Assurances from city manager Michael Sutcliffe that national government would either change its self-imposed standards on what infrastructure should be available, or will help fund the massive chunk of cash has however not washed with the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA).

“National government committed us to this in terms of their signing of the host cities agreement.

“I don’t know where we would find R3-billion, and I am surprised that we are still sitting with this confusion at this stage,” DA caucus leader John Steenhuisen said.

A report tabled at this week’s provincial finance and economic development oversight committee doesn’t entirely back Sutcliffe’s assurances up either, and goes on to question whether eThekwini can afford the estimated R28-billion it will have to spend on maintaining its entire 2010 infrastructure component over 50 years.

The report warns that the almost R3-billion deficit, which is mainly required for information and communications technology (ICT) and security systems, could have a major impact on municipal service delivery.

“National treasury understands that the council passed a budget including the 2010 project, with full knowledge of the present and future implications, including implications on rates and tariffs and service delivery,” the report said.

eThekwini was warned it had to move quickly to obtain firm commitments for payment from other spheres of government.

“The shortfall in the construction of the 2010 stadium and related infrastructure should be addressed as a matter of urgency. Where functions are executed on behalf of other spheres of government, the municipality should obtain firm commitments on the responsibilities of the other parties,” the report said.