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Stadium upgrade in Phillipi a boon

UPGRADE: MEC Whitey Jacobs. Pic. Tsheko Kabasia. 13/06/07. © Sunday World.
UPGRADE: MEC Whitey Jacobs. Pic. Tsheko Kabasia. 13/06/07. © Sunday World.

Residents of Phillipi township will now be able to watch professional soccer, thanks to relentless efforts by the Western Cape government to upgrade their stadium.

Residents of Phillipi township will now be able to watch professional soccer, thanks to relentless efforts by the Western Cape government to upgrade their stadium.

The provincial government has started with plans to renovate the Phillipi Stadium in line with requirements of the Premier Soccer League.

"There is an existing stadium in Phillipi.

"It accommodates 2 000 people but we are going to increase it to 10 000," said Whitey Jacobs, the province's MEC for sports and culture.

"We are taking out the athletics and cycling tracks. The upgrading of the stadium in Phillipi features high on the 2010 World Cup legacy project.

"We hope to go for the tendering process to upgrade the stadium before the end of the month. Our aim is to see professional soccer played in the townships too.

"There are many people who are in love with sports in Phillipi, the Cape Flats and other townships in the Western Cape.

"People travel long distances to watch professional soccer, that is why we thought it would be a great thing to upgrade the stadium in Phillipi," said Jacobs.

Clive Bailey, Safa Cape Town regional secretary, said they were delighted that the townships will also benefit from the 2010 World Cup through the legacy projects.

Phillipi township was founded in the early 1980s during the political power struggles at Crossroads.

Fearing for their lives, some of the residents left Crossroads for what is now known as Philippi. The place was once called Snake Park because it was infested by snakes.

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