The years-long abandonment of the Boksburg North Swimming Pool, which has left the facility derelict and at the mercy of vandals, may soon come to an end.

This was revealed by Deputy Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Peace Mabe, during the Team SA squad announcement at Sascoc House on June 24, ahead of next month’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Mabe was responding to a question about transformation and the composition of the 112-member squad from 10 sporting codes that will represent South Africa when competition gets underway on July 23.

Athletics contributes the largest contingent with 25 athletes, followed by swimming with 21.

While the deputy minister expressed satisfaction with the overall makeup of the squad, she expressed concern about the swimming team’s demographics, saying poor maintenance of existing infrastructure was hampering transformation efforts.

“Yes, quite very happy. Not happy with swimming,” she said.

“We need to be deliberate in ensuring that the infrastructure that has been built, especially swimming infrastructure, is resuscitated and properly maintained so that black South Africans also have access to quality swimming training. I’ve spoken to a few heads of federations here.”

Also Read: Some light at the end of the tunnel for Boksburg North Swimming Pool

Responding to a question about the neglect of the Boksburg North Swimming Pool, Mabe said the facility was originally built to prepare swimmers for the Olympics and blamed its decline on failures in local government management and oversight.

“As if you were listening to our conversation, we spoke about that particular facility because when it was built, its main objective was to get young people from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to train and prepare for the Olympics,” said Mabe.

“When we build facilities, we hand them over to the local government. In most cases, local government does not have the capacity to maintain and protect these facilities.”

She suggested public-private partnerships could provide a solution, saying communities and sporting federations should play a greater role in managing public sports and recreation facilities.

“We are now in the process of reviewing how ownership of facilities is handed over. We want communities to take ownership because the current model, where facilities are handed over to local government, is not working.

“There are many factors involved, including security and general maintenance.

“We want to build facilities and hand them over to local sports federations or individuals who can properly manage and look after them. It is a growing concern not only in Ekurhuleni but across the country.”

Mabe said she shared the frustrations of athletes whose development has been affected by the vandalism and deterioration of sports facilities.

“We are equally disappointed. That’s all I can say. We are equally disappointed.

“To those who have vandalised these facilities, they gained nothing. But they have destroyed talent.”

Also Read: Ward councillor laments Boksburg North Swimming Pool’s lack of maintenance