Basketball games in limbo

Tino Gumbo

THE Bulawayo Basketball Association is again staring at a blank weekend after water supplies at Khanyisile Sports Centre remained disconnected on Friday, leaving fixtures scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in doubt.

The shutdown, which forced the cancellation of last weekend’s programme, has not been resolved, with the association still waiting for a decision from Bulawayo City Council, the owner of the facility. An internal council meeting was expected on Friday to decide whether water would be reconnected.

Khanyisile Sports Centre, the city’s primary basketball venue, was cut off after unpaid rates accumulated under previous management. The situation has exposed a fragile transition period since the Bulawayo Basketball Association took over use of the venue last year.

The association now hires the complex directly from council following the termination of a lease held by the Khanyisile Foundation.

BBA secretary general Tino Gumbo said the uncertainty was beginning to strain the league calendar.

“We’re waiting to hear from council on the reconnection of water at Khanyisile,” Gumbo said. “Until that happens, we can’t say with confidence that games will go ahead this weekend.”

The association has explored moving fixtures to alternative venues, including Eveline High School, but Gumbo said the logistics of shifting a full round of games at short notice were impractical, particularly for clubs travelling from outside the city.

The disruption comes at a sensitive point in the season. In the women’s Elite 6 league, Lakers Mzansi have opened a clear gap at the top with an unbeaten run, while the men’s title race remains tightly packed, with several teams still in contention.

Players and coaches have privately raised concerns about momentum and player welfare, with repeated stoppages stretching an already compressed season and complicating training schedules.

“We want to keep basketball moving in Bulawayo,” Gumbo said. “But access to Khanyisile is central to that. Without basic services like water, the whole programme stalls.”

The association is pushing for a longer term arrangement with council to stabilise operations at Khanyisile Sports Centre, a venue that has hosted city basketball for decades but has been dogged by administrative and infrastructure problems in recent seasons. Until a decision is made, clubs, officials and supporters remain stuck in limbo.