THOHOYANDOU – The Thulamela Municipal Council has approved R1 million towards the upgrading of the Thohoyandou Stadium. According to Ms Doris Mathebula, Community Service Manager of the Thulamela Municipality, the money was set aside for the upgrading of the stadium, after a thorough inspection by Ndivho Consulting Engineers.

Mathebula said that Ndivho did visual tests to check corrosion, deformation, deflection and stability. They confirmed that the stadium had reached its term. "Ndivho did their study on the life-span of the stadium in January and confirmed that it had expired. "In terms of their proposal, we need R30 million to renovate the stadium. They said that we should close the stadium if we do not have the money. The good thing is that they also gave us an option of repairing it with a budget of R1 million, which they said it can only take us further for another three years from now," said Mathebula.

Mathebula said that the council has already passed a budget of R1 million to solve the problem temporarily, during a meeting held on February 26. The only thing left was a tendering process. She said that the process would be through in between August or September when they will be upgrading it. "We cannot afford to wait until the PSL ask us to close the stadium as we, and the community, are benefiting from it during soccer matches. We are trying a number of ways of allocating funds, by approaching National Lottery and other stakeholders in discussion with the Sports Council of Mr Joe Phahla. Right now we are looking at different plans, and possibly involving the district municipality to raise the whole of R30 m," said Mathebula.