Africa-Press – Eswatini. THE Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA) has spent a mouthwatering E4 490 970 maintaining the Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre in the past financial year ended March 31.
A budget of E1 122 743 was set aside for the ending quarter under review and a whopping E1 506 259 was used leaving a deficit of E383 516 in the yearly budget. The money is for the maintenance of the place.
Mavuso Sports Centre was banned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for failure to meet mandatory FIFA standards, forcing CAF Confederation Cup participants Royal Leopard and Sihlangu in their recent 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches to seek refuge in neighbouring South Africa.
In financial documents in possession of the Eswatini Observer, EIPA admits that, ‘The period under review was very eventful for the Authority as it marked the end of the 2021/22 financial year. As such, it was the last quarter of the year for the organisation to achieve outstanding annual targets and also plan for the subsequent financial year (2022/23).
Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre (MTEC) continues to host the COVID-19 Isolation Centre for patients with mild cases and as such, booking for events remains suspended. However, the Authority is implementing an annual maintenance plan for the centre.”
Repair
It continues that repair of retaining wall that was destroyed due to heavy rains was done during the ended financial year.
The stadium was a major venue for international engagements for Leopard who were forced to host their CAF Confederation Cup group matches in Mbombela Stadium. Sihlangu played its preliminary round game against Somalia at the same venue and were forced to move to the Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium for the recent AFCON clash against Burkina Faso.
In a letter by the continental football governing body, CAF said Eswatini had failed to give the facility the necessary facelift even after being prevailed upon to do so.
The centre failed to meet at least seven of CAF’s requirements which according to the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) included substandard medical facilities, VIP, media centres and also training facilities. Until the implementation of all the requirements, the facility will be blocked from hosting other CAF’s interclub competitions.
“Based on the stadium ban decision, the stadium authorities should consider initiating a complete renovation and refurbishment work of the stadium, in order to ensure that the stadium is approved in the future for CAF competitions,” the letter reads in part.
“We recommend that the renovation plan is based on modern architecture, contemporary design and quality materials with a clear project plan and specific timelines”
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