iLembe cricket development hampered as promised pitch hangs for five years

After five years of waiting for the construction of a second cricket pitch, iLembe Cricket Union president Desigan Pillay says cricket development in the region is being hampered by the delay.

Previously, facilities were available to the cricket union at the former KwaDukuza Golf Course and Country Club, but these grounds had to make way for the development of KwaDukuza Mall in 2017.

According to an agreement brokered between the KwaDukuza municipality, KwaDukuza Mall developers Double Ring Trading 7 and the cricket union, two replacement playing venues would be provided.

One facility was completed at the Gledhow sport grounds, but the second is yet to be delivered.

The R460-million KwaDukuza Mall was opened in 2018 after a protracted court battle when the Concerned Citizen Group (CCG) attempted to set aside the sale of the KwaDukuza Golf Course and Country Club to Double Ring Trading 7. The citizens group has since been disbanded.

Mall manager Siya Tembe told the Courier the developers had spent more than R20-million to create top quality facilities for the sport codes affected by the mall’s construction.

Double Ring Trading 7 was to bear the costs of providing the second cricket pitch, ideally located at Stanger High School, but the developers found the grounds at the school unsuitable and the project was handed back to the municipality for its administration.

But KwaDukuza municipality said the establishment of a second cricket facility would take time.

“The provision of a second cricket pitch is a standing agreement between the municipality and the cricket union. However, the implementation of this project, like all other municipal projects, is subject to the availability of funds,” said municipal spokesperson, Sipho Mkhize.

The search for suitable land also continues, according to Mkhize, who said the municipality had written to the Gledhow Sugar Company stating its interest in acquiring a portion of its land for the purpose of a cricket facility.

The municipality also submitted a business plan and funding request to the provincial sport and recreation department earlier this year.

“The municipality followed up with the Gledhow Sugar Company and the company indicated that the matter is still pending, as the company is currently engaged in the process of recruiting new board members. The board is mandated to take such decisions,” Mkhize said.

The sport and recreation department said much of its budget had been allocated to other priority projects such as disaster responses to the April floods.

Pillay said the lack of a second facility had a huge impact on local cricket as the union was unable to host league matches and junior cricket programmes.

“These factors are crippling our cricket development and also impacts our development grant from province,” he said.

Mkhize said while the municipality remains committed to delivering a second cricket facility, it was faced with huge community needs which compete for the municipality’s limited financial resources.

“The cricket pitch remains a need that the municipality intends to address, but prevailing financial constraints dictate that the municipality considers alternatives. It is for that reason that the municipality approached the sports and recreation department,” Mkhize said.

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