Francistown stadium to meet June deadline- project manager
Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday December 9, 2014 12:11
Tasethabi of the Department Building and Engineering Services said construction was on schedule.
The Minister of Infrastructure, Science and Technology, Nonofo Molefhi was part of the tour.
The stadium has missed several deadlines since construction began in 2008. It was scheduled to be finished before the June 2010 World Cup, which South Africa hosted.
“We are right on schedule with regards to the remedial works at the stadium and other additions to the original designs of the stadium. So far the athletics track is almost 50% complete and it is waiting to be rubberised.
“Already flood lights have been completed and are currently being tested. “We have already completed almost 50% of all the remedial works as well as new additions to the initial project. We are also within budget,” Tasethabi said.
Construction at the Francistown Stadium resumed early this year after it was halted for more than a year following designs problems and differences between government and the original contractor.
China Jiangsu were engaged in June this year to complete the project at an additional cost.
Jiangsu’s mission is to complete the crowd control facilities, which comprises tickets sales booth, tuck shops, storage areas and medical facilities among others. Another company, Turf Specialists is tasked with constructing the soccer pitch and the running track. An independent contractor was engaged to electrify the stadium.
Tasethabi said the grassing of the pitch will be done in January, with other works such as the erection of irrigation systems of the pitch have already been completed and tested.
He further said that as part of new additions to the initial plans, the stadium will have a biometric ticketing system to smoothen the process of buying tickets.
Should the development come to pass, the stadium will be the first in the country use the biometric ticket purchasing system.
“We will also erect new state-of-the-art CCTV cameras to monitor all activities such as hooliganism inside the stadium,” the project manager said.
Meanwhile, minister Molefhi expressed hope that the stadium will be completed on time and within budget. “We hope we will get what we have signed for. We hope to get a quality job. We have disappointed the people of Francistown by not delivering the stadium on time.
“I plead with the contractor to deliver the project on time,” he said.
The minister also said that poor workmanship by some contractors could irrevocably destroy the relationship between the contractors and the government.