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NEVER AGAIN - MP MAGONGO

11/03/2022 08:59:00 Chris Dlamini

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MBABANE – The senior national team Sihlangu Semnikati’s home match against Somalia towards month-end should be the last to play outside the country.

This is according to Lugongolweni Honourable Member of Parliament (MP) Enos Magongo as stated in the Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Ministry Portfolio Committee Report, as per the debate of the ministry’s Annual Performance Report for the financial year 2021/22 and the budget estimates for the current financial year 2022/23 in the House of Assembly on Wednesday. The report was adopted and the budget estimates that Sports gets slightly over E7 million and also E15 million for the rehabilitation of Somhlolo National Stadium. There is a further over E2 million for the recreation facilities across the country.

Sihlangu host Somalia on March 23 in the TOTALEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 two-legged qualifier, but due to a lack of an internationally qualifying stadium, it will be in South Africa’s Mbombela Stadium just a few kilometres outside the country in the Mpumalanga Province. Royal have already hosted South Africa’s Orlando Pirates there as well as Libya’s Al-Ittihad Tripoli, losing both matches 2-6 and 1-2 respectively. “The Ministry should ensure that no local sport team has to play a home international fixture outside of the country ever again,” commented the MP before asking the relevant Minister, Harries ‘Madze’ Bulunga, when the second phase of the Somhlolo National Stadium would be completed and if that would render the arena available for use. In his responses, Bulunga said the MP’s concern was noted.

Inspection

“It is also the Ministry’s hope that this won’t happen again. We are happy to share that Phase 2 of the rehabilitation of the Somhlolo National Stadium will be concluded this month, after which an inspection will be done by CAF and FIFA and we hope that the stadium will then be allowed to host international matches again,” he responded. The minister further explained that other planned rehabilitation works in the subsequent phases could continue even when the stadium was available to the public. Magongo also asked if the stadium generated any money for government and where it went to.

The response here was that since it was closed for the rehabilitation, it was not making any income but when it did, the money went into the Consolidated Fund. Booking fee is E1 000 for the stadium. Meanwhile, other Honourable MPs also spoke strongly about the lack of at least one major facility to avoid hosting any sporting games outside the country. These included MP Mduduzi Dlamini, MP Dumisani Mbhamali, MP Lufto Dlamini and MP Allen Stewart.