Call on new mayor to claim moral high ground

EDITOR – Introductory statements by eThekwini’s new mayor, Cllr Zandile Gumede are most encouraging, in particular the promises to promote clean government and deal with transgressors.

With this in mind, I ask that the mayor urgently attend to the following issues, arising from the City Council’s Oct 2014 decision to lease the Kings Park precinct:

• Rescind the unlawful and unconstitutional city council resolution to lease the land to Hoy Park Development (Pty) Ltd;
• Request the FIFA ethics committee to investigate the conduct of Liverpool Football Club and the South African Football Association in this matter;
• As the resolution appears to be fraudulent, request the SA police to investigate the matter in terms of the Prevention of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004;
• In terms of the Act, request the SA police to investigate the eviction of Savages Athletics Club from the Kings Park precinct in Feb 2015, and inducements offered;
• Explain the city council’s gross injustice in withdrawing the threat to evict Berea Rovers Sports Club, instead, granting this club special favours, but simultaneously vilifying and evicting other tenants occupying the same land;
• In terms of the Act, request the police to investigate the favoured status granted to Berea Rovers Sports Club, and inducements offered;
• In terms of the Act, request the SA police to investigate attempts to coerce Newmarket Stables and Stables Market;
• Withdraw the eviction orders served on Newmarket Stables and Stables Market;

Upgrade Newmarket Stables and promote the development of equestrian sport in eThekwini;

• Upgrade the Stables Market and promote this as a tourist attraction;
• Honour the city council’s written agreement with Cycling SA that the cycling velodrome will be retained, and promote the sport of cycling in eThekwini;
• Bearing in mind that, by resolution of the city council, the land in question is supposed to be used for the development of a national ‘sports academy’, request the SA police to investigate the recent business brokers advertisement by unknown persons, to convert the current velodrome into a commercial undertaking;
• Request the city manager and Hoy Park Management (Pty) Ltd to retract published insults and threats directed at citizens of eThekwini;
• Withdraw the published threats, issued by the city council and its senior officials, to destroy some 40 existing sporting entities currently occupying council property in eThekwini;
• Offer security of tenure to all affected sporting entities and advise and assist such entities in developing the various sports disciplines;
• In the public interest, furnish the information and documentation twice formally requested in terms of the PAI Act, but refused by the city council.

A city that claims the moral high ground and that wishes to host the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games, would surely want to promote ethics and sport at every opportunity?

JEFF VAN BELKUM