DA rejects the City’s decision to run Moses Mabhida Stadium
The DA says the city needs to ensure that Moses Mabhida doesn't continue to be the huge drain on the public purse that it currently is.
THE Democratic Alliance in eThekwini has rejected the ANC’s plan to retain the Moses Mabhida stadium as a business unit of the city.
According to the DA’s Nicole Graham, in 2015, council agreed that Moses Mabhida would be incorporated into the ICC and would be run as part of that municipal entity. She said this was supported by all parties as the ICC is generally a well-managed and functional entity. Despite the agreement, the proposal was never implemented due to what is believed to have been a power struggle between the ANC’s executive committee members.
Graham said that this was nothing more than a fight for control and resources in the ANC, with the new administration preferring a system that allowed them greater control over the stadium.
“Nothing else can explain why the incorporation of the stadium into the ICC was the best option in 2015, but is suddenly the worst in 2016,” said Graham.
Councillor Heinz de Boer further contended that it was clear in the Executive Committee that the ANC could not reach an agreement on this matter. “The mayor seemingly wants to concentrate all the power under her control, which would be hard to do if the stadium was part of the ICC,” said De Boer.
The ANC contends however that making the stadium was better for staff and bizarrely, that it would make it more “independent”.
“The city urgently needs to ensure that Moses Mabhida is viable and well-managed. It cannot continue to be the huge drain on the public purse that it currently is. The ANC’s decision in this regard to simply desert what the council has decided is not in the best interest of the city, and is not supported by the DA. We will keep a very close eye on this,” said Graham.
