Kimberley - Hundreds of praying churchgoers miraculously escaped injury after the ceiling of the Galeshewe Recreation Hall came crashing down during worship on Sunday morning.
While no serious injuries were reported, tragedy was narrowly averted when a substantial section of the ceiling of the hall, which was being used by the Sanctuary Ministries, came tumbling down on top of nearly 300 congregants during Sunday prayers.
This saw questions raised regarding the total lack of maintenance to the hall, with residents concerned that the building has been allowed to fall into a state of total disrepair.
The collapsed ceiling is the latest incident that residents believe could have been avoided by timely maintenance as the initial piece of rhino board fell early in August last year. However, nothing was done following that incident.
Gordon Dithebe has been living in the immediate vicinity of the centre for years and said on Monday that considering the building’s rich history and sentimental value to many residents who have celebrated weddings, birthdays and other milestones at the venue since it opened its doors nearly half a century ago, it was absolutely appalling that the facility had been allowed to end up in its current condition.
“This place used to host two prominent boxing clubs and has produced a number of national champions, including Heavy Louw, Frank Khonkhobe and Frank Afrika,” Dithebe recalled on Monday.
“It’s been used for dances, weddings and a host of other events. It is often booked out for functions and church congregations still meet here on a regular basis."
“This hall has a lot of history behind it and I can’t understand how it was allowed to become so dilapidated."
“Drains are overflowing, the litter is piling up on the pavement and the grass has not been cut in ages. It’s a breeding ground for rats and disease."
“To make matters worse, the clinic, right next door, is being properly maintained by the municipality and has beautiful, neat gardens. When we look over the fence, the difference is like day and night."
“We need this hall to be properly maintained but it is up to the community to take charge of the situation and not allow this to continue.”
A municipal employee on the scene on Monday, who asked not to be named, added that little to no maintenance had been done at the venue in years, commenting that if nothing is done to remedy the situation, additional and more serious injuries were an inevitability.
“This hall can hold between 500 to 600 people, yet only one of the doors is currently working,” he said. “All that is needed to make the other entrance operational is to replace a lock that would cost about R35. However, this has not been done.”
“The responsible director for maintenance can speak English better than the queen but it has taken him two years and he still hasn’t been able to buy a R35 lock.”
Meanwhile, spokesperson for the Sol Plaatje Municipality, Sello Matsie, said that council would be looking at ways to improve the general condition of the facility.
“It’s a miracle that nobody was seriously hurt when the roof collapsed,” he said. “We would like to apologise to all the congregants and will be looking into the matter.
“The vandalism and litter is absolutely appalling and the community need to take pride in these facilities and do everything they can to ensure that this hall stays in the best possible condition.”