Pretoria’s historic Caledonian Stadium lies in ruin despite promised revival

Years after the Caledonian Stadium in Pretoria was set to be rebuilt and reused, it stands empty and abandoned, with the pitch taken over by undergrowth and the infrastructure stripped and damaged.

Last year, it was reported that a new contract would be issued to a contractor to complete the halted reconstruction of the stadium on the corner of Pretorius Street and Steve Biko Road.

State deteriorated to the point that it was unusable

After the stadium was placed under construction in June 2021, its state has deteriorated to the point that it was unusable.

Lucky Manna from the Arcadia Shepherds football club said he was upset about the situation.

Manna said they have had many battles with the council about protecting the stadium. They had also objected to former mayor Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s plan to turn the stadium into a park.

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“They had no right to start breaking things down. It’s a heritage site and they never applied to the heritage authority,” he said.

Manna said the stadium became the council’s property after the club sold it to the council in 1937, but they had a contract to use the field for football.

“We’ve been playing here for 100 years and they can’t kick us off. Now they have uprooted the fields and removed the pylons and seating and sold it,” he said.

‘White elephant’

Tshwane Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) caucus leader Obakeng Ramabodu did an oversight visit to the stadium to see the R67 million upgrades.

He called the stadium project a “white elephant” and said he couldn’t see any evidence of the R67 million allegedly spent on it.

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Ramabodu said he was pleased MMC for social development and community services Peggy de Bruin had been dismissed, but was disappointed to learn that new deputy mayor Nasiphi Moya was the MMC.

“We are glad that the city manager is investigating the matter and we are confident the report will vindicate us and that the deputy mayor will have to resign,” he said.

Ramabodu said they will hold the Democratic Alliance and Action SA accountable for the state of the stadium.

“We are here to expose them and make sure any investor who wants to rescue this stadium is welcome,” he said.