Petition launched over missing R24 million for Palm Springs Multi-purpose Centre

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A petition has been launched by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng to the provincial government on the missing R24 million earmarked for the building of the Palm Springs Multi-purpose Centre.

According to the Blue Wave, as it stands, this centre may never arrive despite residents of Emfuleni eagerly awaiting for it to nurture local talent in different sporting codes and also build positive role models through sport who will contribute positively to society.

Speaking during an oversight inspection to the area, the DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture, and Recreation (SACR), Kingsol Chabalala, revealed that he stumbled upon a concerning discovery where not a single brick has been laid despite millions been spent on this project.

Adding that it 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.

“According to Maile, this phase included the construction of various layers of earth materials and the installation of stormwater drainage systems. It cost R24 199 592.22, more than half the total project cost.

“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,” he explained.

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Chabalala highlighted that the project was originally scheduled for completion on 15 June 2018. However, there is currently no timeline for when construction will begin or when it will be finished.

He added; “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, R82 039 449.50 had already accumulated.

Residents called to sign the petition

“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.”

Outlining the way forward, Chabalala stated that they will table questions to the MEC for COGTA, Jacob Mamabolo, in addition to launching a petition demanding answers.

“We demand to know where the money has gone, as it has not been used for the construction of the multipurpose centre and why did former MEC Maile lie about phase one of this project.

“The current cost accumulated by the delays in this project need to be accounted for as well as to why has COGTA not intervened to persuade Emfuleni to use the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (IMG) for this project,” he concluded.