Publications
Partners
Durban - It will cost the KwaZulu-Natal government nearly R1.1bn if Durban is selected to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, according to a report tabled before the eThekwini municipality’s executive committee on Tuesday.
It would cost South Africa R3.4bn to host the event. The province and the city would each pay half of the R1.08bn price tag.
According to the report, the money would be spent on operating costs, including facilities, equipment, the Commonwealth village, workers, advertising and promotions, administration, and project management.
The executive committee met on February 10, 2015 and recommend that council approve about R17.5m for professional and design fees, to be paid to the Sports and Recreation Department for the Durban bid.
It was recommended in the report that council approve payment of R500 000 for hosting delegates, travelling, and lobbying meetings. Council was asked to let eThekwini Mayor James Nxumalo and two other officials travel to London to present Durban's bid on February 2.
This was approved on February 25.
DA councillors to keep watch
According to the report there must be a national budget for the construction of the athletes’ village, similar to how N2 Gateway in the Western Cape and the Luthuli project in Gauteng were funded.
A task team of KwaZulu-Natal human settlements or sports and recreation department officials would be established to make proposals on the funding, design norms, and standards of the athletes’ village.
Once the proposed budget had been adopted by council, a detailed multi-year budget would be prepared.
DA councillors Zwakele Mncwango and Heinz de Boer expressed their reservations about the task team.
“We need to place on record that we will be watching everything that goes on in this project. We have heard rumours about people expecting to benefit,” said De Boer.
Councillor Nigel Gumede asked them: “Are you suggesting that there is something criminal in this project? You can keep watching because we will keep updating you about the project.”
“If there is something to investigate then we will investigate,” said Nxumalo.
