It’s full time for Mlotshwa at SRC

Petros Kausiyo

Zimpapers Sports Hub

SIX years after they arrived on the scene on a mission to turnaround Zimbabwe’s sport and ensure there was corporate governance across all national associations, Gerald Mlotshwa and his board have waved goodbye to the Sports and Recreation Commission.

This comes after their second term expired on May 31.

Mlotshwa and his leadership were appointed by then Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Kirsty Coventry at the helm of the domestic sport regulatory body on May 31, 2019.

Allen Chiura, Colleen de Jong, Gail Van Jaarsveldt, Karen Mutasa, Nigel Munyati and Titus Zvomuya made up that board.

Eltah Nengomasha came in as director-general and an-officio member of the board.

Coventry then showed her confidence in Mlotshwa’s leadership and that of his board, handing them a second three-year term in May 2022, with only Mutasa stepping aside along the way.

As they bid the SRC and the family of sport farewell, Mlotshwa and his team will leave knowing they made a huge mark in not only transforming the Commission but the manner in which sport is administered in the country.

The legal practitioner yesterday confirmed his departure from the SRC and told Zimpapers Sports Hub that his board members would, in their individual capacities, continue to be involved in sport, as was the case prior to their 2019 appointment.

“I can confirm that my board’s tenure ended on 31st May, 2025,’’ Mlotshwa said.

“We had served our second and final term as provided for in the SRC Act.

“My board and I are grateful for having had the chance to serve the nation and I would like to think that we made a difference in sport, particularly in improving governance within the various national sports associations.

“The outgoing SRC board, as was always the case before our appointment, will continue to be involved in sport, in one way or the other.

“It’s in our collective blood” said Mlotshwa.

The outgoing board had members of diverse sporting backgrounds with Mlotshwa having been part of polo, rugby, golf and cricket fraternities,

Urological surgeon Chiura is an ex-rugby player while de Jonge served as Zimbabwe Rugby Union chief executive.

Munyati, a director at Aces Youth Soccer Academy, is a former ZIFA board member and Bindura University of Science Education’s director of sports academy, Zvomuya, previously served at Zimbabwe Cricket, ZRU and was between 2005-2017, an executive board member of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee.

The SRC were able to bring back the Annual Sports Awards and turn them to a massive event that honours Zimbabwe’s outstanding sportspersons.

Mlotshwa and his board suspended the ZIFA board, which was led by Felton Kamambo and refused to yield to pressure, even from FIFA, for them to reinstate that leadership.

It led to the suspension of Zimbabwe from FIFA but Motshwa and his SRC leadership insisted that the pain was short-term and the rewards would be worth the brief sanctions.