The City of Cape Town has been slammed over its decision to allocate R48 million for the electric version of the Formula 1 Grand Prix — Formula E in March next year.
The budget to support the event and make the streets surrounding the Cape Town Stadium suitable for the race through widening certain sections, levelling intersections, and creating pitstop areas was passed by the city council on 19 August 2021.
The City has said that the event will revive the tourism and events industry which has been depressed by Covid-19 restrictions, and inject about R1.4-billion into the local economy.
The Movement for Collective Action and Racial Equity which is protesting outside City council says this is simply wrong.
The movement for CARE says the money is being taken from much needed services for the poor to refurbish streets in an affluent area.
Adding that poor and working-class communities in townships are living with raw sewerage in their streets and informal settlement residents have no access to the most basic services such as water, toilets, and electricity.
The Movement for CARE says if there is no water, no toilets – then is no Formula E!