Chippa United chairman Siviwe Mpengesi has expressed his disappointed after Polokwane City refused to play at the DStv Premiership club’s Buffalo City Stadium.
The Chilli Boys were granted permission to host their upcoming league game at the newly revamped venue.
The tie was originally scheduled to take place at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and now looks set to remain in Gqeberha rather than taking place in East London.
Reflecting on the news, Mpengesi said in a statement in the Citizen: “It is with deep regret that I must share a recent development regarding our upcoming fixture against Polokwane City FC, initially scheduled to be played at Buffalo City Municipality Stadium.
“This game, set for December 23rd, was poised to be a landmark event – the first professional match in the Buffalo City municipality in seven years, and a highlight of the festive event.
“Following Prof. Ronald Schloss’ approval from the PSL for our use of the Buffalo City Stadium, we made every effort to facilitate the fixture change from Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth. This included covering the costs of flight and hotel changes for the visiting team. Despite these efforts and meeting all requirements, Polokwane City FC unexpectedly rejected the fixture change without providing a valid reason.
“This decision was further compounded by the PSL’s choice not to enforce its rules regarding fixture changes, ultimately leading to the revocation of the change and a return to the original venue.”