LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOLLOWING PROPOSED: NEW 30K SEATER STADIUM AT NKHANINI

MBABANE – Good news for local football supporters!

Reports suggest that there are plans to construct the much-needed facility by 2028. An impeccable source close to the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs revealed that government was planning to construct a state-of-the-art stadium at Nkhanini around Lobamba. The source said the stadium would be a 30 000-seater, which government has projected to build before the five-year term of the current cabinet elapses. “It is an open secret that government is going to construct a new stadium within the next five years at Nkhanini next to where the new parliament will be built,” the source said.

The source went on to explain that the architectural plan for the stadium had been presented to the senators to have a look at it. Meanwhile, Minister Bongani Nzima was diplomatic in his response about the projected plan of constructing a new national stadium to meet international standards.
New 30k-seater stadium at Nkhanini. “What I can say is that in our five-year plan, we do have a stadium that we will build. We are projecting that when our five-year term elapses, the country will have a stadium,” Nzima said. He, however, was quick to highlight that he could not confirm if a new stadium would be constructed by government.

Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Cabinet, Victor Nxumalo, expressed unawareness of the stadium proposal’s presentation to cabinet when contacted. Enquiries directed to the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs’ Director Lucky Sihlongonyane were referred to the Communications Officer, Sibongiseni Zondi, who said this was news to him. He said he only knew about the ongoing rehabilitation of Somhlolo National Stadium. The upgrade of Somhlolo aims to ensure the venue reaches international standards. It is set to progress to Phase VI during this government’s fiscal year.

Goals

However, the construction of a new stadium aligns with His Majesty King Mswati III’s millennium goals. Some projects under these goals have been completed. They include the Mavuso Sports and Trade Exhibition Centre, which is currently improving its VVIP Lounge. The King Mswati III International Airport is operational, and the International Convention Centre and Five-Star Hotel (ICC and FISH) are nearing completion.  

Additionally, the Mankayane Town Board has announced ambitious plans for a stadium of similar capacity, estimated at E4 billion. Mankayane Town Board’s Executive Officer, David Madlopha, two months ago said the stadium’s blueprint had been circulated among key stakeholders. They include the government, Eswatini Sports and Recreation Council (ESRC), Eswatini Football Association (EFA), and the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE).
“We are in the process of developing a business case to guide our fundraising efforts for the construction phase. This business case will outline the strategies for securing the necessary funding,” Madlopha was quoted in the Times of Eswatini Sunday in early March.

Benefits

The proposed stadium is designed to host various sports, including athletics with a synthetic track, volleyball and tennis.  The construction of new stadiums is also set to bring multiple benefits to the country. Eswatini could potentially host regional and international competitions. Moreover, local clubs and the national team, Sihlangu, would have the opportunity to host continental competitions locally. Last year, the EFA incurred nearly a million in stadium rental fees in neighbouring countries. The development of domestic football competitions stands to also gain significantly. For instance, the PLE faced challenges this week in finding a venue for the Mbabane derby, due to renovations at both Mavuso and Somhlolo stadiums.

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