Pretoria – Westbury in the south of Johannesburg will be the first to benefit from a flagship project to build 10 multimillion rand state-of-the art multipurpose sports centres across Gauteng over the next five years.
Gauteng MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Molebatsi Bopape unveiled the project called Operation Mabaleng (playing fields) on Thursday.
“Mabaleng will change how sport is played by locals and how communities engage in recreational activities that even at night people will have a chance to participate in physical activities, which should then begin to address the thinking that nights are only for drinking and partying,” said MEC Bopape.
She said access to sport was a human right essential to human development and helps in the transformation of society.
The Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation said Westbury has a facility which hosts local soccer games. The facility needed revamping and mordenisation.
There are three different models for the project. In some areas, existing facilities will be remodelled, while in other areas they will be developed from the ground.
The basic features of the model are of a soccer pitch (and five-a-side mini pitches), mini rugby, cricket, netball, basketball; a gymnasium, public viewing and indoor games area.
Community interests and priorities will be taken into consideration for each sport centre. Other codes will include athletics and cycling.
MEC Bopape’s spokesperson Gugu Ndima said when the facilities are completed, they will be handed over to municipalities to run and manage.
“However, both the department and the municipalities will facilitate and coordinate programmes offered on site. Construction work at the pilot site in Westbury is scheduled to begin soon,” Ndima said. – SAnews.gov.za
