Contractual Negotiations Delay SSKB Stadium Refurbishment

MOSAH MOKGANEDI
Correspondent | Monday October 12, 2009 00:00

 

The rehabilitation was expected to start in July but this was not possible because of delays in negotiating the contract for the works. Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) executive secretary, Kitso Kemoeng said their negotiations with the contractor took longer than expected. He said the two parties only signed the agreement on Tuesday.

He declined to reveal the name of the contractor saying this will happen at the appropriate time. Kemoeng said that currently, they are making final preparations with the facility owners, the Botswana Defence Force (BDF),  for work to start. He said they took long to reach an agreement with the contractor because they needed to thoroughly understand each other.

The BNSC boss said they have learnt lessons from contractors that fail to finish projects because of misunderstandings. He said this time round, they wanted to avoid a repeat of the mistake. In addition to other renovations, the stadium will be re-grassed.

Kemoeng would not say when the renovation will be completed but promised that by the end of the year, it will be available for use. The SSKB is one of the three stadiums being renovated to lure countries coming for the 2010 World Cup to train in Botswana, prior to the soccer showpiece.

The National Stadium is being renovated while the refurbishment of the University of Botswana facility is complete. At the moment there is no country that has expressed interest in training in Botswana before the World Cup, which kicks-off on June 11, 2010.