The genesis of stadia crisis in Africa

Mqondisi Dube | Wednesday February 22, 2023 12:39

This is why it will be difficult to shake-off the enduring narratives about Africa being a dark continent. Welsh journalist and explorer, Henry Morton Stanley, is credited with the ‘dark continent’ view as he saw Africa as mysterious.

Africa is regarded as a continent in perpetual conflict, a continent that is the headquarters of hunger and famine and battling underdevelopment. It is a viewpoint that largely carries some truth.

The dystopian view of Africa, as seen through the glass of those in the global north, does not end on the political or economic front. It extends to the social, and the recent report of stadium crisis is evidence of this. Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria only has two stadiums that meet CAF requirements. Yes, just two stadiums to serve a population of more than 100 million.

This could evoke images of hunger in Africa where long queues of people waiting to be served a meagre portion of food. Somalia and Eritrea quickly come to mind.

The crisis extends even to the playing field, where most countries are struggling to build decent stadiums. The problem, however, emanates from a micro level, and what is happening at continent level, mirrors the domestic challenges. Take for instance, the SSG ground. First Division teams should not be playing on that barren piece of land presented as a football ground, that is, if authorities are serious about football development. There should be enough facilities with proper turf for all teams to play on.

Weekend pictures of the Francistown Stadium left one without an iota of doubt that indeed, there is a crisis. How players escape injury from the overgrown grass boggles the mind. Fans are seen relieving themselves in a ‘bush’ just behind what is supposed to be the grand stand. You will be forgiven to pass it as a haphazard scene from a boozers’ league.

Then when it comes to the African level, we then mysteriously expect the continent to have sufficient, top quality venues? It has to start with the upgrading of your Sharps, your SSGs and the Francistown Council Stadium to acceptable standards. CAF wants the quality of stadiums to meet certain requirements for them to be certified to host international matches.

That is in order. I remember a visit to South Africa’s King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi, Durban in 2013. I had gone to cover the Zebras’ match against Bafana Bafana, and as part of the preparations, the Zebras were given King Goodwill Zwelithini as the practice ground. I marvelled at how immaculate the venue was; it was not about the aesthetics, as the stadium is generally from the ‘old school’ type. But it was the manner in which the facility was being maintained.

Everything was spotlessly clean, and even then Zebras coach, Stanley Tshosane was awe struck. How difficult is it to say, keep Molepolole Sports Complex in the best of conditions; not just the pitch, but the whole facility. Cutting grass should not demand much, but we still find overgrown grass in almost every facility, which is an eye sore. May be privatising the management of stadia in Botswana is the way to go, as clearly the custodian, the Botswana National Sport Commission is overwhelmed.