The non-profit organisation that received a R15.9m grant to build a multipurpose sports facility in Limpopo in honour of the late middle-distance runner Mbulaheni Mulaudzi says it would need R70m more to complete the project, which has collapsed into a grazing area for goats.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is probing how the Mavu Sports Development NPO received the money from the National Lotteries Council (NLC) in 2018 through the proactive-based funding method without being subjected to a 12-month cooling-off clause.
During the cooling-off period, a beneficiary who received funding is barred from applying the following year. However, Mavu was allowed to apply twice, receiving R4.7m in 2016 and R7m in 2017 for unrelated projects before it scored the R15.9m payout for Mulaudzi’s sports facility in 2018. It was meant to be completed in six months.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the investigation into the grant was 80% complete.
The facility in Muduluni village in Makhado has remained incomplete since 2021. Its rundown state has angered Mulaudzi’s family, which wants its name to be disassociated from the project.
Work at the site began with the construction of a multipurpose court, a soccer pitch and a 400m track in 2019 before it was abandoned after the funds allegedly ran out in 2021.
Mavu is based in Johannesburg and has no known history in construction.
Mavu spokesperson and former Safa president, Kirsten Nematandani, said the intention had been to build a legacy project for Mulaudzi — the Olympic silver medallist who died in a car crash in 2014.
Nematandani said Mavu had initially applied for R42m, but the NLC only awarded it R15.9m.
“We had to continue with the construction of what could be done with the available budget, which has been spent accordingly," he said.
“This includes an environmental impact assessment, borehole testing and drilling, earthwork preparations, the installation of a 64,000 litre tank, one multipurpose court, the drainage system for a grass field and fencing.”
Nematandani said a rough estimate to construct an accredited athletics track would be between R35m and R40m.
“Part of the complete scope of the desired project was four multipurpose courts, an artificial soccer field, a warm-up track and an accredited athletic track. The overall budget of this scope can be between R50m and R70m. That is excluding additional infrastructure, like an entrance road, parking pavement, a perimeter wall or fence, a grandstand, and an indoor sports complex,” he said.
NLC spokesperson Rudzani Tshigemane confirmed that Mavu’s grant was subject to proactive-based funding being investigated by the SIU.
“The grant allocation was not made under an application-based funding request where a cooling-off period is directly applicable. The NLC can confirm that the funding was made under proactive funding, where a cooling-off period is not applicable.
“During that period, projects funded under this banner were not visited by the monitoring and evaluation team. Once the full investigation report is made public, the NLC will act on the recommendations emanating from the report,” said Tshigemane.
Coaches’ dreams devastated
Peter Muliba, a Makhado resident who coaches a junior soccer team, Kaizer 11, said the four soccer teams in the area were left to use the little they have to participate in regional competitions due to a lack of training resources in the area.
“The issue with this stadium is demoralising. We have been waiting for it for a long time, and the promise is now broken. Mulaudzi was a very good guy, and he would be very disappointed to learn that this failed project was in his name. We don’t have a single proper sports facility that these young boys can use, and they are very hungry to play sports,” said Muliba.
The issue with this stadium is demoralising. We have been waiting for it for a long time, and the promise is now broken. Mulaudzi was a very good guy, and he would be very disappointed to learn that this failed project was in his name.
— Peter Muliba, Makhado resident
Four soccer teams play in the Makhado local football association.
“We would be hosting a proper soccer tournament if this project were not a failure,” Muliba said.
Makonde Makhumisane, an athletics coach who discovered Mulaudzi’s running talent, said that the failure of the facility was a blow to the dreams of many aspiring runners under his mentorship.
“The failure of the project has devastated us, and I don’t even have words to describe it. We have a lot of young and talented kids here, who have since been discouraged and quit athletics altogether. Now I am helping the few I can reach out to,” Makhumisane said.
He said, due to the lack of resources, he decided to coach four youngsters whom he believes have the potential to participate on the Olympic podium.
“I improvised — I have converted one room in my house into a small gym for these young athletes. And we utilised the school grounds and made our makeshift running tracks. If we had a solid facility, we could shock the world. I have over 80 talented athletes who have potential, but I can’t take everyone."
Mulaudzi’s family spokesperson, Joseph Maphaha, said they are disturbed as vandals have been damaging the facility.
“We feel like this is an insult to Mbulaeni ’s name. His mother is still coming to terms with his passing, and now his name keeps coming up whenever that broken stadium is mentioned,” Maphaha said.
Sowetan
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