Nedbank Cup final at Loftus: Gauteng's Lesufi plays the sports fiddle while the empire burns

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi said that an initiative to make the province's presence felt when it came to big sporting events was behind the successful bid to host the Nedbank Cup final in Gauteng, despite municipal dysfunction across the province.

The Premier Soccer League announced on Tuesday that the Nedbank Cup final would be played at Tshwane's Loftus Versfeld on 27 May.

The finalists will be decided this weekend when Kaizer Chiefs host Orlando Pirates at the FNB Stadium on Saturday, and Sekhukhune FC travel to Stellenbosch FC on Sunday.

"We just wanted the final in Gauteng and when we approached the PSL and Nedbank, we didn't know who was going to be in the semi-finals," said Lesufi, strangely stealing the show in a Soweto derby week at Kaizer Chiefs' pre-match press conference at Naturena on Wednesday.

"We made a bid to make our presence felt to show Gauteng is ready and we've got the facilities in the province."

While the premier's intentions may be good, it struck the tone of the proverbial emperor fiddling while Rome burns.

The Nedbank Cup's first Gauteng visit for a showpiece game comes with the backdrop of municipal instability in the country's richest province. 

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Johannesburg is without an executive mayor until Friday's council seating, while Tshwane and Ekurhuleni metros play deckchairs with the mayorship.

The East Rand may not have a DStv Premiership team, but Lucas 'Masterpieces' Moripe Stadium in Atteridgevllle has become derelict to a point where Tshwane giants SuperSport United can no longer play their home games there.

The ground is one of many in the three metros that have fallen into disrepair, with SABC Sports