Durban edges closer to hosting Games

EThekwini Municipality has welcomed the recommendation made by the Commonwealth Games Federation Evaluation Commission that its General Assembly vote in favour of Durban’s bid to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The report of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Evaluation Commission, chaired by CGF Honorary Secretary Louise Martin CBE, is the outcome of detailed independent assessments of Durban’s bid proposal, on-site meetings and detailed review workshops with members of Durban’s bid committee, government and City partners.

Mayor James Nxumalo said the City was pleased that Durban’s bid proposal was unanimously endorsed by the CGF Evaluation Commission.

“We are confident that we will successfully deliver a world-class Commonwealth Games should the CGF General Assembly vote for Durban on 2 September 2015. The Regional clusters of Commonwealth Games Associations from Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania have visited Durban to experience first-hand the Games venues, our world class infrastructure, legacy projects and other components in the Durban Bid in order for them to vote from an informed perspective and award the Games to Durban based on merit,” said Nxumalo.

Durban Bid Committee Chair, Mark Alexander, said while this was a first step towards bringing the Games to Africa, there was still work that needed to be done.

“While this is a recommendation from the Evaluation Commission of the CGF, the affiliated member countries still need to cast their vote for Durban on 2 September 2015,” said Alexander.

According to the Evaluation Commission’s report, distributed to CGF members on Monday, 3 August 2015, many positive impacts of Durban’s bid for the Games have been highlighted. Such positive comments were that Durban’s vision supports and contributes to South Africa’s 2030 National Development Plan and is rooted in the desire to engage citizens, especially young people, athletes and the Commonwealth.

The Games concept features a compact venue plan centred around the sporting super-precinct of Moses Mabhida Stadium and adjacent coastline, providing excellent opportunities for innovative sport presentation and enhanced athlete experience.

Bid Committee CEO Tubby Reddy said: “As the Bid Committee we have always maintained that Durban’s bid and the subsequent awarding of the Bid must be based on merit. We have demonstrated that Durban’s proposition was indeed of a world class standard and that the stringent technical criteria demanded by the CGF have been met by Durban.”

This week, Durban hosts members of the Caribbean and Americas who will be arriving tomorrow, 5 August 2015, to inspect Durban’s proposition and what the City has to offer for athletes, participants and visitors arriving in South Africa in 2022