Stadium not for all
Grumblings about R4m Chippa games at Sisa Dukashe
MDANTSANE soccer clubs have accused Buffalo City Municipality (BCM) of wasting millions on Premier Soccer League team Chippa United instead of using the R4-million to develop sports facilities in the township.
Due to the metro paying the Port Elizabeth-based outfit R1-million a game to play four of their home games at Sisa Dukashe Stadium, teams campaigning in the SAB Regional and ABC Motsepe leagues have been barred from using the venue.
BCM upgraded the stadium last year in order for it to meet minimum PSL requirements, but the venue was criticised after days of rain left it muddy and difficult to play in some parts when Chippa hosted Mamelodi Sundowns on Tuesday.
With two PSL and one Nedbank Cup games set to be played in Mdantsane, it would seem like the cashstrapped teams, which have for years been playing at the stadium, have to travel to East London to play at the Jan Smuts Stadium.
This means that club bosses have to dig deep into their pockets in order for their teams to honour fixtures.
This also means that games Mdantsane teams such as Mdantsane Mighty Bucks and Tornado FC which campaign in the ABC Motsepe League have to play their home games in East London.
The Mdantsane derby between SAB BCM regional teams Zebras FC and Relatives had also to be played at the Jan Smuts Stadium – away from their fans.
The clubs believe the metro was wrong to close the stadium to them. However, BCM mayor Xola Pakati described the teams as having entitlement issues.
Zebras FC team manager Thabo Maneli said they understood when they were told they could not play at Sisa Dukashe because it would host the MultiChoice Diski Challenge in December.
They thought after the Chippa and Highlands Park game in December, they would be allowed to use the venue.
To their surprise, they were told that nearby Orlando Stadium should have been used to develop our facilities but they decided to give it to a team that receives grants from the PSL,” he charged.
Bucks chairman Vuyani Gantana said because they no longer play their home games in Mdantsane, they no longer have home games.
“We spend about R10 000 travelling to Matatiele and Port Elizabeth, then for our homes games we still have to travel to town which is not cheap either.
“At least they should allow ABC Motsepe League games to be played at Sisa Dukashe. We have been complaining about this for a while, but our complaints fall on deaf ears,” he said.
“This is very, very unfair but we are dealing with people who don’t seem to care about developmental soccer.”
Relatives deputy secretary Lombard Gxekwa said while they were in favour of top-flight football being played in Mdantsane, that should not be to local teams’ disadvantage.
Pakati said the teams had never approached him about the stadium.
“We don’t have any lease agreement with these fellows. Where do they get this idea that the stadium belongs to them because the last time I checked, the stadium belongs to the municipality.
“Where’s that entitlement coming from? There’s no entitlement to municipal property by anyone.”
“We’re a developmental municipality but development is not only about entitlement to this and that. If they want to discuss township development and the stadium, they must come to us and talk because our doors are always open.”
Mdalfa president Mnyamezeli Bomeli said last year they had sent two letters to then acting city manager Nceba Ncunyana, requesting a meeting. They never received any response.
“They should open the stadium for the important games because if they continue closing it, people will end up resenting Chippa and we don’t want that. As Mdalfa we’re not happy about this at all.”