Times Of Swaziland: E12M SOMHLOLO HEADACHE

E12M SOMHLOLO HEADACHE
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Nimrod Hlophe on 06/03/2025 08:03:00


MBABANE – Just three weeks post-budget speech, the Ministry of Sports, Culture
and Youth Affairs faces pressure to resolve funding issues for its essential
capital project.
This situation came to light during Parliament’s debate regarding the
ministry’s budget allocation held by the House of Assembly just two days ago.
It appears that not everything is favourable regarding government’s budget
speech delivered on Valentine’s Day, which outlined the 2025/26 financial
provisions, as presented by the Minister for Finance, Neil Rijkenberg.
Minister Bongani Nzima disclosed a shortfall of E12 million necessary to
complete renovations at the 56-year-old Somhlolo National Stadium in Lobamba.
“The truth is, the minister and ministry requested E32 million, but we were
able to only secure E20 million. We are still in negotiations with the
construction company to reduce costs and complete the project, as this matter
concerning Somhlolo remains a thorn in our side,” the Sandleni Member of
Parliament (MP) remarked to the August House, this past Tuesday.
Furthermore, the minister acknowledged the financial strain facing local
football clubs and the national team, Sihlangu, which are compelled to play home
matches outside the country due to the stadium’s inability to meet the
international minimum standards required.
Nzima pointed out that this situation results in the teams losing their home
crowd advantage.
It is worth noting that the ministry revealed late last year that the Eswatini
Football Association (EFA) has spent a minimum of E10 million since 2022 on
hosting home games outside the nation’s borders.
Nzima urged MPs to assist the ministry in securing the full E32 million
requested, which he believes would enable them to meet the minimum requirements
necessary for Somhlolo to comply with international standards.
The ongoing renovations, currently in Phase IV, encompass several enhancements,
including the installation of a backup power generator, a giant screen and the
ongoing construction of public toilets behind the stands, among other
improvements. During the debate, Madlangampisi MP Allen Vilane suggested it
might be time to contemplate a new project altogether, arguing that Somhlolo has
endured too many repairs over the years.
Vilane acknowledged that while Somhlolo is beautiful and well-situated, perhaps
the focus should shift towards something new. Meanwhile, Nhlambeni MP Mazwi
Zwane highlighted that Somhlolo has received funding allocations for years,
including throughout the last parliamentary term. He urged the ministry to
calculate the total expenditure on the stadium over the past decade and proposed
that the E20 million allocation for 2025/26 should be the final funding approved
for the project.