Hundreds of Phoenix residents gathered at the Eastbury Sports Grounds on Saturday, 31 May, to voice their opposition to the proposed transformation of their recreational spaces into residential areas. The protest drew various local football clubs and political representatives, all united in their determination to preserve sports facilities for the community, particularly the youth.
Charm Reddy, vice president of the SAFA Phoenix Local Football Association (LFA), said: “These areas are vital to our community’s health, youth development, social cohesion, and well-being.” The LFA’s demands included scrapping the SR180 zoning, returning sports fields to the Department of Parks and Recreation, upgrading facilities, and ensuring councillor accountability. Reddy also requested a dedicated stadium for Phoenix and the adoption of sports fields by clubs.
The community’s concerns were echoed by Lloyd Govender, secretary of the Foresthaven Sports Club, who said: “Fields are getting sold privately, and we need to make a stand to protect our sports grounds and ensure the youth have a space to play.” Aisha Hassen, a parent whose children played for the Foresthaven Sports Club, shared her personal experience, saying: “Due to developments, I now spend an hour travelling to reach the nearest sports facility. It’s not just our children who have suffered; it’s also the elderly who used to bring their dogs for a walk and the community as a whole.”
IFP councillor Dr Jonathan Annipen criticised the developers, saying: “Developers have consistently violated regulations and built without proper permits.” He also took issue with remarks made by the Speaker of Council, Thabani Nyawose, who appeared to deflect responsibility. Annipen said: “These public amenities—once vital spaces for recreation and community engagement—have been irreversibly altered without proper consultation or transparency. The IFP is deeply disturbed by remarks made by the Speaker of Council, Thabani Nyawose, who appeared to deflect responsibility by insinuating that local councillors failed to engage communities regarding these developments. This assertion is not only factually incorrect but also misleading.”
DA Member of Parliament Nicole Bollman shared similar concerns, stating: “This situation is not only about the sports fields, and it goes back to 2008, where every open space – be it a traffic circle, a verge or sports field – it was rezoned to SR 180. Even with the development, the developers are questioned as they are allegedly linked politically, and ultimately, the city hasn’t considered the Phoenix residents.” Bollman echoed Annipen’s point and said that due to receiving lack of city response, residents think that councillors are not doing their jobs. She said: “I will propose a task team specific for the SR 180 matter, gets put together which includes various municipal departments so that there’s a conclusive decision that promises must be delivered and that the problems are dealt with.”
In a positive development, Nyawose signed the memorandum and committed to responding to the demands within 14 working days. He said: “The city had requested President Cyril Ramaphosa to commission the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to conduct an investigation, as we have realised that there is something deeper that we might not be aware of.” Nyawose praised the residents for their patriotism and love for their community.
