Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
A STAKEHOLDERS meeting called on Wednesday to discuss the dalays in resuming construction of Tsholotsho Stadium which was suspended in 2015, nearly degenerated into fist fights when angry stakeholders demanded to know where the money raised from the sale of elephants went.

The meeting, held at the Tsholotsho Rural District Council offices, was reportedly chaired by Clr Patrick Ngwenya, chairperson of the council’s finance committee.

A source who attended the Indaba said angry villagers demanded to know how the money was used since no work was done despite the fact that elephants were shot to raise funds for the project.

Government allowed the local authority to shoot 60 elephants to raise funds for the project and 30 elephants were shot and sold.

The construction of the stadium is estimated to cost $5 million.

“It was a very tense meeting as people said enough is enough and demanded answers which unfortunately did not come,” said the source.

Clr Ngwenya who confirmed the Wednesday meeting, said they called the meeting to inform stakeholders that council was taking over the project.

He however said council could not account for the elephants money because the issue was being handled by the District Administrator’s office.

“We don’t want to talk about the issue of elephants, if people have questions about that they should engage the DA’s office. What we know for certain is that the elephants were killed and there was a committee dealing with this fund-raising aspect and the DA’s office is in a better position to explain,” said Clr Ngwenya.

The Tsholotsho Rural District Council (RDC) chief executive officer Themba Moyo had said last week that construction work which was suspended in 2015, was resuming last Friday.

The fugitive former Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Professor Moyo in 2015 ordered the local committee which was spearheading the construction of the stadium to halt all work saying Government had taken over the project.

Nothing has been done since then despite the fact that a hunting quota of 60 elephants was allocated by the Government to meet part of the costs for constructing the stadium and 30 elephants were shot, according to Moyo.

Sources yesterday said another 10 elephants have since been shot, bringing the figure of killed bulls to 40.— @skhumoyo2000.

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