There has been a downward spiral at Bob van Reenen Stadium these past 15 years and just recently, the fence that protects whatever is left of the property is being stolen as well.
According to local business owner Ralph Beyers, while Bob van Reenen Stadium was once an eye-catching venue, it is now an eyesore.
“It is a big part of the town’s history as I have fond memories of walking to the stadium in high school for an inter-high athletics event. It was about a week ago when I noticed homeless people breaking and stealing the fences of the stadium and loading them onto wheelbarrows. They do just what they want, and nobody is stopping them from stripping the building. I want to know who will be paying to fix the looting of the property because the homeless people are tearing the place up?” Beyers asked.
Ward councillor Mark Trump told the Krugersdorp News that he assumed it was being stolen to sell as scrap metal and for criminals to enter the property to steal what was left of it.
• Also read: AfriForum Krugersdorp trap rem met Bob van Reenen: Vra eers sekerheid
“It is usually only one or two pieces that are stolen but in the current case at the stadium, it is extreme, with entire sections being stolen. The responsibility of the stadium falls on Mogale City Local Municipality (MCLM) and the security company hired to protect the property,” Trump added.
When the News reached out to MCLM’s communication officer Refilwe Mahlangu, she said that the responsible party for keeping the stadium safe was the security company.
“The city’s infrastructure has been subjected to repeated vandalism and theft, costing the municipality millions of rands in repairs and replacements. This ongoing issue [also affecting electricity and water infrastructure] has been a growing concern and is frequently publicly reported by the municipality. As previously communicated, the municipality is considering more interventions to address and curb these problems. The security company responsible for guarding the facility is currently conducting investigations. An investigation report will then identify and highlight any gaps in the current security measures provided at the facility,” Mahlangu added.
As the News investigated the issue, the missing sections of the fences were huge making it easy and possible for anybody to walk into the property.
The News also approached and questioned the security guard on duty at the time where she admitted it was indeed their responsibility to keep the stadium safe. However, when asked why nothing is being done about the fencing being stripped she replied ‘it is not my problem but the night shift guard’s job’.
The News attempted to contact the security company in question for comment. At the time of publication, the News tried contacting the company 12 times with no answer. The News could also not find a website or email address for them, and their Facebook page is unavailable.
Lastly, the News also reached out to Krugersdorp police for comment who could not respond at the time of print.
Any feedback will be published once received — Ed.
