Over R84-million to demolish HM Pitje stadium

It will cost the Gauteng provincial government a whopping R84-million to demolish the remaining concrete stands of the HM Pitje stadium in Mamelodi, it was revealed recently.

“While we support the demolition of the stadium, we do not agree with the estimated cost,” said Kingsol Chabalala, the DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation.

“It is exorbitant and a waste of the department’s budget based on the current state of the stadium.”

Initial estimated costs of the demolition were around R69-million.

Now the budget estimate submitted by the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development and Property Management (DID) is R84 961 596.71.

This includes the contract administration, inspection, demolition of the stadium, site clearing and fencing of the site.

Chabalala accused sports, arts, culture and recreation MEC Mbali Hlophe of preparing to waste millions of rands.

He slammed the estimated costs to demolish the concrete stands and remove the rubble as extremely high.

“This is very concerning,” he said.

“The money that will be used to demolish the stadium will be taken from the department’s other programmes.”

Chabalala said this money could instead be used to rebuild the state-of-the-art stadium and ensure that children and the sporting clubs in Mamelodi and surrounding areas had access to a sporting facility.

His comments came after the DA held an oversight inspection at the stadium.

Only the concrete stands were left to be demolished as the stadium infrastructure has been stripped bare and the steel bleachers dismantled.

The demolition of the concrete stands and rubble removal cannot cost the millions that the department has estimated, Chabalala said.

Added to this, R400 000 was shifted from the department’s adjusted budget for the 2021/22 financial year for the stadium’s demolition.

This was taken from Programme Three, which caters for libraries and archival services.

“This means that children will continue to suffer without the necessary reading materials,” he added.

“The DA has been calling on the department to reprioritise its budget to ensure that the money is allocated to render services for the benefit of residents instead.”

Chabalala said the department has not yet budgeted for the reconstruction of the stadium.

“Yet, they are aware that the communities are in dire need of proper sporting facilities such as this stadium, which would nurture and develop young sporting talent from a grassroots level.”

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The DA challenged Hlophe to conduct an oversight inspection at the stadium to ascertain what is left to be demolished.

“We will not fold our hands and allow the department’s coffers to be used on a project where there is no value for money.”

He concluded that the DA would continue to pressure Hlophe to ensure that a proper assessment of the stadium was conducted for the demolition process to save money for the reconstruction of the stadium.

Nomazwe Ntlokwana, a spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, said it was aware of the DA’s claims.

“We advise that the query with regards to the costs be directed to the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) who are the implementing agency and should be able to provide the necessary information,” said Ntlokwana.

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