Stadium modernization faces further delays – News

The search for a successful bidder to redevelop the Independence Stadium is experiencing procurement delays as a main consultant and subsequent contractors have yet to be appointed.

A lead consultant was initially scheduled to be appointed for the project in April. However, the process was cancelled and resumed on July 3 due to some potential bidders questioning the procurement procedures.

Erastus Haitengela, executive director of sports, youth and national service, says they were forced to restart the process from scratch with the recommendations made by the review panel.

He says the new bidding process will close on Monday.

“If, again, we do not receive many challenges in the review process, we hope that by the end of August we will be able to appoint a consultant and at the same time accelerate the process to start the project,” says Haitengela.

He says the intention is to hire several contractors on site to speed up construction and renovations of the stadium.

“This is due to the tight deadlines given to us by the government. The bad thing is that the contracting process is very restrictive and you cannot skip a stage. If you make a small mistake, you are sent back to the drawing board,” says Haitengela.

The stadium’s redevelopment is crucial to ending nearly five years of exile for national football teams, who have been banned from holding matches in the country’s “substandard” facilities.

Namibia currently hosts most of its international home matches in neighbouring South Africa, since the Confederation of African Football (CAF) deregistered the country’s outdated and dilapidated stadiums.

Haitengela says the selection of contractors will only be done through the main consultant due to CAF’s specific requirements.

Necessary improvements include electronic advertising boards, an electronic ticketing system, modern changing facilities, a 5-star hotel and hospital nearby, an underground irrigation system, a modern evacuation system, ample secure parking, bucket seating, a pitch maintenance plan, floodlights for night matches, modern press boxes for journalists, barriers between the stands and the pitch, an electronic display screen and a reliable power source.

“You need a group of contractors, for example architects, electrical or mechanical engineers, and they all need to be familiar with these specific requirements,” says Haitengela.

According to their estimates, the cost of the stadium renovation will be around N$1 billion. The ministry currently has a budget of N$80 million, but hopes that after a review it will be able to obtain more funding from the state coffers.

He says that because there is no lead consultant yet, actual cost estimates for the project are not yet available.

Haitengela says that once appointed, the lead consultant will begin with cost estimation appropriately in line with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) CAF level three requirements to see exactly how much the project will cost the government.

“The Ministry of Finance is willing to provide the funding we need as long as we know the real costs of the project,” says Haitengela.

In 2022, the national team was banned from playing football or hosting FIFA and CAF matches at the Sam Nujoma Stadium and the Independence Stadium after they failed to meet minimum requirements and FIFA standards.

Finance Ministry spokesman Wilson Shikoto confirmed that the ministry is updated on the progress of the Sports Ministry.

“We have received the update from the sports, youth and national services and are working closely with them,” says Shikoto.