Kaizer Chiefs and Polokwane City played to a 1-1 draw in front of a full-capacity crowd on Saturday afternoon. The match was overshadowed by a major water supply failure at the stadium.
There was reportedly no running water at the venue for much of the match. It left both teams facing problems in their respective dressing rooms. The issue also affected spectators, with hygiene concerns reportedly emerging around the stadium concourses.
Kaizer Chiefs and Polokwane City were reportedly unable to shower properly after the match because of the water supply failure.
DID KAIZER CHIEFS KNOW ABOUT THE WATER PROBLEM?
The Polokwane Municipality has now addressed the situation. It confirmed that the area was experiencing serious water supply challenges on the day.
According to Municipality communications manager Thipa Selala, the water problems were linked to ongoing challenges along the Olifantspoort line. It also supplies the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.
“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.”
The municipality eventually deployed emergency water tankers to the stadium during the halftime break. It provided temporary relief to those inside the venue.
Selala explained that the problem was not specific to the football stadium. The wider surrounding area also affected by the 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.”
DOES THE PSL ALLOW THIS?
Under the Premier Soccer League (PSL) Handbook, functional running hot and cold water in dressing rooms is a key compliance requirement for professional match venues. The home club is responsible for ensuring the stadium meets the required standards, with water and hygiene facilities forming part of the basic conditions expected for players and officials.
The PSL also requires the home and away dressing rooms to provide comparable standards. Sisiting teams should not disadvantaged by inferior facilities.
The broader stadium requirements also cover shower areas, including appropriate drainage, non-slip flooring and hygienic surfaces that can be properly cleaned.
Match officials are also catered for under the regulations, with a dedicated dressing room required to include appropriate shower facilities separate from those used by the teams.
The water failure has now placed the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium’s match-hosting standards under renewed scrutiny, with the PSL reportedly investigating the incident.
The municipality maintains that it knew the stadium was affected by the wider water interruption and had deployed emergency tankers as a temporary measure.
For Chiefs and Polokwane City, however, the issue went beyond an inconvenience after a league match. Access to functioning dressing-room facilities is an important part of hosting professional football, making the incident one that could now require further attention from the PSL.
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