The Corner Flag: Why should athletes pay to use the Boksburg Stadium track?

Sometimes we give people too much credit by calling them ignorant when in fact, they are arrogant.

On the one hand, you have disgruntled residents fed up with poor governance and incompetence by government officials and, on the other hand, out-of-touch and arrogant officials who either don’t know what accountability is or simply ignore it.

Often mistaken for ignorance, this arrogance permeates through all spheres of government and officials often lie instead of promptly sorting out issues affecting communities.

These lies allow municipalities to turn a blind eye to people’s suffering, look down on them and dismiss their lived experiences.

The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) is no exception.

The municipality’s arrogance has been on full display through its handling of the issues around the Boksburg Stadium, where athletes are said to be denied access.

When asked why this was the case, the city said athletes can only access the main field if they are part of a club that pays a seasonal fee or if individuals, if they pay R160 a day.

Yes, according to our officials, you have to pay to access the only public track and field facility in the Far East.
Notwithstanding that unemployment is at its highest in our country or that the majority live below the poverty line, you have to pay to use Boksburg Stadium.

Whether you are part of an emerging or developmental club with little to no funds, the municipality puts you in the same bracket as established clubs whose coffers hardly run dry.

The CoE doesn’t care if you are from impoverished areas like Reiger Park, Wattville or Etwatwa and you run barefoot most of the time because you can’t afford running shoes. You have to pay to do your fartlek and track sessions at Boksburg Stadium.

To flex their muscles even further, the CoE allowed scheduled football matches on the main field in the middle of the athletics season because these clubs comply with the city’s sport and recreation by-laws and tariffs.

When runners want to use the track, they find the gates locked and are greeted with messages that the field is booked for football matches.

This makes a mockery of their claims to support the development of all sporting codes – not when athletics suffers and football gains, especially on a facility designed for athletics.

Responding to this column published on March 30, one reader said if sporting facilities are well-maintained and everyone can easily access them, issues such as drug abuse, alcoholism, violence and unemployment will resolve themselves.

But our municipality is so out of touch with its citizens and doesn’t give a dime about the hardships and grief shared by many.

There seems to be a lack of understanding about how valuable sport is to building better communities.

If municipal officials need proof, they can take a stroll to the Benoni Northerns Sports Club and see the happy faces on the fields.

I think it’s time the CoE cut out the ‘BS’ and stop punishing the community for its financial shortcomings.

Also Read: The Corner Flag: Benoni Derby, you didn’t disappoint!

Also Read: THE CORNER FLAG: Fix Boksburg Stadium and stop denying athletes access