THE Sport and Recreation ministry has stressed its commitment to curb violence in football and sport in general, ahead of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace celebrations in April next year.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
The United Nations General Assembly declared April 6 the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, a recognition by the UN of the positive influence that sport can have on the advancement of human rights, social and economic development.
Speaking at the re-launch of the Highlanders Football Club’s Bosso Bulletin at the club offices on Sunday, just before the Easycall Cup final, Sports and Recreation minister Makhosini Hlongwane said the ministry would be coming to Bulawayo as they celebrate the day.
“We have lined up a number of things that we want to do here in Bulawayo as a ministry, especially around the issue of curbing violence in football and violence in sport and we have decided that for next year, Barbourfields is going to be our place. We have put together a programme that is going to deal with that under the Sport for Development and Peace, which is a United Nations-recognised day in April,” Hlongwane said.
The Easycall Cup semi-finals at Barbourfields Stadium on December 5 were rocked by violence, with the match between Caps United and Chicken Inn ending prematurely due to crowd trouble.
In the other semi-final between Highlanders and Dynamos, Bosso fans invaded the pitch after the final whistle.
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Meanwhile, Hlongwane commended Highlanders for coming up with their monthly magazine.
“One of the things that is key when we talk about governance is how an institution, a sporting institution, is capable of discussing or communicating with its stakeholders. A bulletin or a magazine like this provides insight into what Highlanders is doing as an institution to the millions of fans.
“The ability to reach out to your fans is part of the governance infrastructure as far as we are concerned at the ministry, that a club or sporting institution must open up, be it an association or club. It is important that you open up to your stakeholders and they understand how you are operating.
“This is quite commendable work to come up with a bulletin or magazine which communicates the mind of Highlanders as an institution. This is very timely because very soon, you will be embarking on commemorations or celebrations of the 90 years of Highlanders Football Club. For a club to be able to sustain itself for 90 years is not a small thing. It’s a big feat. I think it is important that we continue the communication between yourselves as a club through the Premier Soccer League to the ministry, so that we see how we can also input into the conversation of the celebrations.”
Highlanders’ head of marketing committee, board member Luke Mnkandla, said the monthly publication would run in tandem with its online platforms and would provide an opportunity to open up communication lines between the club executive and supporters.
