Photo: Facebook
Photo: Facebook
Good heavens, this has been a disastrous exercise for the ANC from start to finish: A so-called ‘state of the art stadium’ erected in a rural municipality has been comprehensively slammed, after its R15 million price tag was made public.
ANC’s R15 million stadium sparks outrage
And, putting it kindly, The Lesseyton Sports Field IS NOT a R15 million stadium…
EFF slam ‘shameless’ ANC
The party’s governing council in Enoch Mgijima, nestled in the Chris Hani District of the Eastern Cape, has opened the new facility with a large degree of ANC fanfare. But critics and cynics alike have been left aghast at the final costs.
Floyd Shivambu, the Deputy Leader of the EFF, vented his frustrations about the eye-watering payments. He was left bemused as to why ANC representatives were so proud of the temporary stands and questionable athletics track.
“Enoch Mgijima has opened what they call a stadium. R15 million was paid to build this thing, and they are proud of it. We must vote these people out of power, they have no shame. None whatsoever! R15m for this?” | Floyd Shivambu
R15 million stadium: Mmusi Maimane questions the costs
Elsewhere, the R15 million ‘stadium’ nearly fried Mmusi Maimane’s mind – to the point where was doing his own cost evaluation of the project, and found seating structures at a snip of the ANC’s eight-figure sum.
The audacity of these people. #TsotsiGame. pic.twitter.com/DqIfgs9KSI
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) October 4, 2021
Maimane went on a similar rant to that shared by Shivambu, and urged locals to reject the ANC after the party ‘took them for a ride’. We’re also giving the OneSA Movement leader top marks for his ‘shriveled carrot’ comparison.
“It’s unbelievable that R15 million was allocated for this project and this is what was delivered. No man, this is wrong. The people of Enoch Mgijima local municipality deserve better than this.”
“The people of South Africa deserve better than this. Meanwhile, the athletics track: I have seen shriveled carrots in better shape. Voters are not being taken seriously if this is the best explanation. We are seriously being taken for a ride.”
Where did the money go?
The Enoch Mgijima Municipality has since deleted its Facebook post, which paraded the new facilities online. However, the photos soon became a lightning rod for criticism, as thousands flocked to deride the R15 million blow-out.
Athi Geleba, Head of Digital Communications in the Presidency for the ANC, has tried to defend the project, claiming that millions were spent on ‘boreholes, new changing rooms, ablution facilities, and earth works’. However, even this doesn’t feel like it would rack up such a massive bill – and Geleba concedes that proof of receipts may be needed:
I agree with you. An account must be given.
— MANGWANYA #VoteANC (@AthiGeleba) October 5, 2021
