Speech by the Executive Mayor, Alderman Patricia de
Lille, at the unveiling of two synthetic pitches in
Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg on 7 November 2012
The Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services, Councillor
Tandeka Gqada,
Councillors,
Guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning, goeie môre, molweni.
This administration is committed to redress.
We are determined to overcome the inequalities created by the legacy of
Apartheid, through a series of initiatives to provide services or facilities in
areas that previously did not have them.
This goes beyond the provision of basic services for the well-being of local
communities.
It also means providing sports facilities to create opportunities for those
who want to pursue a career in sport to do so in world-class facilities.
As part of our ongoing efforts to achieve this, the City is today unveiling
two new synthetic football pitches in Hangberg and Imizamo Yethu.
The two pitches will be open for use by the local communities.
In total the City has spent over R10 million on the construction of the
playing fields in both communities.
The synthetic mat for the pitch in Hangberg was donated by a Dutch
company, Desso Sports Systems, while the City contributed R3,2 million
for the construction of the field. The facility has been equipped with
floodlights to allow for night training sessions and matches.
The synthetic pitch in Imizamo Yethu cost R8,7 million. The second phase
of this project will see the construction of a club house and recreation
centre, installation of floodlights to allow night matches, and provision of
permanent ablution facilities.
Both facilities meet all of the standard FIFA regulations for training
facilities.
These two new fields bring the total number of synthetic pitches in the
city to 13, inclusive of nine five-a-side pitches and six full-size fields,
respectively.
Five extra synthetic pitches throughout the metro are scheduled for
completion during the 2012/13 municipal financial year.
All of the 24 clubs affiliated to the South African Football Association
(SAFA) in Hangberg and Imizamo Yethu will be able to use both pitches
for their league matches.
Local community social clubs will also be eligible to use the fields through
a co-ordinated booking system.
Football in this city has made a significant contribution to the success of
our country’s national football teams.
The first footballer to score our country’s goal at the 1998 FIFA World
Cup in France and Bafana Bafana’s all-time leading goal-scorer is a son
of our city, Benni McCarthy. The first captain of our country’s female
senior football team is a daughter of this city, Desiree Ellis.
Today, we have Ajax Cape Town and Chippa United in the Premier Soccer
League, who provide local footballers with the platform to launch their
professional football careers.
There are also four football teams in the city playing in the National First
Division – which is also a viable gateway for aspirant local football stars to
compete at the highest professional level in the country.
By building these pitches in these areas, the City is creating a conducive
environment for emerging young footballers to hone their skills in worldclass facilities.
These fields could produce the next generations of football legends in our
city.
We are creating opportunities for aspirant football stars to pursue their
dreams of establishing themselves as successful professionals.
In a city like ours that is grappling with the devastating effects of
substance abuse, the football field is often the safest place for many
youngsters to avoid the lure of drugs.
I would like to make a special appeal to the people of Hangberg and
Imizamo Yethu to take care of these facilities to ensure that the young
people of our city have world-class facilities to develop their talents.
Thank you.