The Eastern Cape department of sport says it is in advanced engagements with various stakeholders for the construction of a state-of-the-art netball indoor arena in Buffalo City.
While the duration, location and exact cost of the project are still being discussed, l sports MEC Sibulele Ngongo said they were envisaging a world-class facility.
Ngongo said the proposed arena would not only facilitate home games for the two Eastern Cape teams (Aloes and Comets) participating in the Telkom Netball League, but would also stimulate the economy of the province.
The TNL was formed in 2014 and is the country’s biggest netball league.
Despite the province having two teams, it is yet to host the league because of the lack of indoor netball arena options.
Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State have been rotated hosts of the tournament.
Ngongo said the building of the netball facility would enhance the development of netball and assist the province in hosting national and international tournaments.
A successful Netball World Cup draw was hosted at the East London International Conference Centre three years ago.
“With netball being the biggest women’s sport in the county, it continues to receive our prioritised support from grassroots levels right through to provincial and national participation,” Ngongo said.
“The process is still at the consultation stage. As part of this process, we are engaging various stakeholders to partner with us to bring this project to life.”
The stakeholders include the national department of sport, arts and culture, which would be responsible for funding the project, Netball SA as the key stakeholder that would guide the technical aspects with regard to features and quality standards and engage BCM as the beneficiary and custodian of the facility to identify a possible site.
Eastern Cape Netball president Mpumi Javu confirmed they’d had engagements with Ngongo and her department.
“In the Eastern Cape, we don't have that kind of facility,” she said.
“In Africa, in general, no facility is made for netball.
“Even the World Cup in 2023 was held at the ICC in Cape Town.
“We use universities as facilities and arenas. The facility here would be the first of its kind.
“As you know, in the Telkom Netball league we have the Comets and Aloes.
“In terms of a training venue, we don’t have anywhere they can train.
“With this arena, we would have something called a home for our teams to train comfortably.”
Javu said the facility was planned to have outside courts as well because they intended to use them for development.
“If you go to the rural areas in the former Transkei, there are no decent netball courts.
“In order for them to be competitive enough, they need to train in a proper facility.
“We want to have training camps in the facility during the school holidays,” she said.
Attempts to get comment from Buffalo City Metro were unsuccessful.
Daily Dispatch
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