ETHEKWINI Municipality will have to fork out R15 million to repair the SkyCar at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
This was revealed in a report released by the city last week detailing repairs needed to get the SkyCar, which has been out of commission since 2018, back on track.
According to Ward 27 councillor Ernest Smith, the SkyCar had undergone the first phase of the repair plan last year. An international manufacturer conducted the inspection and assessment, and spare parts had been sourced from Switzerland.
“The report states that Moses Mabhida employees are to be sent off to Switzerland for three months of training to equip them to take over the maintenance of the SkyCar going forward. Apparently money has been set aside in the budget for repairs, but it concerns me that initially the municipality didn’t assess issues while the SkyCar was still in commission. Technicians should’ve been sent to Switzerland at the time the SkyCar was first commissioned so there could have be an on site team able to fix issues as they arose. This would’ve minimised costs and saved a lot of money in the long run,” he said.
ALSO READ: Moses Mabhida Stadium: Lack of maintenance could cost millions
“Here we have one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city grounded for more than a year, it doesn’t help the economy. This is a big white elephant, not a tourist attraction. It is nice to have stadiums in the city, but realistically speaking, they should pay for themselves, we can’t have them withering away at the cost of the taxpayer,” he said.
Smith said the municipality had noted concerns that the SkyCar had been out of commission for too long, and had assured that the processes to have it repaired were at an advanced stage.
“The municipality has said it is expected that the SkyCar will be operational by mid-year, pending no interruptions to work,” he said.
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