The City of Cape Town on Thursday booted the South African Football Association (SAFA) Cape Town out of its Athlone offices after serving them with an eviction notice.
Security guards refused them entry and staff members were then joined by members of the newly formed United Coalition of Sport and Community Based Organisations (UCSCBO).
The organisation, representing SAFA Cape Town, held a press conference in the parking lot of the stadium and has accused the City of riding roughshod over community sporting organisations and demanded the eviction notice be withdrawn.
In a statement, the UCSCBO said it was established on 16 January 2019 “to intervene on challenges facing the sports bodies and community-based organisations with regards to matters pertaining to the City of Cape Town”.
“This action was necessitated by the Cape Town Sports Council being placed under administration by the Western Cape Provincial Sports Confederation, thereby silencing the voice of community stakeholders,” it said.
“It emerged that it was not only the SAFA CT matter but that the broader sport and CBO sector are experiencing similar problems relating to the usage, maintenance and security of facilities,” the committee said.
They are demanding that SAFA be named the custodians of Athlone Stadium. It also wants the City to “cease the occupation of sport facilities as municipal offices”.
However, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, James Vos, says the City is simply trying to comply with national regulations.
“The facility (Athlone Stadium) obtained its Grading Certificate on 31 October 2018. During this process, various non-compliance issues were brought to the City’s attention,” Vos said.
“In order to remedy these irregularities, all non-operational stadium occupants would need to move their operations from the premises.”
He said the City has offered SAFA Cape Town alternative premises at the Old Mfuleni Clinic, which they declined.
“Subsequently, SAFA Cape Town has been offered space at the nearby Vygieskraal Stadium by the City’s Recreation and Parks Department.”
He said soccer would not be disadvantaged by this move as the SAFA Cape Town office was performing “a purely administrative function”.
He added: “Should the Athlone Stadium not be compliant in terms of legislation, and lose its Grading Certificate, this will have dire consequences for all sport and cultural events that are hosted at the facility, not just soccer.”