The Lentegeur sports field, long blighted by the effects of crime, vandalism, drought, land invasions and other ills, is getting a makeover.
Ward councillor Avron Plaatjies says he secured a budget for the repairs, which, he adds, started on Monday March 11 and should take two months to complete.
This comes in response to complaints from several sports bodies about poor conditions at the field (“‘Plain sports fields need fixing,” Plainsman April 5, 2023).
The upgrade will see the field protected by a pre-cast concrete wall, according to Mr Plaatjies.
He said two soccer fields would be re-turfed in the new financial year, and additional facilities would include an irrigation system, a clubhouse, change rooms, a boardroom and new gates in Morgenster Road, Lobelia Street and Madeliefie Street.
A neighbourhood watch currently monitors the field, but there were plans, said Mr Plaatjies, to employ staff from the expanded public works programme and the municipality for ongoing maintenance and security.
“We’re also encouraging residents to look after the premises,” he said.
The president of Collegians Rugby Club, Shamila Sulayman, said the club, which was established in District Six in 1976, had used the ground for almost 40 years for practice sessions, training and match days, and for almost half that time it had leased the property from the municipality.
“The damage caused by the drought in 2016, the neglect of the City and the continued vandalism by persons in the community have contributed to deterioration and us not being able to use the field,” she said.
The club had last used the field in 2019, she said.
The club’s former president, Amien Brink, and life president, Cassiem Smith, had pushed the City for the “longest time” to secure the facility and repair it, she said.
“It’s been a long, slow process. If this happened in an affluent area, it would have taken two months to fix. We are still grateful for small victories,” said Ms Sulayman.
“It’s so important to provide a sporting space especially for youth. This gives you a home, and a sense of belonging. We need our facilities up and running so that the community can make use of it.”
Michael Jacobs, the deputy chairperson of Mitchell’s Plain United Residents Association (MURA), said the repairs were a necessary development.
“We hope that the rugby fraternity and others who used the sports field for years before it fell into disrepair will take ownership of it with the City providing the necessary maintenance budget.”
Mr Plaatjies said the development aimed to restore the field to its former glory, promoting a sense of community and active lifestyles. The revamp, he added, would revitalise local sport by allowing for official bookings and the hosting of local leagues.
“Thank you to the City officials for their unwavering dedication and hard work in bringing this project to fruition and restoring Lentegeur Sports Field to its esteemed status,” said Mr Plaatjies.
