Despite a commitment over two years ago from the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure (DP, Dean McPherson, the dream of a community youth hub centred around a skate park may be going down the drain.

Founder of Mamelodi Skate Club, Poelo Mofolo, said it has been over two years since the minister visited Mamelodi and committed to supporting the project, known as EduPark.

To date, Mofolo has been unable to finalise the lease for the recreational land that was agreed on, next to the Mamelodi East Police Station, due to a few missing signatures.

Mofolo, who grew up in a children’s home, said it has long been his dream to build the first skate park in Mamelodi, and he has been struggling for years to find land in the township.

He said when he finally found one next to the Mamelodi East Police Station, he reached out to the new Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure on Instagram.

McPherson later visited the land, accompanied by officials from the Tshwane metro. Mofolo was told that everything would be in order by the end of that month.

During the site visit, he said, the minister also made it clear that, as the land will be handed to Mofolo for the construction of a skateboard park, no interference by any parties wanting a stake in the construction would be tolerated.

He claims that the minister told him that the department will work hand in hand with the police and the community to secure the construction site.

He is now trying to discover what factors have contributed to the delays he is experiencing, and what stage the lease approval process is currently at.

“Given the prolonged process, what is the department’s projected timeline for finalising the lease and granting EduPark access to the property so that development can commence?”

He said EduPark has engaged several potential funders who have expressed support for the initiative; however, the absence of a secured lease has limited their ability to commit financial resources.

He added that the Mamelodi Skate Club has operated a makeshift skate park in Mamelodi A5 for over five years.

Following the minister’s commitment to expedite the project, the club has experienced increasing operational challenges, including limited access to its previous space due to growing participation by children and youth.

He envisions EduPark not only as a skate park, but also as a multi-purpose community hub offering after-school tutoring, a computer lab, youth workshops, a hall for community programmes, and agricultural initiatives.

Thami Mchunu from the DPWI confirmed that the minister and senior departmental officials conducted a site visit on July30, 2024.

Mchunu said various administration processes commenced to make the land available for the project and that it received in-principle support, subject to compliance with all applicable legislative and administrative processes.

“The honourable minister provided pre-concurrence for the department to proceed with the lease processes and authorised the Director-General to issue a letter permitting the applicant to commence with site preparation activities from February 1, 2026, while the lease agreement is being finalised,” said Mchunu.

“A valuation process is also underway to determine a market-related rental, as the lease will be concluded at market value for an initial period of five years, with an option to renew. The department anticipates concluding the lease agreement by March 31, 2026, subject to the finalisation of all technical, legal and administrative requirements,” said Mchunu.

He added that the proposed lease arrangement is aligned with the government’s broader objectives of supporting access to education, skills development, and community upliftment, particularly within historically underserved areas.

The MAMS Edupark initiative is envisioned as a platform to meaningfully contribute to educational infrastructure and opportunities in Mamelodi.

He concluded that the DPWI remains committed to supporting initiatives that promote community development, education and youth empowerment through the use of unused public land for public, while ensuring responsible management and utilisation of state-owned land.

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