a new “regional” Makhado Crossing shopping mall.

The fat was in the fire last week when it came to light that the local jukskei club’s facilities had already been levelled to the ground, even though no alternative venue was available yet. Other facilities that are still in jeopardy are the town’s rugby, soccer and netball fields and the well-known rugby lapa.

Council responded this week to claims that they had deliberately kept the clubs in the dark for the development to be pushed through. Municipal spokesperson Mr Louis Bobodi denied these claims, saying that “continuous engagements and updates will be given” to the various clubs. Questions relating to past “consultation” meetings, or why the clubs were only given a day’s notice to attend last week’s meeting, were simply ignored by the municipality.

Governing bodies of the various sports clubs affected were shocked to learn at a meeting on Tuesday, 16 January, that contractors were already on site and had started with ground clearing. Bobodi said, however, that the municipality had not signed off on this but could give no explanation as to who had given the green light for the demolishing of the sports facilities to start.

“The relocation of the sport facilities is in progress. The contractor is currently busy with cut and fill for the relocation of the rugby fields,” said Bobodi. He added that, as far as the rugby club was concerned, the developer had confirmed that April 2018 was the expected date for the relocation to be completed.

Bobodi confirmed that both the municipality and the developer are responsible for the cost of relocating the clubs. “The municipality and the developer are both responsible,” said Bobodi in reply to questions regarding an informal deal that was struck between Council and the developer, the Masingita Group of Companies. “The application has been approved by [the] municipal planning tribunal,” Bobodi added.

In the meantime, sports club representatives hope to get a clearer picture during a follow-up meeting with the municipality that is scheduled to take place on 26 January. One of the burning questions remains how Council can allow the sports facilities to be demolished, even though the clubs still have legal lease agreements with the municipality.

 
 
 

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Isabel Venter

Isabel joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in 2009 as a reporter. She holds a BA Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of South Africa. Her beat is mainly crime and court reporting.

 
 

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