Sports get priority as Sol 'benches' service delivery

SOL PLAATJE municipal employees were granted special leave to attend the 2025 Southern Africa Inter-Municipal Sports Association (SAIMSA) Games, held this week in Maseru, Lesotho, from September 21-26, despite cost-containment measures and no budget allocation for the trip.

- SANDI KWON HOO

At the time of their departure, it was unclear whether any subsistence and travel allowances had been paid.

At the games, municipal employees compete in various sporting codes against teams from participating countries, including Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa.

During a recent council meeting, GOOD Party councillor Santa Johnson argued that the municipal games promoted the fitness and well-being of workers and contributed to happiness and improved productivity.

"Councillors and workers need to enjoy their work environment and it will show the caring attitude of the municipality if they are allowed to attend. This, in turn, will improve service delivery," she said.

Johnson recommended that funds be raised to cover transport, subsistence and accommodation costs.

Speaker Dipuo Peters encouraged councillors to contribute towards workers' expenses, saying they "worked very hard".