Sport Minister Jacob Kelebeng has challenged residents of Moshupa to turn their newly opened community stadium into a busy centre for sport, talent development and fitness.
He said the facility must not become another public project that is neglected after opening. Kelebeng made the call on Thursday when officially opening the Moshupa Community Stadium. Kelebeng said the opening was not the end of the project, but the beginning of a bigger responsibility for the community. He said the stadium must be used to develop young players, support local clubs, host school sport and give residents a place to exercise and keep fit.
“This stadium is a new home ground for our local clubs,” he said. The facility is the first to be completed under Government’s Community Stadia Development Programme, which aims to improve sports infrastructure at district level. Kelebeng said the programme was designed to give communities access to safe and quality sporting facilities, adding that another 10 community stadiums are earmarked for construction under National Development Plan 12.
For Moshupa, the new stadium comes with a FIFA-standard artificial football pitch, multi-sport courts, dressing rooms, kiosks, public ablution facilities, a gravel athletics track and a covered mini-grandstand with 306 seats.
The facility is a major addition to the district’s sporting infrastructure. Kelebeng said its future would depend heavily on how it is managed. He warned against the common practice of building public facilities and later allowing them to deteriorate because of poor maintenance. “Deferring small repairs today creates massive costs tomorrow,” he warned.
Meanwhile, the Minister called on the Moshupa District leadership, sports organisations, clubs and residents to take ownership of the facility and ensure it remains in good condition. He also wants the stadium to have a full sporting calendar, including intra-district competitions, sports festivals, school programmes and community fitness activities.
Kelebeng said the facility should also become a starting point for coaches, administrators and technical officials working to develop the next generation of athletes.
He directed the Department of Sport and Recreation to work with sports agencies and national federations to introduce sport development programmes at the stadium.
The Minister said Government’s responsibility was to create an enabling environment, but the community had a major role to play in making the investment worthwhile.
He thanked the Moshupa District Council, local authorities and residents for supporting the project and making land available. “The facility belongs to all of you,” he said.
With the stadium now officially open, Kelebeng’s message is clear: Moshupa must use the facility, protect it and turn it into a centre for developing the next generation of sporting talent.
