The Nelson Mandela Bay World Cup soccer stadium site has been transformed into a hive of activity with workers and construction vehicles getting down to business.

Earthworks have already begun and a massive storm water drain is under construction, with a deep trench already dug.

When The Herald visited the site last week, a number of construction vehicles were grading the area and removing the sand and rubble.

Some digging for the basement level of the stadium had already started.

Municipal spokesman Lourens Schoeman said the activity was the start of the project, which would prepare the site for construction to start.

"So far they've demolished the old Parks Rugby structures and they are busy with the earthworks. They are preparing the site for actual construction to begin, so they're doing things like digging for the foundations and working on the drainage," Schoeman said.

He said the contract to build the stadium would be awarded at the end of this year and construction of the stadium would start in February.

Tenders for five roads feeding into the stadium have already been announced.

Last week, the municipality announced that it had received its share of the World Cup construction pie from the national treasury - close to R900-million - allowing it to start on the 40 000-seater stadium.

The stadium would, however, be able to accommodate an additional 10 000 to 15 000 people for the World Cup, Schoeman said. The stadium, near the North End Lake, is expected to cost more than R700-million and should be completed by 2008, in time for the Confederations Cup in 2009.

It will host first and second round matches in the World Cup, while many hope that it may also stage a semi-final or the third- place playoff.

Earlier this month the entire Nelson Mandela Bay municipal committee tasked with preparations for the 2010 Soccer World Cup vowed to resign if Port Elizabeth's soccer stadium was not completed by the end of 2008.

Eastern Province Herald
Publisher: I-Net Bridge
Source: I-Net Bridge