‘Princess Magogo pitch good for final’
Hunt told to relax ahead of Saturday
Princess Magogo Stadium may not be one of the fancy 2010 Fifa World Cup stadiums but the KwaMashu, Durban, arena is ready to host its first major final on Saturday.
The 12 000-seater will host the Bidvest Wits versus Bloemfontein Celtic Telkom Knockout final.
The stadium is the home ground of fellow Premiership side, Lamontville Golden Arrows, and is also largely used by some of KwaZulu-Natal’s National First Division outfits like Uthongathi.
The venue was utilised as a training field for teams that participated in the 2010 World Cup after being renovated in 2009 and brought up to Fifa – world football governing body’s – standards.
The refurbishment cost the eThekwini municipality about R93-million.
EThekwini city council’s stadium management unit spokesman, Vusi Mazibuko, has assured the local football fraternity that Princess Magogo Stadium is ready to host Saturday’s final.
“The stadium is more than ready to host this final. If you look at the requirements for football, in terms of Fifa standards, Magogo’s facilities tick all the boxes,” Mazibuko told Sowetan yesterday.
“When we upgraded all the kasi [township] stadiums before 2010, we made sure each has four change rooms, which is a minimum requirement by Fifa.’’
However, Wits’ Gavin Hunt on Tuesday voiced his frustration with the venue, saying that the pitch had been dug up last week because there were teams who trained on it in the rain.
Mazibuko, however, dismissed the Clever Boys mentor’s claims.
“There is no such. The pitch is in a good state. Even the size of the field is normal like [that of] Moses Mabhida.
“We have a wonderful drainage system, so Hunt is lying [about the ground’s condition],” retorted Mazibuko.