By Nangamso Mabindla

More than R16-million will be spent on upgrading facilities in Buffalo City ahead of the South African Games, which it will host in April next year.

Venues for the games are dotted across the city: from the soccer grounds in Mdantsane to Xerox Hockey Park in Bunkers Hill.

Yesterday marked the start of the construction phase of the new R300 000 drainage facility at the ABSA Stadium in Arcadia, Southernwood.

The games, which are aimed at identifying some of South Africa's top sporting talent, are expected to attract an estimated 6 000 people to the city. This is expected to create opportunities for promoting local tourism.

Buffalo City Executive Mayor Sindisile Maclean said he was happy with the preparations and believed the games would be a great success.

"When I take a look at the facilities, I must say I am pleasantly surprised at the amount of work put by the organisers," Councillor Maclean said.

The mayor said he was sure that none of the thousands of expected visitors would leave the city dissatisfied. "We are looking to be a tourism spectacle. When these visitors leave Buffalo City, they'll always want to come back and make it their holiday destination," the mayor said.

Councillor Sindiswa Ngomba, who heads up the Games' organising committee, echoed the mayor's sentiments, saying all the facilities were either ready or approaching a state of readiness.

"We are going to use the Absa Stadium, Sisa Dukashe, the Joan Harrison Swimming Pool, the Selborne Tennis Club and the Xerox Park Hockey Astroturf in Bunkers Hill. All these facilities will be world class when the games commence," said Councillor Ngomba.

At the Jan Smuts Athletic Stadium in Arcadia alone, a total of R9, 2-million was to be spent in upgrading the facilities.

Deputy Executive Mayor Des Halley said that next month would see the laying down of a new synthetic track as well as the acquisition of new equipment such as hurdles and a discus cage.

"Apart from the R2,7-million we've already spent on the synthetic track, we are looking to spend a further R6,5-million on the upgrading of the facility," he said.

The Sisa Dikashe Stadium in Mdantsane, which will be hosting soccer tournaments during the Games, has already received a major facelift.

"We've spent R2, 8-million to upgrade the stadium, but in total we are planning to spend R1,6-million to put the finishing touches to this amazing facility," said Councillor Ngomba.

All other facilities - six in total - were undergoing minor repairs or being upgraded so that they would be ready in time for the Games.