Moorosi Tsiane
THE government is taking back the control and management of the Setsoto Stadium from Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission (LSRC).
Minister of Gender and Youth, Sport and Recreation Likeleli Tampane this week said this would lead to the facility being handed to private sector players to run it.
Setsoto Stadium and the Leshoboro Stadium (Mafeteng) were handed over to the LSRC by the late Sport minister Kabelo Mafura in 2017 in five-year deal.
But following a tour of Setsoto Stadium this week, Tampane said the ministry had decided to take back the stadium as its standards are deteriorating.
“During the tour we witnessed nothing but a facility in a shameful state because it’s standards continue deteriorating,” Tampane said.
“I am not happy with the stadium’s status and after a series of meetings with the LSRC, we have agreed that the ministry must take back the facility and source for a private player to manage it.”
At the moment, there are no offers hence the ministry will soon present the matter to cabinet and flight a tender once all processes are complete.
The expectation is that the new company to run the facility would have been secured by February next year.
“We don’t have any offers but we are meeting cabinet informally tomorrow (Tuesday) and hopefully, next week we will meet formally and request for permission to outsource a management company. It is only then that an advert will be published so that by February 2021 we will be handing over the facility.”
The Senqu legislator said although the facility would be in the hands of the private sector, it would remain accessible to national sports federations.
“We are outsourcing the management of the facility because we have failed to manage it to the standard where it is our pride. It must be an international level facility.
“The facility was being used for many other activities aside from football, so we will try to ensure that it remains accessible to everyone who wants to use it. We are doing this because we want to provide a conducive environment for the growth of our sports. We need good infrastructure,” Tampane said.
