LIMPOPO – The community of Sinthumule and Kutama and local soccer lovers are celebrating after Vhuilafuri Stadium hosted its first major soccer match recently.

The R36.9 million stadium was completed and officially handed over to the community by Makhado Mayor Dorcus Mboyi in October last year.

The facility, however, remained unused because of a shortage of water.

Water shortage kept stadium closed

Three boreholes were drilled at the stadium, but only one is currently producing water, leaving the facility without enough water to operate at full capacity.

The stadium serves 17 villages in the Sinthumule and Kutama areas.

First match draws packed crowd

The stadium was packed when newly established Limpopo ABC Motsepe League side Ramahantsha Blackpool, which purchased the status of Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila FC (TTM), hosted Baduza FC in a Nedbank Cup match.

The long-awaited opening has been welcomed by local soccer lovers and team owners, many of whom had expressed concern about the delay.

Local soccer lover Squera Mudaku welcomed the Blackpool chairman’s decision to give the community an opportunity to watch high-level football at their doorstep.

“For a long time, we have been waiting for this moment to watch soccer at the stadium, which we regarded as a white elephant because it was not being used even after the mayor handed it over last year,” said Mudaku.

He said the area had produced many soccer stars who went on to play in higher leagues and believed that the use of the stadium would help produce more talented players.

Mudaku added that without Blackpool’s involvement, the stadium might have remained unused.

He said the large crowd demonstrated how long the community had been waiting for the facility to become operational.

Call to protect the facility

Makhado Local Football Association member George Maphala also welcomed the municipality’s decision to allow the stadium to host football matches.

Maphala said many teams, as well as the association, would use the stadium for their matches.

He appealed to the community to take good care of the facility so that it could serve them for many years.

Ladies team hopeful

The manager of the Sinthumule/Kutama Ladies team, Caswell Mohale, said his team had twice failed to gain promotion through the provincial play-offs but was now confident that regular use of the facility would inspire his players to perform well and proudly represent the Vhembe district.