Champ swimmers share pool with frogs at Van Riebeeck Park in Mbombela
The water was greenish and contained frogs, which raises health hazards.
The community and some parents of participants of the Mpumalanga Championships alleged that the pool at Van Riebeeck Park was so dirty that some of the swimmers had refused to get in.
Some frogs had to be removed from the pool, and the swimmers claimed they could not see the lines on the bottom as a result of the dirt. Some of the parents, who wanted to remain anonymous, claimed the pool was not well maintained and did not meet the standards of hosting games. “The water was greenish and contained frogs, which raises health hazards.
We think it is about time the community become involved and make sure the pool is always up to standard,” they said.
The park’s management said the pool’s condition was due to heavy rain and had since been cleaned. According to the park’s Herold Mdaka, the pool became dirty as a result of the rain and the frogs, and said this was beyond their control. Mdaka said he was not aware that certain children had refused to swim during the Mpumalanga Champions held on December 2.
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“Some of the organisers came to thank us for hosting them and never mentioned anything about the pool being dirty or having frogs. We were surprised to hear rumours two weeks after the games that the water was not up to standard, as we had cleaned the pool after the storm and removed the frogs, which could not be controlled when it rained,” he said.
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He also appealed to members of the public to use the relevant platforms to report any unhappiness about the park. “We always make sure that the pool is clean and even call an expert to check it to ensure the water is up to standard to host games.”
When Lowvelder visited the park on Tuesday morning, the water was green and contained dirt, and the flies were buzzing.
The spokesperson for City of Mbombela, Joseph Ngala, said they would investigate the causes. “We were not aware of the situation, however, will investigate the matter and make sure we rectify it,” he said.
