Finance · South Africa
Lesotho’s Rapokolana Sports Centre Fails After Big Investment
Moneyweb · 2026/02/01
Summary
The Rapokolana sports centre in Lesotho was constructed in 2005 with the hope of becoming a top high-altitude training facility. However, the centre has never fully operated and is now in a poor state of decay. Despite the multi-million rand investment, it failed to attract enough athletes or maintain proper management and funding. This has left the facility largely unused and in disrepair, representing a significant loss for the region. The site’s failure highlights the challenges of maintaining such large projects without ongoing support and planning. It also raises questions about the efficient use of public money in sports infrastructure in Southern Africa.
OnABudget takeaway: This case shows how important it is for small business owners and investors to carefully plan for ongoing costs and management before investing large sums in projects. Without proper follow-through, even big investments can fail and result in losses.