New F1 fantasy in Eastern Cape is a nonstarter

Here’s another one from the You Cannot Make This Up Department, South Africa subsection: Someone wants to build a smart city called Wakanda in the Eastern Cape.

And then he wants to host a Formula One Grand Prix there.

Does the city exist yet? No – other than in fevered artists’ renditions.

ALSO READ: Wakanda vs Kyalami: The battle to host F1 Grand Prix hits high revs

Does that stop businessman/lobbyist/connected ANC man MK Malefane howling with outrage because our sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, doesn’t seem to take him seriously? No.

The minister’s fanciful dream that he can get the F1 circus back to Kyalami in Johannesburg at least has the advantage that the track exists.

Also, the owners say they are prepared to shell out R177 million to upgrade it to F1 standards. But they still need government – that is, taxpayer – money to back it.

Malefane promises his city – on 200 hectares of “prime” beachfront in the Eastern Cape – “ticks all the boxes” for a Grand Prix (whatever those boxes are).

Never mind, of course, that the Eastern Cape is probably one of our worst provinces in terms of corruption and sheer incompetence – where children drown regularly in pit toilets at schools.

This F1 dream is as real as the fictional Wakanda in the Black Panther movie…

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