The iconic Killarney Raceway has ensured its longevity in Cape Town. An agreement has been reached and the City’s Mayoral Committee has recommended the approval of a new lease for Killarney International Raceway operated by Western Province Motor Club (WPMC).

While this recommendation to approve the lease must still be tabled at the next full Council for a final decision on 18 August 2022, the proposed transaction aims to secure the future of motorsport in Cape Town and celebrates the heritage of 75 years of motor racing success on the site.

Mayco Member James Vos says: “The retention of racing as the predominant use of the site is a tribute to women’s car and motorbike racers and women working behind the scenes without whom racing would not happen here. They are an integral part of Killarney’s success story.”

Killarney is the most used multi-purpose event venue in Cape Town with a pre-Covid total of 200 events per year, with 70 of those being charity events for worthy causes. It hosts a range of motor and motorcycling events for all people in the Western Cape, but also non-motorised sporting events like cycling, duathlons and marathons.

Vos adds: “The sport contributes R357 million to Cape Town’s economy while supporting an extensive industry and thousands of jobs in race manufacturing, trading, servicing, repairs, parts and accessories. It also draws international and South African competitors, manufacturers, fans, and sponsors who come for extended stays and investments.”

Western Province Motor Club (WPMC) is a non-profit amateur sporting facility. Its operations model is to break even and retain enough income to maintain and improve the extensive facility. I believe that this new lease gives WPMC the ability to do long-range planning and actively recruit key international motorsport events for the benefit of racing fans and the industry.