R3m upgrade scheduled in next financial year

BUFFALO City Metro has set aside R3-million to fix Sisa Dukashe Stadium in the next financial year.

The venue in Mdantsane NU2 venue was sharply criticised by some Absa Premier League coaches, with the harshest words coming from Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane earlier this year.

Mosimane likened the pitch to a pasture for grazing after his side was held to a 1-1 draw there by Chippa United in February.

But the metro is moving fast to attend to the field’s drainage system, which was exposed when it rained for almost a week leading up to the Chippa-Sundowns clash on Valentine’s Day. Due to the poor drainage system, the field was so muddy it was unplayable in parts.

Executive mayor Xola Pakati’s Chief of Staff, Sthembiso Khanyile, acknowledged the drainage system needed work.

“After the playoffs there will be work done on Sisa Stadium so that when the season starts again, it will be better than it was. We want the pitch to be among the top five in the country,” Khanyile said.

The stadium in Highway, Mdantsane will host six games of the ABC Motsepe playoffs to be played in the metro from June 5 to 11.

On Sunday, the SuperSport Rugby Challenge festival will be hosted at Sisa that will see two provincial games and one club rugby encounter played from 11am.

With Chippa already indicating that they will be playing some of their games in East London next season, Sisa Dukashe will likely have to host even more PSL games.

Khanyile said the city was also planning to construct grandstands.

“Because Sisa is now attracting more events and more attention, we will make a business case to have grandstands,” he said.

“If we can have a team in BCM to go to the NFD, then we can look into our coffers and see how we can support it so that it goes to the PSL.”

Having a BCM-based PSL team would also have economic spin-offs for the metro, Khanyile said.

“Sisa is in its current state because of a lack of games but we are rehabilitating it. We have brought all the big clubs there and after games, people spend their money in the township, so local entrepreneurs benefit.” Khanyile said when they were approached by SA Rugby and the SA Football Association about Sisa Dukashe hosting the SuperSport Rugby Challenge and the ABC Motsepe playoffs, they grabbed the opportunities with both hands.

“In order to grow the township economy, you must do a couple of things deliberately and consciously,” he said.