Richards Bay Announce Return To Umhlathuze Stadium After Years In Durban

Richards Bay chairman Sifiso Biyela has confirmed the club’s return to their home ground, the Umhlathuze Sports Ground in Richards Bay, next season.

The club has been unable to play at the venue since August 2021, when they faced Free State Stars in the Motsepe Foundation Championship.

The PSL disciplinary committee (DC) had barred the stadium for two years due to safety concerns after it was inspected by PSL COO Ronnie Schloss.

Despite being tasked with repairing the multisport facility, refurbishment was delayed by disagreements within the municipality regarding responsibility for the work.

Issues leading to the stadium’s closure included water leaks in player change rooms, broken ceiling panels in referee change rooms, broken toilets, unserviced fire extinguishers, and, most critically, reports of power cables running through standing water in the main stand.

Forced out of their home ground, Richards Bay relocated their home matches 170km south to Durban’s King Zwelithini Stadium until the stadium issues could be resolved.

Despite this displacement during their Motsepe Foundation Championship campaign, they won the league and earned promotion to the top flight for the 2022/23 season.

In their two seasons since promotion, they finished 13th and then 15th last season, requiring them to participate in the playoffs, where they successfully retained their top-flight status.

This season, with one game remaining, they sit 11th in the table with 30 points from 27 matches. Their recent draw against Golden Arrows on Saturday appears to have been their final match at King Zwelithini Stadium.

Following the Arrows game, chairman Biyela addressed the fans via the PA system, announcing the club’s return to Richards Bay next season.

“This is our fourth season playing in Durban,” Biyela told the crowd.

“We don’t know what Richards Bay is like [after this time away]. But we trust that next season we are going to be playing there and at least play in our home,” Biyela added, to the delight of the club’s supporters.

Biyela also thanked the fans and the technical team for their efforts this season, praising the senior players for helping the younger players adapt to top-flight football.

Although Richards Bay will avoid the relegation zone this season, they faced significant challenges, including the departure of coach Brandon Truter in November, who was replaced by a co-coaching team of Sibusiso Msomi, Sboniso Gumede, and Ronnie Gabriel. Papi Zothwane later joined this trio, with Msomi eventually returning to his role with the DStv Diski Challenge team.

Richards Bay’s final match of the season will be an away fixture against SuperSport United at Peter Mokaba Stadium on 24 May.