A significant breakthrough has been achieved for the Phoenix community following a high-level meeting between the Mayor’s office, eThekwini Municipality and members of the Grounds Committee, which includes representatives appointed by the Local Football Association, an affiliate of SAFA.
The meeting, which was also attended by Councillor Moulana Tariq Mohamed and officials from key departments such as Human Settlements and Parks and Gardens, follows the peaceful protest held on 31 May where residents came out in large numbers to oppose plans that threatened to turn local sports fields and play lots into housing developments. A formal memorandum was handed over to the Speaker of Council, Thabani Nyawose, from the Mayor’s office on the day, who signed and accepted the residents’ grievances listed on the memorandum.
In response, the Mayor’s office swiftly arranged a meeting to address the community’s concerns. During the discussions, human settlements officials reassured the committee that no sports fields or play lots in Phoenix would be repurposed for housing. Instead, developers will be required to rezone land around these facilities should new housing projects proceed. Furthermore, once rezoning is complete, all affected sports fields and play lots will be returned to the care of Parks and Gardens. The department has also pledged to upgrade and maintain the facilities going forward.
Committee member Rakesh Brijmohan expressed gratitude on behalf of the Grounds Committee: “We sincerely thank the Mayor’s office for responding to our concerns with utmost urgency. We now look forward to working closely with all relevant departments to ensure that our sports facilities are preserved and improved for the benefit of our future generations.”
Mohamed welcomed the outcome, stating: “This is a major win for the people of Phoenix. Our sports grounds are not just patches of land – they are spaces that nurture talent, promote health and build community spirit. I commend the Mayor’s office and the departments involved for taking the community’s voice seriously and acting with urgency.”
