Guebuza fails to open Lobatse Stadium

BOITUMELO KHUTSAFALO
Staff Writer | Wednesday July 7, 2010 00:00

Guebuza was supposed to officially open the facility but could not do so due to time constraints, which prompted the authorities to postpone the event. Guebuza was the guest of honour at the official opening of the Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital in Lobatse yesterday morning. He visited the Samora Machel Memorial Museum in Lobatse before touring Jwaneng mine and later returning to his country.  Speaking to Mmegi Sport at the stadium, Department of Sport and Recreation director, Falcon Sedimo said the Mozambican President could not make it because of a tight schedule. He said they had prepared everything for the event although he could not state the budget. 'But it was not a big budget,' he said.  He could not say when the official opening will take place and whether Guebuza will still be the guest of honour, as the authorities still have to sit down and discuss the way forward. A plaque at the stadium indicated that Guebuza had officially opened  the facility yesterday and now officials might be forced to take it down.  Although the official opening was supposed to take place yesterday, the football pitch is not yet ready though the turf was laid two months ago. Contractors have blamed the cold weather for the slow growth of the grass.  The stadium was supposed to have been handed over on June 19. The indoor sports hall and squash courts have been finished and are ready for action. Besides the main football pitch, the facility consists of a grassed rugby pitch, a sports hall for indoor activities, two un-grassed football pitches, two grassed football pitches and one grassed cricket field. The parking lot will accommodate 403 vehicles.