Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, [email protected]
THE Bulawayo Basketball Association (BBA) has announced its intention to place a tender for the lease of Khanyisile Sports Centre, formerly known as BCD.
This comes after the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) terminated the lease agreement with Khanyisile Foundation due to unpaid rates and subsequently advertised the tender.
BBA secretary-general Francis Dube confirmed that the association will be submitting a bid for the sports centre.
“As the Bulawayo Basketball Association, we are committed to promoting and developing the sport in the city.
“We will be placing a tender bid for the lease of the sports centre, and we are confident that our proposal will be competitive,” he said.
The tender advert specifies that bids must be submitted by 30 December, with the bid rental/purchase price stated in US dollars.
The council reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, and the highest offer will not necessarily be accepted.
Securing the Khanyisile Sports Centre would be a major boost for the BBA, which has been forced to relocate its matches to Eveline High School following the termination of the lease agreement with Khanyisile Foundation.
Basketball enjoyed immense popularity in Bulawayo during the 1980s and 1990s, but the sport has been on the decline.
The sport was a major success story for the city, with notable victories in prestigious tournaments such as the Major Leyland Trophy, where Founders and Northlea High Schools excelled.
At club level, Peking Stars and Highlanders’ men’s and women’s teams also made their mark, winning the elite clubs’ Kodak National Championships.
Hundreds of people would cram into the small venue, cheering on the stars of the day as top-notch basketball was on display.
-@innocentskizoe
Online Reporter