Inside legendary rugby stadium now lying abandoned as weeds sprout all over pitch and residents complain about safety

10 months ago 47

A LEGENDARY rugby stadium in South Africa now lies abandoned and covered in weeds with local residents concerned over the safety of the ghost site.

The Newlands Stadium in Cape Town housed 51,900 supporters during its heyday and hosted countless memorable events.

Newlands Rugby Stadium was one of the most iconic on the planet[/caption]

The Jonah Lomu inspired New Zealand beat England there in the 1995 World Cup semi-final[/caption]

The stadium now stands abandoned as a bitter row over it rumbles on[/caption]

The pitch is covered in weeds with local residents complaining about safety[/caption]

As South Africa won the World Cup on home turf back in 1995, it hosted four games during that iconic tournament.

And England played there twice, famously beating Australia 25-22 in the quarter-final there before suffering heartbreak in the semi with a 45-29 loss to New Zealand.

The Western Province Rugby and Football Union bought the land in 1888 that the ground is built on and it hosted its first game there in 1890 when Stellenbosch defeated Villagers in front of a 2,400 crowd.

The first rugby test occurred the following year when the British Lions toured South Africa but the first permanent concrete stands were not erected until 1919.

It continued to be developed over the century and then SA Rugby moved their headquarters to the ground in the 1970s.

A further 10,253 seats were added to the stadium in the 1980s before it spent five years from 1990 under constant renovation ahead of the 1995 World Cup.

Local side Western Province played there but relocated to the Cape Town Stadium three years ago – and now the Newlands Stadium lays “neglected, with overgrown grass and reportedly suspicious activities” concerning nearby residents.

Now there is a huge dispute over the fate of the Newlands Rugby Stadium between the Western Province Rugby Union and some rugby fans over whether to sell or keep it as a heritage site.

Local councillor, Mikhail Manuel, told IOL: “While we all take into account the history and the impact the venue has, for community it is not about the long-term plan, but rather having the place maintained and put to good use to prevent unlawful activities that might accumulate over time.

“There has already been suspicious behaviour, unusual movements and the street has become dangerously quiet for some months now. Residents say it’s not safe anymore.

“We believe the stadium must be put to a good use for the benefit of the public, whether it’s commercial or heritage-related, but something must happen before the activities get out of control.”

Bold plans

Former Springbok star Wynand Claassen is believed to have first suggested and continues to support the idea of Newlands Rugby Stadium being turned into a heritage site.

Chief executive officer for the Heritage Western Cape, Michael Janse van Rensburg, has confirmed that an application was received as he explained what it takes for a place to be considered a heritage resource.

He said: “It has to be of cultural significance or have special value for present communities and future generations.

“The National Heritage Resources Act 25 of 1999 provides for the criteria for considering a place or object to form part of the National Estate in S 3 (3).”