Ward Councillors imperative to development of sports
WELTEVREDEN PARK— Commitment from ward councillors in Roodepoort is essential to securing funding for sports development
Members of the Region C Sports Council met with community members at the Weltevreden Park Tennis Club to forge a way forward in the development of a sports forum in the area on 10 October.
The hour-long presentation focused on the problems around securing land for a variety of sporting codes that are fairly prominent in the area including baseball, squash and tennis.
President of the council, Aubrey Thomas, said it was important for all the wards in the Roodepoort area to become one joint effort toward the sports movement, in order to secure funding from South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).
“We currently do not have enough funding that can accommodate all 17 wards in our area and that is partly because it is difficult to get hold of Ward councillors. Without the crucial number of wards, this sports council will cease to exist.”
Thomas added that Region C was blessed with a wonderful variety of different sports, including dragon boat racing, but that the development toward sports was often overlooked, particularly if it was outside of school sports.
The issue of land was largely discussed and the availability of such, and for baseball which has a league in Weltevreden Park. Community members pointed out that it was often very difficult to secure land for tournaments or practice sessions. Thomas advised them to “draw up a list of the proposed land that you think is suitable and write down the description or plot number, we will contact Joburg Council and check on the availability.”
Although still burdened with the lack of funding, office space and equipment, Aubrey is optimistic that the sports council will be operating soon with his current road show to attract more councillors to the initiative, which is gradually including more areas in Roodepoort.
He added, “It is important for sports forums to include all residents in their areas. This will ensure that the objectives of the Regional Sports Forum are met sooner. The Region C Sports Council will be the region’s mouthpiece and it therefore should have area committees that are completely inclusive, non-racial, non-sexist and apolitical.”
Details: Region C Sports Council regioncsports@gmail.com or 071 760 5505
