No rental fee costs Polokwane Muni R800k in stadium damage

POLOKWANE – Residents are concerned about the Polokwane Municipality’s ability to manage public facilities, after the pitch and other accessories at the Peter Mokaba Sports Complex were extensively damaged during the Makhadzi One Woman Show that was hosted the weekend before Christmas.

The initial estimated costs for the repairs to the facility will be R800 000, according to municipal spokesperson Thipa Selala and to exacerbate the matter, the municipality did not charge the organisers a rental fee or secured any deposit to cover damages and cleaning up of the facilities after the event.

Selala explained that the stadium was reserved through a partnership arrangement between Makhadzi One Woman Show and the municipality.

As part of this partnership, no rental fee was charged and thus, no deposit for damages was required.

Furthermore, the agreement did not stipulate cleaning costs as it was a partnership arrangement.

“After the event, the municipality and Makhadzi One Woman Show agreed to share these costs equally. The refurbishment has commenced and is expected to be completed by the end of January,” Selala added.

Selala agreed that it would be fair to describe the damage to the pitch as extensive.

“The assessment conducted by the municipality concluded that the pitch requires overall refurbishment to restore it to a condition suitable for professional use,” he stated.

The stadium’s pitch comprises winter ryegrass, a premium turf that requires meticulous care and maintenance, making it particularly vulnerable to damage when proper precautions are not observed.

Three PSL soccer matches were rescheduled to the Peter Mokaba Stadium due to the new stadium pitch’s unavailability, and there was no financial loss incurred by the municipality as a result of this relocation, according to Selala. It was agreed that the municipality will receive 15% of the gate fees.

Speaking on the matter, Mayor John Mpe stated: “Firstly, we want to commend Makhadzi for hosting a highly successful One Woman Show, which brought immense economic benefits to the city and its residents.

“While we celebrate the positive impact of such events, we acknowledge the damage caused to the pitch and sincerely apologise to PSL clubs, soccer fans and all stakeholders for the inconvenience caused,” Mpe said and added that the sports complex has successfully hosted numerous high-profile events, including political rallies and government gatherings, without issues in the past.

“Unfortunately, this time, there was a deviation from the agreed-upon protective measures, as the pitch was not adequately covered during the festival,” he said.

Selala explained that the decision to host the Makhadzi One Woman Show at the new stadium was rooted in its potential economic benefits for the local community and its role in promoting tourism, aligning with the municipality’s objectives.

“The municipality remains firm in its dedication to upholding exemplary standards across its facilities while implementing measures to ensure future events are conducted in a manner that preserves the integrity of the venue and aligns with the interests of all stakeholders.”

The DA in Polokwane is also concerned about the damage to the stadium pitch and will, according to Provincial Leader Lindy Wilson, formally insist that council urgently receive a close out report with details as to what transpired, who is responsible, and what steps would be taken.

“This clearly has had a financial impact with regards to damages and loss of income as PSL games had to urgently be relocated to the old stadium. These funds could have urgently been utilised towards the many service delivery problems facing Polokwane,” Wilson said.

The general manager of Makhadzi One Woman Show, Maphuti Perez, opted not to comment on the matter.