While the general public is denied access to Bob van Reenen Stadium, Mogale City Local Municipality allows a church to host a party there.
Amanda de Lange, Freedom Front Plus Councillor for the Krugersdorp area and the news went to investigate and found that little upgrading has since been done by Tauris Garden Trading (TGT) 500cc.
It also was shocking to see the grounds, which once hosted the annual West Rand Show, littered with rubbish such as takeaways containers, cans and toilet paper, allegedly discarded by the church’d party goers.
“I am very angry that the municipality allowed this to happen,” says De Lange.
“As far as I know this is a construction site. The infrastructure is not safe and there are open wires all over.”
Whether the stadium has an electricity supply is unclear at this stage, but there is no running water inside the building.
The security guards later asked the news and De Lange to leave the premises as the municipality allegedly did not give the go-ahead for a pre-inspection.
“I am a councillor and it is my right to see what is going on here,” emphasised De Lange.
“The only reason why I think we are asked to leave is because there is more happening here than what we are aware of.”
She says she got suspicious when she was informed about the church’s event being held there.
“Reports by the municipality indicate that progress is being made, but after my pre-inspection I honestly can say this is not the case.
“Whatever money was budgeted for revamping the stadium, clearly was not spent here.”
More than a year has passed since former Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, now the Minister of Water and Sanitation announced that the once state-of-the-art sports facility would have been returned to its former glory by September last year.
The stadium, which was named after a Transvaal Provincial Athletics Administrator was allocated R10 million by the Gauteng Provincial Department for upgrades.
It has been in a dilapidated state for more than seven years since Kaizer Chiefs Soccer Club’s dream to build a new R1,2 billion stadium never materialised.
The news contacted TGT, the relevant construction company and was informed that the project manager Lennon Domingo is currently in the Eastern Cape.
An employee says they are not able to work because a substation, possibly inside the stadium, is out of commission.
De Lange says she has been unsuccessful in trying to contact the municipality but that they owe her answers.
