“It’s been very bad to a point that some sporting codes can’t be performed or competed and pushes children back to the streets and drugs “, words coming from Hammanskraal sportsguru Robert Langa raising his concern over the lack of involvement from the Office of the council unmaintainable of sports facilities in Hammanskraal.
It’s not the first we hear complaints of this nature with the matter affecting most townships around Tshwane. In an interview with Capital Sport Langa expressed his dissatisfaction with the Office of the Council and its incompetence. “They only appoint people and don’t follow up on their work programmes , descriptions, and money that is overspent.
“Teams that compete in the LFA can’t suffer the most as players suffer injuries from waterlogged grounds”. He further revealed that the community reached out to the council’s office about the matter and was told that there is no budget and resources to help them.
This left a lot of questions marks on how financial matters are handled by the local municipality. Langa believes that those in senior higher positions need to be held accountable and removed from their positions. ” If they could hire people who are sports lovers who are active and understand what their duties are in the department”.
With no office handing over documents for finances to the community, Langa points it as the reason no one is held accountable and that people are employed with contracts, not permanent posts. A budget is handed out for Sports and recreation but communities don’t have proper sports facilities putting pressure on local LFA and other sports organisations to run competitions.
Commenting on leaders being held accountable Langa said, ” Sports and recreation department as a whole needs to account for this matter because they are the ones who should know how much money is used and must come up with a plan of servicing sports facilities and readout usage budget for the department “.
Langa challenges the MEC of Sports and Recreation to overlook people in her office and make time to visit local sports centres and grounds. Investing more funds into sports development in schools to give hope to the youth and keep them off the streets.
