The historic Bellville Velodrome has become the center of a heated debate between community advocates and the City of Cape Town, as residents fight to preserve affordable access to the facility while municipal officials pursue a costly redevelopment partnership with private developers.
The Bellville Velodrome, which opened in 1997, has served as a crucial community resource for nearly three decades. The facility has provided affordable access to athletics, cycling, hockey, gymnastics, concerts, and cultural events for residents from disadvantaged areas including Bellville South and Phisantekraal.
“Many youth from underprivileged areas rely on the Velodrome as their only accessible space for sports and cultural events,”
Councillor Cheslyn Steenberg of the Patriotic Alliance brought community concerns to the forefront during a recent council meeting, emphasising the facility’s importance for underprivileged youth and para-athletes who rely on the velodrome as their only accessible space for sports and cultural activities.
“Many youth from underprivileged areas rely on the Velodrome as their only accessible space for sports and cultural events,” the document notes, highlighting how disabled children and para-athletes particularly benefit from its safe, accessible environment.
The community’s primary fears center around the potential commercialisation of the facility. Residents worry that redevelopment will prioritise commercial interests over community needs, potentially making the velodrome inaccessible to the public and transforming it into a facility for private developers’ use.
“Upgrading the Velodrome to Sasrea-compliant standards would cost R300 million (excluding operational costs),”
Financial reality vs. community needs
Executive Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis defended the city’s redevelopment approach, citing the harsh financial realities facing the aging facility. His response revealed the significant costs involved in bringing the velodrome up to modern safety standards.
“Upgrading the Velodrome to Sasrea-compliant standards would cost R300 million (excluding operational costs),” the mayor stated, referring to the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act requirements. This massive investment, he argued, makes standalone municipal funding economically challenging.
The mayor emphasised that professional assessments are needed to determine the facility’s current condition and required repairs, including compliance with Sasrea and Sans regulations. He noted that the facility has suffered significant deterioration over time due to deferred maintenance and delays in previous redevelopment attempts.
A history of delays and legal challenges
The current controversy has deep roots. The City Council originally approved a redevelopment tender in 2009 (resolution C46/10/09), which included public participation processes in 2019. However, the project faced numerous setbacks, including legal arbitration and delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
This approach, he argued, represents a “win-win” scenario that ensures long-term maintenance, generates income, and maintains public access.
Some previous agreements were declared null and void, but negotiations with the same bidder have recently resumed and are now at an advanced stage, with discussions expected to conclude in the 2025-’26 financial year.
The mayor’s preferred solution involves a partnership with private developers who would lease the velodrome and athletics track, taking responsibility for the R300 million in upgrades and ongoing operations.
This approach, he argued, represents a “win-win” scenario that ensures long-term maintenance, generates income, and maintains public access.
However, this solution has not satisfied Steenberg’s advocates who are calling for:
An independent audit to assess the true costs of basic functional repairs and investigate potential cost inflation.
A moratorium on redevelopment plans until proper public consultation and oversight are conducted.
Direct municipal funding and support to restore the velodrome as a grassroots, community-centered facility rather than commercialising it.
As part of his response, the mayor also outlined plans to upgrade other athletic facilities across Cape Town, including Jan Burger, Westridge, Wesfleur, Vygieskraal, and Mandela Park. These projects, with timelines extending from 2026 to 2030, represent significant investments:
- R80 million for a multipurpose center at Jan Burger;
- R60 million for athletics infrastructure improvements;
- R80 million for an athletics track in Westridge;
- R22 million for cycle track reinstatement at Vygieskraal.
The path forward
The Bellville Velodrome controversy highlights the broader challenge facing municipalities across South Africa: balancing community needs with financial constraints while maintaining aging public infrastructure.
While the facility currently operates with interim maintenance to ensure basic community use, its inability to host large-scale events due to safety compliance issues underscores the urgency of the situation.
The coming months will be critical as negotiations with the preferred developer continue and the community’s calls for transparency and public consultation grow louder. The outcome will likely set a precedent for how Cape Town handles similar community facility challenges in the future.
As both sides seek solutions, the central question remains: Can the city find a path that preserves the velodrome’s role as an accessible community resource while ensuring its long-term financial sustainability and safety compliance? The answer will determine whether this beloved facility continues to serve as a lifeline for Cape Town’s disadvantaged communities or becomes another casualty of urban redevelopment pressures.
