Politics.za: Zille Freezes Stadiums

Zille Freezes Stadiums

Farrel — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 06:38:00 -0600

Mayor of Cape Town Helen Zille has decided to put a temporary freeze on the development of the new stadium for the 2010 World Cup in Cape Town for a number of reasons:

The venue, replacing the Green Point Stadium, would pave over Metropolitan Golf Course, the only course close to the Cape Town CBD and one that is right next to tourist hot spot at the V&A Waterfront. Needless to say the tourism industryare not too pleased about it.

The stadium is projected to cost at minimum R1,2 billion. This in a city with a backlog of 360 000 housing units.

Wallace Mgoqi, in his infinite wisdom, signed a deal with FIFA giving them all the income from World Cup related activities in Cape Town leaving city to pick up the tab for funding that is not covered by national government.

And surprisingly provincial Sports MEC Mzonke Whitey Jacobs is agreeing with her although Premier Ebrahim Rasool is going to have a meeting with her to try and “convince” her of the current plans positive attributes. This does have the potential to be a major flashpoint between the DA and ANC.

Now I don’t think that Zille will prevent there being World Cup matches played in Cape Town, to do so would be political suicide, but I do think the council needs to carefully think things through about where the stadium should be (personally I think an upgraded Newlands is quite adequate, or even fully upgrading Athlone stadium would be nice upliftment for the community in the area) and how we’re going to pay for it all. Altough they do need to be quick about it.

"Zille Freezes Stadiums" by Farrel

Tue, 28 Mar 2006 10:19:57 -0600

That parking tender in particular is the most obvious case of BEE fronting ever. The Noseweek article about it published a few months back was excellent.

I haven’t heard of Ian Neilson but I’ll be looking for his name in the papers.

...if the government lasts long enough for him to do his job.

Whoa there DA Mal! Is that doubt about the longevity of the DA coalition? Did it just start snowing in Mecca?

"Zille Freezes Stadiums" by DA Mal

Tue, 28 Mar 2006 08:42:16 -0600

Bluntly, Helen’s going through the errors of the previous city government and stopping any that haven’t gone too far – knowing the stadium is partly a provincial and national government mistake as well, levels over which she has indirect influence only.

Let’s see what she can do with the parking tenders, the Big Bay tenders, and whatever mass of contracts has already been issued with the N2 Gateway project.

On the subject of the new exco member for finance, Ian Neilson: he was the candidate I worked for during the election. He’s been given the job he was born to do: literally, given his Presbyterian Scottish ancestry 8-)

Ian at city level will be as good as Trevor Manuel is nationally. Look forward to excellent financial books in Cape Town, if the government lasts long enough for him to do his job. And I hope Helen talks up his achievements as much as possible.