The survival of the Springs Old Boys Club in Pollak Park is hanging by a thread since vandals began stripping the club at the beginning of lockdown in March.
Chairs, tables, crockery, pipes, taps, windows, wiring and door handles have all been stolen, leaving the the club in dire straits.
Repairing the damage will likely cost more than the Pollak Park-based club can afford.
This is a sad chapter in the life of the 74-year-old club which has been a mainstay in the community since 1946.
It was founded by men from Springs Boys’ High School who sought to rekindle friendships they built during their school careers and formed the Springs High School Past Pupils Association, which was shortened to the Springs Old Boys Club.
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Once it was formed, it quickly grew and boasted the likes of Sylvester Clarke as one of its members.
Today, the club has its own bowling club, two cricket pitches, two soccer fields and a bar.
As it stands, this is the last club in Springs which has junior sport for children.
Over 50 per cent of the children in Pollak Park play sport for the club and many fear what will become of those children if the club shuts down.
Aside from the vandals, the root cause of the club’s problem is money.
Since March last year it hasn’t been allowed to host any social or sporting activities.
“We are still getting a water and electricity bill from the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) every month despite the fact we haven’t been able to operate since lockdown began.
“We generate funds through the annual fees each member pays to play for the club and from bar sales.
“With Covid-19, we haven’t been able to do any of those things,” said club chairperson Kelly Clarke.
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Clarke also explained the difficulty they had as a club trying to get CoE to understand their predicament because when they tried to make a payment arrangement with the City, they were told to make a payment first before the arrangement could be done, which was impossible for the club, since they can’t generate an income.
Dean Stone, ward councillor and member of the Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Department committee, said with Thulani Simelane, ward councillor for Pollak Park, they would get the committee to come to the club.
Stone proposed that what CoE could, in the meantime, do for the club is put a stop-hold on their account so they are not billed until the club can start operating again.
Many, however, fear it is too late to save the club.
Comment from CoE will be published once it has been received.
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