Premier Panyaza Lesufi wants Gauteng to be the home of major sporting events, aiming to strip Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium of their title as PSL’s preferred cup final destination.

Last weekend’s MTN8 final between Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu was the 11th PSL final to be played at Moses Mabhida Stadium in 10 years. On the other hand, Gauteng last staged a PSL decider with a crowd when Orlando Stadium hosted SuperSport United and Highlands Park.

The Nedbank Cup final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Bloemfontein Celtic in 2020 was played behind closed doors at the same Soweto venue due to Covid-19. 

Lesufi, who had been MEC for education before replacing David Makhura last month, wishes to see Gauteng being the preferred home of big sporting activities. The new premier fancies the next PSL final to be played in the province.

“The new sheriff is in town. There’s no major sporting activity that will elude Gauteng. With powers and resources that we have at our disposal, major sporting activities must take place in Gauteng,”' Lesufi told the media during a farewell ceremony of match officials Victor Gomes and Zakhele Siwela, alongside medical official Thulani Ngwenya before they left for the Fifa World Cup in Qatar at Safa House this week.

“We have been playing second fiddle to other provinces and now we want to change that. We have met with the leadership of Netball SA (NSA). The World Cup is coming here but it’ll be in Western Cape, so we say in future we want some netball activities in Gauteng. I will also engage the PSL to say we want to host finals. I was in Durban during the MTN8 final and I want the next final to come here.”