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FOOTBALL TO BENEFIT FROM UPGRADED SOMHLOLO – PM

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MBABANE – “The massive facelift of the Somhlolo National Stadium will largely benefit the football fraternity.”


Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini has added his voice in rallying the entire nation to support government in her initiative to upgrade the national stadium in readiness for next year’s 50/50 Double Celebration.
This was after football officials had requested for the postponement of the imminent closure of the stadium, at least until the end of the current season next month.


This was during the meeting of the Premier League of Swaziland (PLS) Board of Governors at Sibane Hotel, where they were deliberating issues on the Club Licensing programme convened by the National Football Association of Swaziland (NFAS).


On Monday this week, a delegation led by FA President Adam Bomber Mthethwa met Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs David ‘Cruiser’ Ngcamphalala over the issue. FA CEO Frederick Mngomezulu when quizzed on the visit, referred all comments to the minister.


Yesterday, the premier confirmed that government was finalising logistics around the closure of the stadium to allow for the major facelift.
“The 50/50 celebration will not just be about His Majesty’s birthday and country’s Independence Anniversary.
However, the country will also be celebrating 50 years of cooperation with other global institutions and countries. In 1968, the country opened its first embassy with the British Government, United States of America, Taiwan and the United Kingdom,” he said.


He said the venue should befit the status of the celebration and the number of head of States who will be guests to Their Majesties. He said the project needed the support of the whole country, not to mention those in football who will be the biggest beneficiaries at the end of it all. “When the celebrations are long gone, we will still go to the stadium to watch Mbabane Highlanders winning,” he said jokingly.


Minister Ngcamphalala confirmed meeting football officials over Somhlolo, but said he was not the right person to comment on the stadium, now that the issue was being discussed at Cabinet level.
“Only the prime minister can respond on the issue because it is now beyond us at the ministry.
“However, we did take the concerns raised by the football people on the issue, to the relevant structures,” he said.


The closure of the stadium according to the PM is expected anytime soon, and the FA would have to utilise the Mavuso Sports Centre for international competitions during the duration of the Somhlolo upgrade.

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