THE KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC has announced there is not enough money to spend on hosting the Commonwealth Games in Durban in 2022.
When delivering the provincial budget on Thursday, Belinda Scott said that the Provincial Treasury had approached the National Treasury for assistance, but at this point the province was not in a position to fund the Commonwealth Games.
She said the provincial government needed to focus on serving communities and that funds should be prioritised for service delivery.
Scott said the provincial treasury had escalated the matter to the National Treasury for urgent national intervention so that national government is made aware that it will need to make provision for this funding pressure.
In September 2015, the city of Durban was awarded the games after the Canadian city of Edmonton withdrew its bid due to financial reasons. About R1.2-billion was supposed to be split between the province and the city, with each contributing around R600-million to host the Games.
Reports state that media liaison spokesman for the Provincial Treasury, Sbonelo Msomi, the Commonwealth Games were not budgeted for and the province does not have the money. He said there will be engagement with national government until an agreement is reached.
Ward 27 councillor, Martin Meyer, said: “When this matter came to council, the DA asked that we must get in writing that the national and provincial governments will contribute to the billions that the Commonwealth Games will cost. This was however rejected by the ANC, and they just stated that the costs will be shared. Now here we stand – the province has categorically stated that they will not be contributing, and I definitely did not hear Minister Gordhan mention it in his budget. This means in effect that the city, no – the overburdened ratepayers of this city and the under-resourced poor of the city is going to foot the bill of billions.”
He said the DA would urgently discuss this matter and approach the city with a proposal.
“The fact is, the DA remains against us hosting these games and our reasons stand more true now than ever. We cannot afford it. There are not nearly enough houses, a lack of service delivery, a shrinking rates base and increasing debt for eThekwini. The fact is, we have more important priorities and the city needs to revisit this whole plan,” he said.
Kevin Dunkley from Save Our Berea said: “Nobody likes people who say 'I told you so'. But, the news that there are no funds from the province for the
Commonwealth Games is in so many words saying the idea of hosting the games is a bad idea. Why do we the citizens have to show the politicians how to run this city? Why do we have to highlight that a city with so many unemployed and hungry people living in shacks is not the venue for such an event? It is called looking to priorities, and it takes the KZN Finance Minister to say exactly that.”
Dunkley said Save Our Berea is a great supporter of sport and most probably know more about the Commonwealth Games than most. “In our opinion, as a sporting spectacle, it is second rate. Go and look at the results in Glasgow in 2014 and the times set there show you where it sits in the world of sport. If it was being held in Durban this year, we would do anything to go to a local stadium to see the great Usain Bolt of Jamaica, but the reality is he would not bother to come, just as he skipped the 2014 event in Glasgow.
“These crazy decisions are made by ignorant politicians. They know nothing about sport. They have their priorities wrong and use these events to feed their own excessive egos. Just as we bought into the lie that the World Cup Soccer would mean riches for Durban, then hosting the Commonwealth Games, expecting it to pay for itself, is a nonsensical dream,” he said.
Dunkley said people who think spending R3,7-million for rappers to perform in Durban will put Durban on the map, that a cruise for 40 councillors will boost the cruise industry, and that flying the mayor and his entourage to Australia for a breakfast is in the interest of the city, have lost their way.
“We need to send a message to our politicians. It is not your money to spend as you please,” he said.
