Young athletes in South Africa's Eastern Cape are achieving impressive performances, but substandard stadiums mean their records cannot be officially recognised. Parents and officials express frustration over the lack of compliant facilities in Nelson Mandela Bay. Despite this, the athletes have qualified for national championships.
Earlier this month, during the Eastern Province Athletics (EPA) High Schools, Seniors and Masters League in Nelson Mandela Bay, several young athletes set new provincial records across track and field events. However, these achievements will not be entered into official record books because none of the province's main athletics stadiums meet international standards.
The three primary venues—Nelson Mandela University (NMU) Madibaz Stadium, Gelvandale Track, and The Oval on Westbourne Road in Gqeberha—lack proper grading and equipment required for record validation. EPA president Selby Thabethe acknowledged the disappointment: “We understand that several parents have lashed out and voiced their anger and frustration about this development, and we cannot blame them. Our province produces top-tier athletes, and through no fault of their own, their records will not be recorded.” He added that the performances still secure spots on the Eastern Province team for the national championships.
Parents, speaking anonymously to avoid impacting their children's opportunities, shared their dismay. One mother described her daughter's long-distance record at NMU: “My daughter spent hours on the track... She competes in the event for the first time and breaks the record, only to be told, sorry, it won’t count. It is incredibly disheartening.” Her child is now focusing on the South African Championships in Potchefstroom in March 2026. Another parent noted pressure from officials to "drop it" after a field record was set.
EPA does not own the facilities: Gelvandale Track and The Oval belong to the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, while NMU maintains Madibaz Stadium. Former EPA president Sticks Stiglingh highlighted costs, including R1.6-million to repair electronic timing equipment and R600,000 to R1-million for lane markings. Despite being named Province of the Year by Athletics South Africa in January 2025, upgrades remain uncertain. Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya confirmed assessments of Gelvandale and plans for funding in the next budget cycle, with a 2024/25 maintenance allocation of R1.8-million.