By Rapula Moatshe 
Jun 23, 2021
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Pretoria – Plans are afoot for the City of Tshwane to secure at least R1.3 billion from the National Treasury to restore the iconic HM Pitje Stadium in Mamelodi to its former glory.
The metro is also expected to ask the Treasury for R270 million to finance the redevelopment of Odi Stadium in Mabopane.
The latest development regarding the future of both stadiums was revealed by the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts and Culture this week during a meeting with a parliamentary portfolio committee.
Over the years, the infrastructure of both historic sporting facilities have been left in a dilapidated state partly due to lack of maintenance by authorities.
Department head Priscilla Masisi, who made a presentation before the portfolio committee, said the City had declared its intention to submit a funding proposal to Treasury under the Budget facility for infrastructure meant to fund projects between R1bn and R3bn.
She said the current budget estimate for the redevelopment of both HM Pitje and Odi stadiums would be R1.3bn and R270m respectively.
Masisi said the department would be required to support the City’s finance application from the Treasury through an endorsement letter.
HM Pitje was earmarked as a training facility for teams participating in the 2010 Soccer World Cup, but that never materialised due to non-compliance with occupational safety regulations.
A project initiation report was commissioned in 2018 to assess the state of the stadium and part of recommendations was that the facility must be condemned and demolished.
Masisi said the facility’s structure has dangerous cracks and its seating arrangements posed a safety risk to the spectators.
She said the department had in June 2019 submitted a business case to the Treasury for the funding of the demolition work.
The proposed demolition, which had not yet taken place, was estimated at R69 751 997.
“The business case was approved and R22 000 000 was allocated for 2019/2020 MTEF of which R499 751 was paid for the assessment report,” Masisi said.
The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development was appointed for the demolition of the stadium and a budget estimate submitted by the department was approximately R87m, including Vat.
“The total cost will be finalised on appointment of a contractor who will cost the project and propose a methodology for the demolition of the stadium,” Masisi said.
It was anticipated that the demotion work would start in September and be completed in October next year.
Beyond the demolition, Masisi said there were plans to start phase one of the stadium redevelopment by erecting a 30 000-seat PSL standard stadium and 15 000 standing square metre stadium with multipurpose sports facilities.
Regarding Odi Stadium, she said the facility would be demolished at an estimated cost of R120m depending on the availability of funding. The demolition process is expected to be 18 months.
The approximately 50 000-seat stadium was transferred to the Gauteng province in 2008 by the North West government. It was transferred to the City when it had already become a liability.
Masisi said the ultimate plan was to rebuild the facility and convert it into a multipurpose sport and recreational park.
The redevelopment would include installing a newly grassed main field with floodlights, athletics tracks, security fencing and parking.
Both the existing multipurpose courts in the precinct and indoor centre would be upgraded.
Ablution facilities, change rooms and a clubhouse would be built.
Tshwane MMC for social development Thabisile Vilakazi said the projects would greatly assist the communities.
She said the redevelopment process had been delayed in the past because the three spheres of government were not working together.
“This has been dragging on for quite some time and if we come together this is going to help the process to speed up,” she said.
MEC Mbali Hlope shared the sentiments, saying communities felt they had been disadvantaged by the government due to a lack of sporting infrastructure.
Pretoria News