Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub
FROM electrifying crowds on the football pitch to breathing new life into a forgotten basketball court, Madinda Ndlovu is on a mission to give inner city kids a sporting chance.
The Highlanders legend, known for his blistering pace and fearless play in the 1980s and ‘90s, has turned his focus to basketball.
He’s spearheading efforts to revive the former Borrow Street Basketball Court in Bulawayo’s Central Business District, once home to one of the city’s top basketball teams.
The court, now over 55 years old, is in a state of disrepair. Ndlovu believes it can be transformed into a vibrant sports hub once again, with the right support.
“My heart bleeds for basketball,” he said. “We once had a great discipline within the Highlanders Sports Association which was basketball.
While we had a super run in 1986–1993 in football and were regulars at their matches at the Bulawayo Club of the Disabled, they were winning things too.
They were a crowd-puller, and their matches against Peking Stars, Memphis and Hellenics were highly competitive and worth every dollar spent.”
Now, he wants to bring that energy back.
“I envisage a situation where this facility can be brought to life and we have a real basketball academy, where children are taught from an early age, exposed to good coaching and a proper facility to grow into stars,” said Ndlovu. “Every day, kids come here to play.
The club and the academy are using the facility, but it’s not up to scratch. It needs a revamp to become an all-weather court where other sports like boxing, volleyball and netball could also find a home in the CBD.”
He’s particularly concerned about the lack of recreational options for children living in the inner city, who often grow up without mentors or safe spaces to play.
“It’s sad that you find kids playing outside the City Pool and around our basketball court because there’s nowhere else for them to go.
We want this facility to offer structured programmes after school, with former players helping them develop,” said Ndlovu.
“Kids living in flats have no role models. Instead, they’re exposed to people urinating on trees, drunkards wobbling home in the morning. With nothing better to do, they may think that’s normal. Sport will steer them away from that.”
His younger brother, Samson, who manages the court, says a quotation for repairs has been pegged between US$20 000 and US$30 000.
“We just wish to get some sponsors and well-wishers to help us. If we can manage to get between US$20 000 and US$30 000, we can get all the work done,” said Samson.
The court’s central location makes it ideal for players and fans across the city, with easy access via public transport. Yet, over the years, basketball in Bulawayo has struggled to find a permanent home, especially as the former base, Bulawayo Club for the Disabled (BCD) in North End, faced mounting challenges.
Online Reporter