High-level meetings between prominent role players in Motorsport SA (MSA), the provincial government, the Matjhabeng Municipality and the private sector are underway to save Phakisa Raceway, and to once again make Matjhabeng the hub of motorsport in the country.
A meeting was held two weeks ago in Welkom, initiated by Jakes Jooste, chairman of the Welkom Business Forum; Thanduxolo Khalipha, executive mayor; Peterson Molukanelo, general manager (GM) for Marketing, Trade and investment of the Free State Development Corporation; and various other role players in motorsport.
The meeting was initiated after a warning was issued that Phakisa Raceway is at risk of losing next year’s scheduled motorcycle races due to the disintegration of the track’s surface.
The Free State government has offered the option of engaging in private partnership to keep Phakisa viable. This would entail 49% private shares and 51% shares for the province. They admitted that they did not have the knowledge, ability and experience to manage an entity like Phakisa, and were dependent on the private sector and the expertise of people in motorsports.
Khalipha agrees that Phakisa must be optimised as a tourist asset to enhance the local economy, and to declare the surrounding area of the raceway as a Free State economic zone.
During a meeting in ward 32, held in October, Khalipha again announced big plans for Phakisa Raceway and also the possibility of investing and reviving the airport as a cargo airport.
Jooste says the agreement is for the province to first fund the repair of the track’s surface in line with the requirements of the MSA. A quote of R7,8 million for the resurfacing of the track was received.
“We as businessmen must get involved. This is an asset we cannot afford to lose, and its revival will be an economic injection for guest houses, industry and businesses. Any event held at Phakisa brings in people, riders, organisers, and teams that spend their money in the Goldfields. It is absolutely essential to get involved and support the council and the Free State government to revive Phakisa.
“The business sector will be 100% on board and involved when we have a marketable Phakisa. The next step will be to go into an agreement with the council of Matjhabeng regarding the management of the racetrack, and the financial aspect to operate Phakisa as a business entity.”
Nick Mitchell, chief operating officer (COO)of the Renergen helium plant near Virginia, proposed a plan to host a rally championship for the next five years in the Goldfields, with Phakisa Raceway as the staging and control area.
“The tourism draw card is significant and can generate several million rands worth of spending across the time period. Renergen sponsors a motorsport team in the Raid Championship. As part of our social licence to operate, we encourage spin-offs from our investments to benefit the local community and, as a result, I asked the organisers to consider Phakisa Raceway as the staging and control area for a race to be held on the 2023 calendar.”
A week after the first meeting, representatives of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), were in Welkom for potential route identification and to facilitate access to private farms, as well as to inspect the raceway.
Eight potential routes were identified in the form of a figure of eight over a radius of 140 km.
– Chrystelle Erasmus
