MASERU – Renovations at Setsoto Stadium will start as soon as the Ministry of Sport receives funds from the Ministry of Finance ministry after a M250 million infrastructure budget for sports was approved by parliament last week.
The money is not only for the national stadium but will also be used to upgrade other facilities that will be used for the upcoming African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Games that will be hosted in Maseru in December.
Although Setsoto is in desperate need of a massive facelift, the only major improvements that will happen include fixing the stadium’s water systems and playing pitch.
The stadium currently has an artificial pitch that was installed in 2009.
The sports ministry would not say whether a new artificial pitch would be inserted or if natural grass would be installed as part of the revamp.
Last year when the Minister of Sport, Likeleli Tampane, toured Setsoto the sport department said it was planning to move athletic events to Setsoto if they could not be accommodated elsewhere.
If that happens, the stadium’s artificial turf will be removed and replaced with natural grass.
On Tuesday the ministry’s spokesperson, Maqalika Matsepe, said he did not know what has been decided regarding the pitch but said if the ministry decides to go with natural grass, it is something that would take three months at most.
He confirmed there have been arguments about what should be done with the pitch, with some people strongly vouching for natural grass to be planted because they argue Setsoto only benefits football as it is.
“I don’t know what is going to happen or if they have decided but there were arguments about what will happen,” Matsepe said.
“They are strong on natural grass, so that they can play javelin and things like that. The pitch has to be replaced either by new (artificial) one or natural grass, it doesn’t take a long time to grow it.”
Last month, in a virtual Region 5 Troika of Ministers of Sports meeting that was chaired by Tampane, a decision to proceed with the AUSC games was made based on the fact Lesotho’s Cabinet had approved the hosting of the rescheduled games in December 2021.
Cabinet also approved the budget for the hosting of the regional youth games.
Sports Reporter