The Polokwane Municipality has addressed the severe water supply failure that left players from Kaizer Chiefs and Polokwane City FC unable to shower following their Betway Premiership clash at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium this past weekend.
Chiefs and Polokwane City played to a 1-1 draw in front of a full-capacity stadium on Saturday afternoon. But the match was marred by off-field issues after it emerged that there was no running water at the facility for the duration of the clash.
The situation is said to have affected not only both teams in the dressing rooms but also the spectators due to severe hygiene issues around the stadium concourses.
However, it is said that the Municipality eventually brought water tanks to the venue during the halftime break, much to the temporary relief of both clubs.
POLOKWANE MUNICIPALITY CONFIRMS WATER CHALLENGES DURING BETWAY PREMIERSHIP MATCH
Communications manager at the Municipality, Thipa Selala, has confirmed they experienced major water challenges on the day and were forced to deploy emergency water tankers.
“We can confirm that we had a challenge of water supply during the Saturday match,” Selala told FARPost.
“We have, in that regard, issued a statement to explain that we were experiencing ongoing challenges along the Olifantspoort line. As a municipality, we had been in engagements with Lepelle Northern Water to try to get clarification.
“But until today we are not able to get a clear indication, but we continue with the engagements.”
NO SHOWERS FOR KAIZER CHIEFS AND POLOKWANE CITY AT OLD PETER MOKABA STADIUM
Selala says the situation at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium was unavoidable on the day, as the entire surrounding area was affected by the major water supply interruption.
“In any emergency case such as water interruptions, we are always deploying water tankers as a temporary relief measure to all affected residents,” he added.
“So it must not be something that appears to be strange to supply water tankers during a football match. We knew that the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium was affected because the line that was affected also supplies the Stadium. We knew and had to deploy the water tankers to be ready in cases where the supply is needed.”
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