Mafume says cutting out habitual corruption has de...

Mafume says cutting out habitual corruption has delayed Rufaro Stadium renovations

Mafume gets High Court reprieve -Newsday Zimbabwe — Mayor Jacob Mafume

Zim Now Writer

Harare mayor Jacob Mafume says completion of renovations at Rufaro Stadium have been delayed because his council has decided to root out systematic corruption that has become standard on such projects.

“Old habits in procurement. People want to buy the most expensive things. Whenever a project like this is started they try to alert their relatives and their relatives start forming companies to make these things and you will be shocked by the prices. So we have cut that red tape," Mafume said while on a tour to assess progress achieved so far. He was in the company of PSL chairman Farai Jere.

Mafume said a pragmatic approach to procurement is the best to cutting out the looters:“ If you want irrigation equipment you know where to buy that, if you want cement you know there is Circle Cement and that cement and so forth,” said Mafume.

He said however progress has been made and gave a completion deadline.

“But we have pushed day and night and I am happy to see the progress and I am dead sure that by the end of this month that we will be sitting in this stadium cheering our teams to our hearts’ content,” said Mafume.

When the stadium was closed in 2019, the CAF inspection committee highlighted nine areas which required attention before Rufaro could be allowed to host league matches.

They wanted the playing surface to be levelled, new pitch perimeter support structures and a new razor wire around the perimeter wall to be installed. They also expressed dissatisfaction over the drainage system and the ablution facilities which they wanted overhauled, as well as the expansion and upgrading of dressing rooms for teams and match officials.

Other areas of concern included the lack of direction signs to the stadium as well as the spectators’ seating areas which needed to be installed with bucket seats.

“I am happy we have made significant progress with the stadium as you can see I am standing on lush green turf. What’s left is to cut it proper. It’s part of the things we have done soil tests, we have put in new soil and we are quite happy with the progress the turf is going through.

“We are going to do pop-up irrigation system. The system will be underground and it’s going to be popping up as and when we want to water the stadium.

“We do believe we will be able to keep the turf lush green and up to the standards required by FIFA. So our people are hard at work to ensure that it is done.

He said bucket seats will not be installed just yet, but the city has come up with an alternative way for the stadium to have numbered seating.

“We have already done the painting of the seats in readiness for the bucket seats. We will open the stadium anyway, before the bucket seats.

“But we have done the numbering of the seats which will tell us the exactly the capacity of the stadium and we will be able to sell a seat specific ticket and that will enable teams to sell a season’s ticket, half season ticket and quarter season ticket.

“We have expanded the changing rooms and each will now have 15 to 18 showers and we are going to do the interior deco to such an extent that each player will have their own locker to change their uniform and their paraphernalia will be well arranged.

“On the outside we are going to have a B-Arena which will have the same turf as the main pitch and that ground will be used for practice sessions. That area will also contain small-to-medium shops. The aim is to create a multi-purpose facility,” added Mafume.