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The DA has launched a petition urging the Gauteng government to explain what happened to the R24 million allocated for the building of the Palm Springs Multi-purpose Centre in Emfuleni.
The DA says the multi-Purpose Centre was meant to be completed in 2018 but years later not a single brick has been laid. Picture: Kingsol Chabalala
Eight years after work was reportedly set to start on a “state-of-the-art” Palm Springs Multi-Purpose Centre in Emfuleni, the site is nothing but bare ground and grass.
The project was initially projected to cost R44 million, begin in 2017, and be completed in two years.
DA shadow MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture Kingsol Chabalala was part of a delegation that recently visited the area and told The Citizen he was outraged at what he found.
“This is shocking considering that in 2020, Maile informed the DA that phase one of the project had been completed. According to Maile, this phase included the construction of various layers of earth materials and installing stormwater drainage systems. It cost R24 199 592.22, more than half the total project cost,” he said.
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False information
Chabalala claimed local authorities and the provincial government had given false information about the project’s launch.
“It is completely unacceptable that the Gauteng government continues to make false claims about the construction of this community centre that does not exist. This dishonesty is particularly disgraceful as it misleads the public and undermines the trust and support of the community,” said Chabalala.
Where did the money go?
He has since launched a petition demanding that the province and the Emfuleni Local Municipality inform the public about how the R24 million for the project was spent.
“Emfuleni residents have been eagerly awaiting this much-needed centre to nurture local talent in different sporting codes and, through sport, build positive role models who will contribute positively to society. As it stands, this centre may never arrive,” Chablala said.
He said unnecessary delays in completing this project have resulted in soaring costs that taxpayers are expected to cover.
By 2020, R82 039 449.50 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,” Chabalala said.
The Citizen contacted the Emfuleni Local Municipality to find out what was preventing the project from being completed. There was no reply to questions sent to the municipality at the time this article was published. This article will be updated when the comment is received.
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