Renovation starts at SSKB

MOSAH MOKGANEDI
Correspondent | Thursday October 22, 2009 00:00

 

BNSC executive secretary, Kitso Kemoeng said the renovation of both stadiums was supposed to be done concurrently by one contractor but it was decided that priority should be given to the UB facility. The UB and SSKB stadiums were closed for renovation in March. The revamped UB Stadium is now complete and open for limited use to preserve it as a training ground for countries coming to the World Cup in neighbouring South Africa next year. Kemoeng said priority was given to the UB Stadium because it was the venue for the Southern African Athletics event and the Zebras' friendly against New Zealand.

The UB Stadium is at the maintenance stage after re-grassing project was finished in June.

Kemoeng said that contractual disagreements also played a part in delaying the renovation of the SSKB Stadium.

The contractor dumped the project midway owing to disagreements and the BNSC was forced to re-tender. The new date for the start of renovation was July but it was postponed owing to protracted negotiations between the BNSC and the contractor.

Kemoeng said it is unfortunate that the SSKB Stadium was closed only for the renovation to start late. He could not reveal the cost of the renovation or the name of the contractor. However, he said the contractor doing the SSKB works is different from the one that renovated UB Stadium. He said the work at SSKB Stadium should be complete before the end of the year.

The SSKB, the National Stadium and the UB Stadium are being prepared ahead of the 2010 World Cup in the hope that countries coming for the event will use them as training grounds. Botswana hopes to attract participating countries to camp on its shores ahead of the world soccer showpiece.