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Home / Residents up in arms over community stadium lease
Residents up in arms over community stadium lease
2016-12-05Staff Report 2 "Windhoek Disgruntled residents from the previously semi-posh Khomasdal residential area, west of Namibia’s commercial capital Windhoek, have been left in shock after it emerged that the City of Windhoek (CoW) has sanctioned a proposal to lease out the hopelessly overused Khomasdal sports field. The stadium, which houses two football fields including three state-of-the-art netball courts which also serve as basketball courts, cloak rooms and cafeteria, has of late been in a sorry state with very little maintenance, if any, being effected at the facilities. Murmurs of discontent went viral on social media when NBC Sports reported that the CoW has ostensibly granted permission to former Brave Warriors and Hamburg FC footballer Colin ‘Collymore’ Benjamin to lease the field for a period of three years. The report states that the former Civics midfielder plans to use the facilities for his envisaged first-ever football school on Namibian soil. And whilst many hail the idea as a brilliant initiative, Khomasdal residents are not entirely happy as they strongly believe such a move would disenfranchise them of their social and recreational activities. “That field belongs to the Khomasdal community – CoW are just mere custodians of the facility and have no business disposing of the field in such a weird manner without consultation with the affected community. Leasing the field for private usage could have potentially far-reaching repercussions,” charged a disturbed resident Dean Willemse, a former footballer and noted businessman. Namibia’s football guru Bobby Sissing also joined the chorus of disapproval and vowed to fight the decision, even if he would be obliged to use his own resources. “Not over my dead body – that would never happen, certainly not in my lifetime, even if I have to go to the head of state. That’s a community project and should just stay as such,” fumed the hippy lookalike uncle Bob. " 2016-12-05Staff Report 2
