Coach shares his concerns over maintenance at Greenhills Stadium

A local soccer coach has raised serious concerns about the deteriorating conditions at Greenhills Stadium, which he says are putting players at risk and undermining development efforts.

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Bongani Duiker, founder of Super Tigers Football Club and a regular coach at the stadium, said the fields are not being properly maintained. He recounted an incident where one of his players broke their wrist after falling into a hole during a match. Since then, Duiker has taken it upon himself to fill the holes.

In addition, he has supplied his own movable goalposts for use during matches, citing the absence of any on-site equipment.

Duiker also highlighted the unsafe conditions surrounding the playing fields. The overgrown vegetation and hazardous areas – including a slab of cement with a protruding metal pole – pose a serious injury risk.

The bushes are not even one metre away from the line. We are building competitive players; if a player gets pushed into the bushes, they could get hurt,” said Duiker.

He further noted that only three soccer fields are available for use by five different local clubs, and one of those fields is unusable due to its poor condition.

Another of Duiker’s concerns is the rental cost of using the facility. He feels the fees are too high given the lack of upkeep. He emphasised that his club’s mission is to support and develop local youth, and as he does not charge for training, keeping up with rent is challenging.

According to Duiker, a developer had offered to upgrade the facility in 2020, but the Rand West City Local Municipality (RWCLM) declined the proposal. He remains unaware of the reasons for the municipality’s decision.

The RWCLM was contacted for comment, but none had been received at the time of publication. An update will follow once feedback is provided.