Midlands Wanderers Football Club has announced that is going to play its second-round home fixtures at Mpumalanga Stadium due to poor management and high hire fees at Harry Gwala Stadium.
The club management highlighted that excessively high and unsustainable stadium hire fees; inadequate stadium management and operational standards; and poor maintenance of the playing surface, including insufficient grass cutting and general field upkeep, has forced them out of uMsunduzi Municipality.
Vincent Myeni said:" These issues have detrimental effects on the professional environment essential for hosting competitive fixtures and ensuring the quality of the game for players, officials, and supporters. The decision to relocate our matches is regrettably and is beyond the control of the management of Midlands Wanderers Football Club."
Myeni emphasised that the decision they took as the management is in the best interests of the team, and he urged their supporters to continue to support the club because is for the people of uMsunduzi Municipality.
"This step has been taken in the best interests of the team, the league, and our dedicated supporters. We appeal to all supporters to continue their unwavering support for the club during this period of transition. Their presence and backing serve as crucial sources of motivation for the players and the technical team as we address this challenge.
“Midlands Wanderers F.C. is deeply rooted in the community and possesses a proud history established entirely within the Msunduzi Municipality. Throughout its existence, the club has not sought direct financial assistance from the municipality, having only requested the use of the stadium as a form of local support,” he added.
Myeni revealed that Midlands Wanderers F.C. was told to pay more than R30,000 per match when they use the stadium, and the club was not receiving any financial assistance from the municipality.
“Unfortunately, this request was declined in correspondence signed by the Municipal Manager, which indicated a minimum stadium hire fee of R38,070.00 per match. The club further emphasizes that, in the past, other professional teams, such as Royal AM F.C. and Maritzburg United F.C., received stadium usage support and significant financial assistance totalling millions of rands,” concluded Myeni.
Midlands Wanderers F.C. was promoted to the National First Division after winning the 2024-25 SAFA Second Division KwaZulu-Natal Stream A.