Balindlela said the construction of the stadium, which was initially scheduled to start in March 2006, will commence in the first week of April.
She said R100 million had been set aside for construction of the stadium which will be used as a practice base by one of the countries that will participate in the 2010 World Cup of soccer to be held in South Africa.
Mthatha and East London are two practice base cities for the 2010 World Cup in the Eastern Cape, while Port Elizabeth will be the only host city in the province.
Construction of the stadium had been delayed by among other things the R2-million start-up grant that initially went unaccounted for by the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Municipality.
However, Eastern Cape Sport, Arts and Culture MEC Noxolo Abraham-Ntantiso said KSD had finally accounted for the money.
