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Kaizer Chiefs’ match against Siwelele is likely to be staged at Dobsonville Stadium next weekend after their bid to take the Betway Premiership to Moses Mabhida Stadium hit a snag.
Sowetan understands the PSL has proposed the match take place at the Soweto stadium on Sunday September 6.
Chiefs’ usual venue, FNB Stadium, is not available due to the Springboks vs All Blacks rugby championship match on September 5.
Amakhosi wanted to move the game to Rustenburg’s Royal Bafokeng Stadium, but that venue will stage the match between Marumo Gallants, who are registered tenants of the stadium, against Polokwane City on Friday September 4.
Apart from FNB, Chiefs have registered Moses Mabhida and Polokwane’s Peter Mokaba stadium as alternative home venues — but neither is available due to what the PSL says are inconducive pitches.
Moses Mabhida’s stadium manager Sijabulile Ntuli had told Sowetan this week it would accommodate the Chiefs-Siwelele fixture, pending PSL approval. He acknowledged that the venue’s roof is still being repaired, though the pitch is in immaculate condition.
The venue crisis seems bizarre in a country that boasts some world-class stadiums, which hosted the World Cup 16 years ago
— Moses Mabhida’s stadium manager Sijabulile Ntuli
“The engineers advised that games can be played during construction,” Ntuli said.
It is unclear if the PSL ruled that games can’t take place under the current conditions.
In Polokwane, municipality manager Mantlako Sebaka had declared the Peter Mokaba Stadium ready to accommodate Chiefs — and its other tenant, Sekhukhune United — but Sowetan understands the venue will only know next week if it now meets PSL standards, making it unavailable to stage the Chiefs vs Siwelele match.
The venue crisis seems bizarre in a country that boasts some world-class stadiums, which hosted the World Cup 16 years ago.
Just this week, Chippa United received the go-ahead from the PSL to use the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, after having moved their home games to Durban. Initially Chippa were to use Dobsonville for their September 5 clash against Milford, but that venue will now be used by Chiefs the following day, when they take on Siwelele. The PSL, Sowetan understands, has proposed a kickoff time of 5.30pm.
Sowetan
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