COLD WAR ERUPTS OVER GA-RANKUWA’S WESTERN GROUNDS

A cold war is brewing in Ga-Rankuwa, with football administrators, coaches, community activists and sports facilitators at loggerheads over the deteriorating condition of the Western Grounds in Zone 1.

The controversy erupted after heaps of soil were dumped at the already struggling football facility, prompting an angry reaction from members of the local football fraternity who fear the intervention could make the ground even more difficult to use.

The Western Grounds, which is used by local teams and children, already has a hard, rocky base and uneven sections. According to concerned football stakeholders, the newly dumped black soil is mixed with stones, raising questions about whether the field will be suitable for football once the rainy season arrives.

The dispute has played out publicly on the Ga-Rankuwa Sports Development Facebook platform, where several community members have voiced their concerns.

Agrippa Gumede and Ofentse Kenosi, who were responsible for arranging for the soil to be brought onto the grounds, defended their actions, saying the intention was to improve the playing surface.

They explained that the soil was brought in because the ground has rocks, some of which have been removed, while the surface remains uneven. According to them, the soil would be levelled and mixed with compost to support grass growth.

They said their ultimate goal was to provide young people and community football players with a suitable field without hazards.

Gumede and Kenosi also made some uncorroborated claim that they had been maintaining the two soccer fields using their own resources because the grounds were important to them and they cared about the development of young footballers. This isa statement that could be denied considering that they have done little to no effort, except messing up at the facility.

However, their explanation has done little to calm the anger.

Mathews Mpete of the Mathews Mpete Foundation questioned the decision, warning that the soil could turn the ground into a muddy mess once the rains arrive.

“What a shame,” Mpete said, arguing that the field appeared to be heading towards becoming a vegetable garden rather than a football facility. He questioned who would eventually level and maintain the surface.

Ga-Rankuwa Rising Stars FC is among those affected. Local club representative Thabo Melato alleged that Gumede was aware the club was using the ground for training and home matches during the current league season.

Melato said the club has been paying from its own pocket to cut and maintain the grass and claimed that previous soil dumped at the ground had also been left for the club to deal with.

He further alleged that the decision was deliberately disruptive and could affect numerous young players. Rising Stars has teams ranging from Under-11 to senior level.

Top coach and football analyst Joseph Makikita also criticised the situation, describing it as bad for football and warning that rain could worsen the condition of the field.

Community activist Gaolaolwe Mongwaketse questioned whether individuals should be allowed to make decisions affecting a municipal facility without broader community consultation.

But there was a development in the dispute when Ga-Rankuwa Ward 31 councilor candidate Phillip Letlape announced that the Western and Eastern Grounds matter had been resolved, thanking MMC Aaron Maluleka and the team for assisting with levelling the ground.

Former Ga-Rankuwa Local Football Association president Tlhole Andries Makhudu welcomed the intervention but said the community had been waiting for promised assistance to repair local grounds for some time.

Coach Thabang “Buddy” Dimati echoed the frustration, saying social media and media platforms had increasingly become necessary for communities to have their complaints taken seriously.

Meanwhile, Coach Mpho Barend threatened legal action, saying Rising Stars could not be held “at ransom” by what he described as destructive actions. He gave those responsible a deadline to clear the ground and said charges could be laid for allegedly contravening municipal by-laws.

The dispute has exposed a deeper problem beyond the dumped soil: Ga-Rankuwa’s shortage of properly maintained sports facilities.

For coaches and parents, the Western Grounds are more than a patch of land. They are a training ground, a home venue and a place where children develop their sporting talents.

The question now is whether the latest intervention will ultimately restore the field or create another problem for the community.

Mpete went back to conclude that the ground was WORSE!

“Someone dumped about 8 wheelbarrow loads of building rubble in the field causing it to be pigsty. The black soil that was dumped on the field is littered with stones, thus making it a terrible utility for a soccer field. Trust me, this Western Grounds thing has been messed us,” he added.