Construction work on the 2010 soccer stadium in Mthatha could be in jeopardy as R70million is needed before the end of this month to ensure its completion.

This emerged at a meeting with stakeholders in Mthatha on Monday, chaired by Eastern Cape Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture MEC Noxolo Abraham-Ntantiso.

In the current financial year the project needs R170m, while the provincial government has set aside only R100m.

The construction of the stadium, including the construction of an athletics truck around the pitch, will cost the provincial government R604m.

The support infrastructure, which includes the upgrading of Mthatha Airport, the rehabilitation and upgrading of roads and streets and the Holiday Inn Garden Court, is expected to cost R1billion.

This will bring the budget for the stadium to R1.6bn .

Currently, R70m is needed to ensure that Mthatha’s dream to be a “base camp” for the 2010 World Cup comes true.

Abraham-Ntantiso promised to work “tirelessly” to raise the R70m needed for the stadium, and to consult with the Treasury and other relative structures to get the money.

The 17 500-seater stadium is expected to end the drought of professional football in the town since the departure of Bush Bucks.

“We must make sure that as the people of the Eastern Cape we work hard to put our province on the map, and look beyond 2010,” Abraham-Ntantiso said.

The municipality plans to finish the stadium by March 2010.

Gogo Manqoyi, strategic manager of the Eastern Cape 2010 unit, said there was a need to re-prioritise some of the developments in the province in relation to 2010 and that there was a need for a more integrated approach .

According to King Sabata Dalindyebo mayor Sipho Ngcobo, Mthatha Airport has already secured R35m for its upgrade from the Department of Roads and Transport, while another R63m has been allocated by the OR Tambo District Municipality to build a disaster management unit at the stadium.