SPORT and Recreation minister Makhosini Hlongwane has called on the Hwange community to revamp its sporting facilities in order to identify and develop talent.
BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI
Hlongwane was addressing sports facilitators at the just-ended Zimbabwe National Youth Games held in Hwange.
He said his ministry was ready to assist Hwange Colliery Company to resuscitate its sporting fields.
“When I toured the facilities in Hwange, I saw a serious integrated sports facility. For example, the tennis courts that are here can pass for a tennis academy. I want to urge Hwange Colliery to prioritise investing in sport and recreation infrastructure,” he said.
“Most of your sporting facilities are redeemable and they can all be brought back to life. Your football grounds are excellent.
“If you could invest in reviving facilities for your athletics, that will go a along way in assisting athletes in Matabeleland North and that is a key feature in athletes’ development.
“As a ministry, we will support you in your journey to revive this infrastructure and bring it back to life so that every one of us can begin to participate here.”
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Hlongwane said there was need for revival of the Chamber of Mines sport competitions as well, as many talents were drawn from that sector.
“Chamber of Mines should be revived as it can bring back sport to the days of 20 years ago. By so doing, we will have some of the greatest boxers coming from the mines because, traditionally, they have been the greatest suppliers of athletes to all sport codes and disciplines, so please be an advocate on our behalf for the revival of Chamber sport,” he said.
Hlongwane added that the Youth Games helped teams to identify new talent, mainly from rural communities.
“Any youth in Zimbabwe must be given an opportunity to demonstrate their talents, to rise through the ranks in a process that is fair and equitable, a system that they can associate with and express a sense of ownership. That’s why we said games must begin at the community level,” he said.
