South Africa’s Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula has said Durban might not have the capacity to have the 2022 Commonwealth Games, revealing that the most recent position is because of cost challenges.
In 2015, Durban was granted the rights to host the Games after Edmonton in Canada pulled back their bid.
“I don’t want to raise your expectations and say everything looks good, it doesn’t because we don’t agree on the fundamentals and that is the operational budget,” Mbalula told a media briefing.
In December, South Africa’s officials said it remained “fully committed” to hosting the games but had previously feared economic challenges may stampede the ambition.
Durban is a port city in eastern South Africa on the Indian Ocean; it serves as a resort and industrial centre in Africa’s most advanced economy.
“We gave it our best shot but we can’t go beyond, if the country says we don’t have this money, we can’t really,” Mbalula said, adding that a final decision would be made soon by the Commonwealth Games Federation.
The 2022 Games could be Africa’s first, If it happens, South Africa could then launch a bid for the Olympic Games.
