l World at Rufaro Stadium still a long way from completion
l What did the Council want to really commission yesterday?
Talent Gore and Curtworth Masango
THESE are some of the images which show that Rufaro Stadium is not yet ready to be opened to host Premiership football matches.
Whatever the Harare City Council were trying to do, when they announced they were set to commission the stadium yesterday, appears to be a journey into fantasyland.
The city fathers have missed multiple set timelines in the refurbishment of the stadium.
On what was supposed to be the day of the stadium’s commissioning yesterday, workers were still busy completing the pitch, entry points and changing rooms.
Heaps of quarry stones, river sand and other building materials litter the venue, showing that the stadium is not ready to host any football match.
There is a noticeable improvement in the state of the pitch, although some areas look uneven.
Progress has also been made outside the main arena, where renovation of the parking area, as well as the construction of a shopping complex and a perimeter wall are prominent.
This is the fourth time commissioning of the stadium has been postponed due to slow progress.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has been giving different timelines which his council failed to meet.
He initially declared that the stadium would be ready for the start of the current Premier Soccer League season, which began in March.
He then announced that it would open its doors at the end of April.
After failing to open in April, he moved it to last month, and then yesterday.