South African Sports and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula has confirmed the country’s National Treasury have provided financial guarantees to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Concerns had been raised over the financing of the Games after KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Belinda Scott admitted in March that the province would not be able to contribute $38 million as initially promised, to help stage the event.
The matter was brought to the attention of the National Treasury to make them aware that they would need to help provide the funding.
It was claimed last week that the National Treasury had not offered final assurances or paid the first host city payment Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), with Durban 2022 chairman Mark Alexander admitting he had “no idea when the guarantees will be signed and the money paid”.
The CGF sought to downplay concerns by stating that they had been reassured that the first payment would be received after governance and structures were finalized.
The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) had also missed a deadline set by the Commonwealth Games Federation to establish an Organizing Committee.
They had been given a cut-off point for the appointment of an Organizing Committee of February 29 following a recommendation from the CGF that it be in place within 180 days of the General Assembly.
Mbalula has now confirmed that the Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has provided the guarantees and reiterated that the South African Government remained committed to delivering the first Commonwealth Games on African soil.