Limpopo Stadium Project Soaks up Time and Money

Construction of the Davhana Stadium started in 2019, but the project remains incomplete, though millions have been spent on it. Photos: Themba Siaga

The Davhana Stadium in Vuwani is still unfinished more than six years after construction began, though millions of rands have been spent.

The project started in 2019. Designed in three phases, the stadium was intended to give residents of Davhana and six surrounding villages a proper venue for football and other sporting events.

Instead, local footballers continue to play on three dusty fields and the site is overgrown with bushes.

“We are worried about the delay … They destroyed the old dusty ground to construct a new one, but until today it is still incomplete. No one in the community knows the reason for the delay,” said resident Elvis Rivisi.

Davhana Balanganani Civic secretary Steven Chauke asked why the municipality was building a stadium when the area did not even have a proper road. He added that residents had been told a new contractor would be appointed to complete the pitch.

“It seems like the last contractor delayed the project, but we will be happy to see it completed,” he said.

The project was funded through a Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG), with R12-million allocated for phase one, which included fencing, solar-powered electrification with backup generators, and road upgrades. The municipality previously reported that phase one and part of phase two, mainly earthworks, had been completed on schedule.

A further R16-million was budgeted for phase two between July 2020 and June 2021. In 2022, a R33-million tender for phase three was awarded to Bics Engineering & Supply.

Livhuwani Nethomboni, from Bics Engineering, said the company had handed over the project to the municipality in July this year.

“Our work included building a new block with a grandstand, guard house, ablution block, tennis court, parking area paving, and installing four high-mast lights,” he said. “We also drilled a borehole 3.2km away to supply water to the site. We have done our job.”

We photographed the tennis court and it is completely overgrown.

An enquiry was sent to Collins Chabane Municipality spokesperson Robert Mathye. Questions included the project timeline, the companies to which contracts had been awarded for phases one to three, the scope of work and funds spent, outstanding work, causes of the delay, and when the stadium would be completed and handed over.

Despite repeated follow-ups, Mathye’s only response was: “Why are you investigating our stadium?” before abruptly ending the call.

The tennis court at Davhana Stadium is overgrown.

Published with Limpopo Mirror

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