4 March 2026
The pool at the newly built Jim Payne Sports Complex has no water. The municipality says it has been drained for maintenance, and will be used soon. The red lifeguard tower next to the pool cost R100,000. Photos: Joseph Bracken
The Greater Kokstad Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal has spent R24.4-million on a sports facility, which has finally been completed after nine years of tender disputes and delays.
The Jim Payne Sports Complex, which includes a pool and soccer field, opened in September 2025 and has since been used by soccer teams on weekends and for occasional tournaments. But local soccer coaches have complained about the condition of the field and say the municipality is not transparent about how to book sessions on the field.
When GroundUp visited the centre two weeks ago, the gate was shut and there was no water in the pool. Only a maintenance worker and a security guard were on site.
Municipal spokesperson Zolani Siqwayi insisted the complex is open to the public. The pool was drained for maintenance purposes, he said. It will soon be used by public and private schools for training and tournaments.
Siyabonga Dubayo, coach of local team Kokstad Liverpool, said the field is used by the regional league on Sundays. But the pitch is already in a bad state and not properly maintained. The ground is too hard, he said.
Dubayo said there are no good quality pitches in Kokstad.
Tyler Nayager, owner of a team in the smaller local league, said that the league has tried to book sessions on the field, but received no response from the municipality.
Carlos Fortuin, who coaches several local soccer teams, also said he has not been able to access the grounds with his team. Local coaches have not been informed by the municipality that the grounds are open, and the gate is always closed, he said.
Fortuin said the sports complex could be an asset for youth sports development in Kokstad. “Most of our young people don’t even have a place they can go and train,” he said.
Some soccer coaches have complained that the sports field at Jim Payne is not properly maintained.
GroundUp previously reported that residents were concerned that the Jim Payne Complex was being built on a wetland. When we visited the facility, there were large patches of water pooling around the field, four days after the last rainfall.
Bradwyn Marnce, DA PR councillor, said the location raises concerns around drainage, structural integrity and ongoing maintenance costs.
Municipal spokesperson Siqwayi said that drainage has been provided, including concrete drains and stormwater pipes. But stormwater from the golf course next to the complex flows through the stormwater pipes, discharging into the sports fields’ drains. The municipality plans to redirect the stormwater from the golf course. “This solution will be implemented in the upcoming financial year, subject to the budget provision,” said Siqwayi.
GroundUp reported in March 2024 on the then-unfinished Jim Payne Sport Complex. Construction finally finished in September 2025.
Municipal spokesperson Siqwayi said the original concept in 2016 was to build a “state-of-the-art sports complex” for about R166-million. But, due to budget constraints, the actual amount spent to date is about R25-million.
The design of the facility, by Iqhayiya Design, cost R3.3-million.
Construction on the first phase started in March 2017. Andimahle Trading Enterprises CC, owned by celebrity events planner Lindiwe Mazwide, was awarded a R12-million tender.
But construction was halted because an Environmental Impact Assessment had not been conducted, said Siqwayi.
After the assessment was completed, work resumed in December 2017. But the contract with Andimahle was cancelled in January 2019.
Andimahle took the municipality to court in 2022, demanding R14-million. The municipality argued that the company did not have the necessary skills or capacity to complete the work. The company had not completed the contracted work and had only done bulk earthworks removal.
Meanwhile, Siyazama Housing CC had taken over the project in January 2020, with an additional R15.5-million to complete the complex. Phase 1 was completed by August 2023.
A different contractor, Shearer Group (Pty) Ltd, was appointed to complete phase 2 at a cost of R1-million. This included building the lifeguard tower, constructing spectator stands for the field and swimming pool, and providing a ladder and starting blocks for the pool.
During our visit, we saw the lifeguard tower, which cost R100,000, according to Siqwayi. The structure is made from thin wood panels and shakes when one climbs up the ladder. The window is a flimsy sheet of plastic.
Marnce, the PR councillor, believes the municipality has possibly spent as much as R55-million on the project.
“We don’t believe the municipality is transparent about the full cost of the project, as they have also incurred litigation fees, unnecessary consulting fees, and current cost to protect and have a permanent security guard on site,” Marnce told GroundUp.
In 2023, the DA sent a letter to Sipho Zwane, municipal manager at the time, requesting an investigation into all costs related to the project. In response, Zwane sent a short breakdown of costs totalling R24.4-million.
But Marnce was not satisfied, as they had requested a full breakdown of all documentation related to expenditure, procurement processes, contractor appointments, and project variations for the complex.
“The only way we will believe the true cost of project is when they can provide the evidence,” she said.
Three other municipal sports facilities in the area have been left to ruin. GroundUp visited the facilities, all of which had problems with their bathrooms, and had change rooms that were either partially or completely non-functional. The grass around the facilities was not maintained.
At Bhongweni Stadium, large pieces of artificial turf were scattered across the soccer field. Both at Bhongweni and at River View Stadium, the security gates outside the bathrooms have been welded shut. At the Kokstad Cricket Oval, the bathrooms are in a terrible condition.
Siqwayi said the municipality has submitted business plans to the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, requesting funds to address the problems.
“Minor repairs are carried out as and when there are issues identified,” he said.
A bathroom stall and urinal at Bhongweni Stadium. The other bathrooms have security doors that are welded shut.