Note to Broadcasters: Please find linked soundbites in English and Setswana by Cllr Nelio Nhacuangue.
The DA in the Rustenburg Local Municipality is concerned with the current condition of the dilapidated Olympia Stadium following an oversight inspection earlier this week. This after receiving confirmation that the stadium is slated to welcome numerous football enthusiasts on 11 November 2023, for a National First Division League match featuring Orbit College against Baroka FC.
The stadium, a once vibrant 32,000-seat capacity venue for entertainment and sports, now stands as a mere shadow of its former self. Safety concerns have prevented the hosting of large crowds for an extended period of time. See images here, here, and here.
The sanitation facilities in the stadium are also dilapidated and in serious need of repairs and maintenance.
The evident structural defects of the stadium’s stands are raising significant alarm, particularly regarding the capacity to safely accommodate the expected crowds on 11 November 2023.
We are apprehensive about whether the stadium complies with the safety requirements stipulated by the Premier Soccer League and if both event organisers and attendees can be confident in the venue’s capacity to ensure their well-being. The sight of deteriorating and unstable seats at the grandstand and broken windows have only exacerbated these concerns.
The stadium’s current condition is a direct reflection of the incompetent ANC in government that is unable and unwilling to maintain facilities that play an important role in the development of communities.
In the DA-run Kouga Local Municipality, the Kruisfontein Sports Facility is regularly maintained and in good condition for the community to enjoy and to generate extra income for the municipality.
We have written to the Executive Mayor, Cllr Sheila Mable-Huma, expressing the DA’s concerns and requesting immediate reassurance regarding the safety of the stadium. The DA is also calling on the municipality to embark on a comprehensive rehabilitation of the entire stadium facility. See letter here.
The overhaul of the stadium is not only imperative for the well-being of the spectators, but also to reestablish the stadium as an income-generating asset for the municipality, transforming it into a valuable recreation and entertainment facility for the residents of Rustenburg.