Update

GEORGE NEWS - Despite being certified World Athletics Class 2 in January 2025, the Rosemoor athletics track in George remains sidelined as far as major competitions are concerned.

There is no evidence of any formal agreement between the municipality and the owner of the neighbouring Erf 8812, a property critical for the stadium's expansion and long-term development. 

Without this land, the facility cannot meet the requirements for large-scale events.

Municipal spokesperson Chantèl Edwards confirmed in response to a follow-up enquiry: "Erf 8812 is owned by the Department of Infrastructure, and any matters relating to the property form part of an ongoing intergovernmental process. We therefore stand by our previous response and are not in a position to comment further at this stage. The availability of funding and the prioritisation by Council will determine the implementation of future phases of the project."

Edwards had previously stated that an amount of R1.4m had been made available in the 2026/27 financial year for further planning and development of the Rosemoor sports facilities.

"Further details will be shared once all statutory consultation and procurement processes have been completed. The prioritisation and allocation of funding remains subject to Council approval." She also clarified that Erf 8812 refers to the property on which Hibernia Primary School is located, and that the municipality cannot comment on it.

On 23 March, the National Department of Infrastructure's spokesperson, James de Villiers, confirmed that the property is owned by the provincial government, not the national department, and directed all enquiries to the province.

Enquiries to the provincial Department of Sport, Arts and Culture were referred back to the George Municipality and/or the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture as administrators of the grant. Enquiries to the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture dated 12 and 17 March have yielded no response by the time of going to press. 

An enquiry was submitted to the provincial Department of Infrastructure on Tuesday 24 March and another on 9 April. The paper is still awaiting a response.

Concerns over Rosemoor's readiness are not new. The issues date back to 2018, when Athletics SWD warned that the facility lacked adequate space, parking, warm-up areas, spectator seating, toilet facilities and a disaster management plan, all essential for athlete and spectator safety.

At the time, repeated requests for updated plans, including stadium design, parking layouts, pedestrian flows and warm-up areas, went largely unanswered.

The long straight and 100m finish are just meters from the boundary line, leaving no space for spectator seating or electronic timing equipment. Photo: Marguerite van Ginkel

Athletics SWD president and Athletics SA vice president Shireen Noble said in October 2024: "Even if the athletics track gets certified, the infrastructure of the development won't be able to accommodate large-scale events. Moreover, because we have not seen a master plan detailing the long-term vision, we are concerned that the Rosemoor Athletics Stadium could turn into a white elephant that is unable to host large-scale events."

The result is a facility that, on paper, is world-class, but in practice remains unused for major events. Eden's top school athletes still cannot compete at Rosemoor, raising questions about the planning and execution of this R40.6m project that was intended to be a flagship for regional and national athletics.

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