Calls for Urgent Repairs as Komani Sport Facilities Crumble

In the heart of Chris Hani District’s economic hub, young athletes are being forced to train on ruined fields, change rooms have become drug dens, and entire communities are left without a single playable sport facility.

An investigation by this publication reveals that Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality has no functional sport facilities in Komani, with existing fields left to deteriorate through neglect and vandalism.

Naledi Dlwengu, a local sport organizer, said the situation in Komani is dire.

“All the sport facilities in Komani are not in good condition,” Dlwengu said. “At Ezibeleni the change rooms were vandalized and now are used as a place to smoke drugs by criminals.”

He added that playing fields are not maintained and are slowly deteriorating. “The fence is vandalized and nothing is done to fix the sport fields we already have.”

Chris Hani Sport Council secretary Mabhuti Mapeyi said the problem extends across the district, but is worst in Komani.

“Especially in Komani, which is the economic hub of the district, the sport fields are not maintained,” Mapeyi said. “We have teams that are playing in the Motsepe League and have no grounds.”

According to Mapeyi, when teams play at Dumpy ground there are no grandstands, change rooms are vandalized, and the swimming pool, netball and cricket fields have also been destroyed.

“As the sport council we need to sit down with Enoch Mgijima and talk on how they can assist us in maintaining sport facilities in our area,” he said.

He said the municipality only has one usable field at the Indoor Sport Centre for the entire town. Other fields are in such poor condition that teams are allowed to train on them before matches, destroying the grass.

DA councillor Sakhumzi Mkhunqe said the lack of facilities is directly fueling social problems.

“The municipality should start focusing on maintaining the sport facilities in the municipal area,” Mkhunqe said. “Young people are smoking drugs and drinking alcohol because there are no sport facilities. All we want are sport facilities for our children.”

Enoch Mgijima Municipality spokesman Lonwabo Kowa did not respond to questions sent to him by the time of publication.

The municipality has not publicly outlined any plans to repair or secure the damaged facilities, despite repeated complaints from sport structures and residents.

With no safe spaces to play, local coaches say talent is being lost and youth are drifting into crime and substance abuse. The Chris Hani Sport Council says it is ready to meet with the municipality to find solutions, but says urgent intervention is needed before more facilities are lost completely.

Residents and sport organizers say they will continue to push for accountability, arguing that sport infrastructure is a basic need for healthy, safe communities.