LIMPOPO – Mageva Stadium has finally been handed over to the community after more than 15 years of delays, with Greater Giyani Municipality declaring the facility complete and ready for use.

The stadium was officially handed over by Greater Giyani Mayor Thandi Zitha on Friday during a ceremony attended by members of the Mageva community and local stakeholders.

Grandstand safety concerns addressed

Belson Mabunda, a member of the Mageva Royal Family, welcomed the improvements to the stadium, saying it was now much safer than when he first raised concerns about its condition.

“The stadium looks much better than before. When I first complained, the grandstand was wobbling and posed a risk to spectators. Today I climbed into it and tested each row, and I can confirm that it is now firm,” Mabunda said.

He urged the community to take ownership of the facility and protect it from vandalism.

“We own this stadium. It was built for our community, so we must cherish it and stop vandalism,” he said.

Steering committee outlines the repairs

Hayeka Mabunda, who chaired the steering committee during the stadium’s construction and is involved in sports development in Mageva village, said the project had addressed several outstanding problems.

“Our mandate was to fix the shaky grandstand panels, soccer field, combi courts, lights and toilets, among other things,” he said.

Municipality delivers after years of challenges

During the handover, Zitha said the municipality was pleased to finally deliver a completed facility after years of challenges.

“We’re here to hand over a complete stadium to the Mageva community. It took years to complete because of problems that emerged after its initial completion, but it is now ready for use,” she said.

Small fee to cover upkeep

Zitha said the facility would not be free, with a small booking fee charged to cover maintenance costs.

“People are welcome to book through the municipality. The fee is mainly for maintenance, not profit,” she said, warning that poor management and maintenance could quickly lead to deterioration.

Long road to completion

Mageva Stadium is one of the municipality’s long-stalled projects. It remained incomplete for more than 15 years and passed through the administrations of several mayors.

Although previously declared complete, community members identified defects that kept the facility closed while the municipality sought funding for repairs.

The latest handover marks the completion of the long-awaited project and opens the stadium to community and sporting activities.