SEDIBENG.- The DA Gauteng has launched a petition urging the Gauteng Provincial Government to reveal the whereabouts of the more than R24m allocated for the building of the Palm Springs Multi-purpose Centre.

The DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture, and Recreation (SACR), Kingsol Chabalala said residents have been eagerly awaiting the much-needed centre to nurture local talent in different sporting codes and through sports and build positive role models who will contribute positively to society.

“As it stands, this centre may never arrive. During my visit to the site, I made a concerning discovery: Not a single brick has been laid despite millions having been spent on this project,” said Chabalala.

He added that this is shocking considering that in 2020, the then Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Lebogang Maile, informed the DA through a written reply that phase one of the project had been completed. Chabalala further said that according to Maile, this phase included the construction of various layers of earth materials and the installation of stormwater drainage systems.

It cost more than R24m, more than half the total project cost, and was originally scheduled for completion on June 15, 2018.

However, there is currently no timeline for when construction will begin or be completed. The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) is experiencing a significant funding shortfall, and the project will be financed through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG), but only after approval from CoGTA has been obtained.

“Unnecessary delays in completing this project have resulted in soaring costs that taxpayers are expected to cover. By 2020, more than R82m had already accumulated. This amount could have been used to build two multi-purpose centres for townships in Emfuleni, such as Evaton and Bophelong, which currently lack sporting facilities.”