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Infrastructure is being developed at several football fields in Soweto under the Greening of Soccer Fields Ahead of 2010 Strategy.
SEVERAL soccer fields in Soweto are being greened and their infrastructure is being overhauled, thanks to a two-year sponsorship from the City's department of community development.
The project is part of Joburg's efforts to turn the city green ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™; it falls under the Greening of Soccer Fields Ahead of 2010 Strategy and is being championed by that department.
In all, 50 Soweto soccer fields have been identified for the project, and work is already forging ahead. Among these are Emdeni, Phiri, Mapetla and Tladi soccer fields, where palisade fencing and irrigation pipes will be installed.
Initially, 101 fields were earmarked as potential greening projects, explains Dumakazi Sibenya, the deputy director of match training venues and precincts in the community development department.
"However, through the scoping exercise, only 50 were found to be suitable for development due to various reasons, such as site ownership, soil and site conditions, [including] the availability of required services and size."
There are currently nine soccer fields that are being developed. Three sites, with a total of five fields, have been developed already and handed over to Region D; these are in Pimville, Orlando East and Tshepisong.
Funds
The City has set aside R2-million for this project. "Based on the initial funding allocation and the approach adopted at the time, Pimville soccer field has been developed to include shower facilities and a guardhouse."
The other two sites - Orlando East and Tshepisong - do not yet have these facilities, because of funding constraints. As more cash becomes available, such services will be added.
Sibenya notes that based on the additional funding recently allocated to her department, "the development of additional fields has already started, all of which will be completed within the current financial year".
These are Zondi, Senoane, Diepkloof, Zola, Dlamini and Mayorspark, where earthworks, fencing, irrigation and landscaping are in progress.
"The Mayorspark soccer field ... has already been greened and fenced, and we also have an irrigation system in place," says Percy Ndlovu, the field manager. However, it is not yet ready for use.
"People are not yet allowed to use it because we still have to nurture the lawn," he points out. This can take six or more months. Trees also need to be planted to beautify the place, "so that it is not just a training ground but is also appealing to the eye".
"Our lawn still needs to be stamped and we need to make sure that it is firm on the ground before we can allow anyone to use [the field]."
More cash has been set aside for 2008-09 to develop at least nine more fields, completed and available by June 2010. "These sites have all been scoped and plans are in place to ensure that they will be developed effectively and immediately," Sibenya says.
To speed up the development, additional funding "is being sought through engagement with other external stakeholders, including national and provincial governments as well as the private sector".
Work began in July on fields in Emdeni, Phiri, Mapetla, Tladi, Central Western Jabavu, Meadowlands, Pimville, Moletsane, and Jabulani. Work on fields in Dobsonville, Zola, Emdeni, Central Western Jabavu, Meadowlands and Diepkloof will begin in the next financial year.
"I think these fields are here for the development of our community," Ndlovu says.
However, once they are open the field mangers will only allow soccer teams to train on the fields at least twice a week - and nobody else, he adds. "The teams will also have to share the facilities since [they are] not big enough to accommodate more than two teams."
Costs
The approximate cost of repairing a single soccer field, including earthworks, greening, the installation of an irrigation system, steel palisade fencing and landscaping is R500 000; an additional R500 000 is needed to install shower facilities and a guardhouse.
"The scoping exercise completed in April has identified additional fields that are suitable for development. All these fields will be prioritised and will be scheduled for development during the 2010-11 financial year," Sibenya explains.
These are in Dobsonville, Klipspruitwest, Meadowlands, Mapetla, Emdeni and Diepkloof.
Thousands of jobs are expected to be created through the project, which will also boost the metro's economy. "The department ensures that as many jobs as possible are created for the local community," Sibenya says, adding that the project will also aid "community members to empower themselves by gaining necessary life skills".
"The jobs range between skilled work to manual labour, depending on the type of projects and the existing skills in the community."
In addition to the Greening of Soccer Fields Ahead of 2010 Strategy, the City and City Parks is running the ambitious Greening of Soweto legacy project, which envisages turning the township into a green oasis. Through it, the City will plant more than 300 000 trees along Soweto streets.
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