MANAGEMENT from the Bellville United Soccer Club are seeking answers from the City of Cape Town regarding the funds allocated to the club which is falling apart due to vandalism and a lack of maintenance.
Daily Voice met with the management of the soccer club at the dilapidated building where club treasurer, Mark Slinger, said that they have been fighting over a decade to try and get the City of Cape Town to come out and fix the place but their requests have fallen on deaf ears.
He said that one of their challenges is vandalism from people in the community and there is no security around the building. He said that they have been forced to dig into their own pockets and fork out money to fix the place as players from the club cannot use the amenities.
“We ask the City to help us even if they just give us the material, we will do it ourselves. We are given empty promises but no action.
“We had another break in on 28 May where the roof caved in and the city only gave us five ceiling boards, which we had to put up ourselves.
“We struggle year in and year out with the same problem and our biggest question is, ‘where is the budget and maintenance for this place’.
“We are a non-profit organisation and need to dig into our own pockets to fix up what we can around the club house.
“This is the city’s building, so it is their responsibility to fix it. Sub-contractors got sent out and made a list, but dan smeer hulle jam op ons lippe and never show up.”
Daily Voice was taken through the clubhouse as toilets and showers were out of order, most rooms were without electricity, windows, lights and the ceiling were broken and taps are stolen and the floodlights “have been down for 10 years”.
The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department said that persistent vandalism and theft at the Bellville South Sport Complex have made it increasingly difficult to maintain the facility sustainably, saying in a statement: “The most recent break-ins, reported in May 2025, caused further substantial damage.
“Following this latest incident, the City deployed internal maintenance teams to stabilise the facility, delivered 10 ceiling boards and plumbing materials to the soccer clubhouse to assist with repair work, bricked up an access window and requested additional safety assessments.
“Routine maintenance support continues to be provided within the limits of available resources…
“During the 2024/25 financial year, the City undertook repairs totalling R1.27 million across the darts, pigeon and rugby clubhouses.
“At the time of planning these repairs, the soccer clubhouse was assessed to be in relatively acceptable condition, based on previous electrical, plumbing and general building upgrades that had already been completed…
“For the 2024/25 financial year, a total of R2.75 million in repairs and maintenance requests were submitted for the Bellville South Sport Grounds, including items relating to the soccer clubhouse.”
However Marc said this is not the case, as according to him, nothing was done and none of this money was ever spent on the clubhouse.