The Rep 22 January 2021

THE Rep
SPORT
CONTACT
Friday 22 J a n u a r y, 202 1
US WITH SPORTS NEWS:
m j e k u l a l @ t h e re p.co. za
(deadline: noon Tuesdays)
Sports venues fall into ruin
Much-needed facilities vandalised, abandoned
MAXWELL LEVINE
Once the mecca of
rugby in the province,
hosting international
matches as well as Rugby World
Cup 1995 matches, Premier
Soccer League matches and a
host of other events, Buffalo
City Municipality Stadium is a
shadow of what it used to be,
dilapidated and left to fall into
ruin.
The former home of Border
Rugby is unattended, no
maintenance is being done, it is
virtually decaying and a painful
sight to every sport-loving
person in the region who had
the privilege of watching games
there during its glory days.
The stadium falls under the
Buffalo City Municipality with
the Border Rugby Union over
the years the main tenant, until
the lease was not renewed and
Border Rugby was left without a
home after their eviction.
The municipality is
apparently disinterested in
maintaining the venue, and the
body that is the custodian of
rugby in the region is not
interested in renewing the lease.
Recently the BCM council
approved the lease of the
stadium to Chippa United, amid
an outcry from various sporting
bodies, including rugby.
Invitations for public
scrutiny and objections were
sent out by BCM on media
platforms for the proposed lease
to Chippa, but to date Chippa
Mpengesi and his team have yet
to occupy the venue.
Some feel it is a deliberate
ploy by BCM to let the stadium
go to ruin so that they can attest
that they are not in a financial
position to maintain the venue
and an outside entity is the best
option, hence the lease to
Chippa United.
One cannot help but think
of the Boet Erasmus Stadium in
Port Elizabeth, which for years
was the epicentre of Eastern
Province Rugby. The stadium
has been left to decay, stripped
bare of all its fittings, railings
and miscellaneous steel.
But this stadium only
became redundant when the
metro built the new state-of-theart
Nelson Mandela Bay
Stadium. This site has now been
earmarked for future
development which could
include office space,
residential, entertainment, retail
and tourism activities.
Closer at home in Komani, it
seems the same trend follows,
with all the municipalcontrolled
fields. The demise of
the Dumpy Adams sports
ground is imminent. Once the
best multi-purpose venue in the
entire province, it is a shambles,
in an advanced state of
destruction.
Even after the 2010 legacy
project at the venue, the venue
is in a mess, has been
vandalised and is a hotspot for
crime and drug abuse.
St Theresa’s Primary is just
across the street and is in dire
need of recreational facilities.
Maria Louw Senior Secondary
School is only a few streets from
the Dumpy and another school
that is in desperate need of
sporting facilities.
The venue could have
served these two schools and
produced future stars. It could
also serve nearby schools like
Louis Rex, Nkwanca, Luvuyo
Lerumo and many more.
It is a clear disregard for
human life and disrespect for
the schools by the Enoch
Mgijima Municipality as they
BAD STATE: The Dumpy Adams sports ground is in a shambles. It has been vandalised and is
now a hotspot for crime and drug abuse Picture: SUPPLIED
are in the same vicinity as the
multi-purpose venue.
The less said about
Sandringham the better. To date
the municipality has not taken
responsibility for their actions in
evicting the Sandringham Sports
Club from the venue. A
beautiful venue that served
various sporting codes has been
is ruined.
Mlungisi Stadium is
following in the same direction
with the Thobi Kula Sports
Complex also on the brink of
collapse. Enoch Mgijima
Municipality has failed the
people of Komani, period.
The Victoria Grounds in
King William’s Town has
already been earmarked for a
shopping complex.
The home of Africans Rugby
Club and so many other teams
will be brought down and
instead of upgrading the venue,
sport will once again feel the
indifference of a municipality
which could not care less about
its citizens and recreation.
Cup blow for teams
UP FOR CHALLENGE
NTSIKELELO QOYO
Amateur soccer suffered yet
another blow this week after
Safa announced that the biggest
cup competition, the Nedbank
Cup, would not be available to
ABC Motsepe and regional
league teams.
Last year the competition,
which gives minnows a chance
to swim with the sharks, had a
grand prize of R7m, making it
the most lucrative cup
competition in local soccer.
The introduction of the
national level 3 lockdown,
which brought a halt to amateur
soccer, was the reason cited by
the governing body.
It said it would be
“viewed as irresponsible” to
allow nonprofessional matches
to be played as they could
become Covid-19 spreader
e ve n t s .
The decision comes as a
blow for ABC Mostepe teams
which benefit from competing
in the later stages of the cup and
playing matches with PSL
teams.
Komani-based ABC
Motsepe team Amavarara FC
made history when they
became the first team from the
region to qualify for the last 16
round.
They were eventually felled
2-0 by PSL side and Limpopobased
team Black Leopards.
Amavarara chair Lusapho
Mzwakali said the decision was
both a setback and an
opportunity for his players.
“We cannot subject our fans
to only having a televised
experience once in a blue
moon.
“This year it means that we
only have one goal and that is
to top the league and be
promoted to the GladAfrica
competition.
“With the Cup out of the
way there will not be any other
motivation for the players, who
I know are hungry to play in
front of the cameras again,”
said Mzwakali.
Around the greens
Michele Morris, Melinda Gouws and Jolien
Fritz 15; Tiaan Visser, Fanie Prinsloo
and Reaan Geyer 18; Piet van der Walt and
Peter Littlejohn 30; Nico Visser and
Chantelle Visser 8; Antony Brown and
Sheryl McMillan 16; Stompie Kriedeman
and Jacques van der Schyf 27; John
Knepscheld, Gert Fritz and Jenny Cheetham
8; Tian Landman, Kathryn Muller and
Charmayne Pieterse 27; Andre Scheepers,
Simon McMillan and Esme Singleton 17;
Rowan de Kock, Karen Geyer and Gawie
Pieterse 19.
“It was a nice big surprise to have 21
members and five visitors attend. This is our
first record in a turn-out that we have had for
social bowls. Thanks to everyone for coming
a l o n g ,” Queenstown Bowling Club stated.
ON THE ROAD: Komani Tribe Walkers and Old Mutual Athletics Club runners on the 10km
East London Eye Hospital Virtual Laser Challenge at the weekend. At the back, from left, are
Ntombomzi Nyikana, Karin Janse van Rensburg, Sharon Kriedemann, Liezel Botha, Marquerite
Moorcroft and Janette Samauls. Front, from left, are Shameem Farooq, Seugnet Kirchner,
Helena Wegener and Smartryk Rossouw Picture: SUPPLIED