Cape Town 'denying the poor access to its stadium'

The Congress of South African Trades Union (Cosatu) says the City of Cape Town doesn’t want poor families to visit the World Cup stadium.

The federation’s provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich said the city was quoting the union an additional R1-million to the R800 000 agreed to earlier in April.

Ehrenreich said Cosatu viewed the move as an attempt by the city to deny poor families an opportunity to visit the World Cup stadium.

The City of Cape Town said it had given Cosatu a 75 percent discount on the use of the stadium on May Day.

City spokesperson Brett Herrom told the SABC that the going rate to rent the stadium for a day was R350 000.

Further costs were for security arrangements and preparations of the venue, he said.

He said a meeting was scheduled for Tuesday for a decision on whether to move the rally to Athlone stadium.—Sapa