KEETMANSHOOP – Football players, coaches and community members are joining hands to revamp the J Stephanus Stadium at Keetmanshoop’s Tseiblaagte residential area.
Emrico Blaauw, who is mobilising people to take part in the project, told Nampa recently that they could not stand by and watch something they love go to waste.
“We decided to do this because of the love we have for football. Many good players, at national and international level, played on this pitch, so we cannot allow it to die,” he reiterated.
Blaauw said the group last year launched a clean-up campaign, and are now concentrating on the pitch.
“Last year, we replaced the light bulbs, washed the walls and cleaned the bathrooms. We’re now concentrating on the pitch, covering the grass with manure and planting grass where needed until it is back to how it used to look,” he enthused.
The municipality provided the manure, and the group provides the manpower.
They also hope to repaint the stadium, and are thus urging the community of Keetmanshoop, especially local businesses, to assist them.
Work on the pitch started last Tuesday, and is expected to end this week.
The Keetmanshoop Municipality’s public relations officer Dawn Kruger said the municipality currently lacks the manpower to maintain the stadium.
“It is also not a priority at the moment, as we are currently concentrating more on graveyards and parks within the town,” she added.
Kruger said the municipality is struggling financially as not all residents pay their water and electricity bills.
She commended the group for the initiative as their involvement will help the community take ownership of the stadium, and hopefully stop vandalising it. -Nampa
