Online Reporter
Petros Kausiyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
SIX years after stepping onto the scene with a mission to transform Zimbabwean sport and instil corporate governance across all national associations, Gerald Mlotshwa and his board have bid farewell to the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC).
This follows the expiry of their second term on May 31.
Prominent Harare lawyer Mlotshwa and his team were first appointed by then Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Kirsty Coventry, on May 31, 2019 to lead the country’s sports regulatory body. The board included Allen Chiura, Colleen de Jong, Gail Van Jaarsveldt, Karen Mutasa, Nigel Munyati, and Titus Zvomuya. Eltah Nengomasha joined as director-general and an ex-officio member.
Coventry later reaffirmed her confidence in Mlotshwa’s leadership, reappointing the board for a second three-year term in May 2022, with only Mutasa stepping down during the tenure.
As they part ways with the SRC and the broader sporting community, Mlotshwa and his team leave behind a legacy of reform — not only within the Commission itself but also in the broader administration of sport across Zimbabwe.
Confirming his departure to Zimpapers Sports Hub, Mlotshwa said the board members would continue contributing to sport in their individual capacities, as they had done prior to their 2019 appointment.
“I can confirm that my board’s tenure ended on 31st May 2025. We had served our second and final term as provided for in the SRC Act,” said Mlotshwa.
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 another.
“It’s in our collective blood,” he said.
The outgoing board brought together individuals from diverse sporting backgrounds. Mlotshwa had been involved in polo, rugby, golf, and cricket. Urological surgeon Chiura is a former rugby player, while de Jong previously served as CEO of the Zimbabwe Rugby Union. Munyati, a director at Aces Youth Soccer Academy, is a former Zifa board member. Zvomuya, director of the sports academy at Bindura University of Science Education, had served with Zimbabwe Cricket, the ZRU, and was a Zimbabwe Olympic Committee executive board member from 2005 to 2017.
Mlotshwa’s firm stance on governance issues within sporting associations earned his board respect from stakeholders, including government and the corporate sector. Under their leadership, the SRC successfully revived the Annual Sports Awards, transforming them into a prestigious event celebrating Zimbabwe’s top sporting talent.
Yet Mlotshwa remains humbled by the journey that began on May 29, 2019, when Coventry informed him of her decision to appoint him as SRC chairman.
The appointment came at a pivotal time, with Zimbabwe preparing for major competitions including the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, the Netball World Cup in England, and the African Games in Morocco. Coventry had earlier dissolved Edward Siwela’s board to make way for Mlotshwa’s leadership.
Reflecting on that moment, Mlotshwa recalled his surprise at being named chair.
“I was humbled. Minister Coventry had long selected her board members the previous year. In fact, she had already spoken to each and every one of us. Originally, she intended to announce the new SRC board at the Annual National Sports Awards in March. However, the vetting process had not yet been completed, even though most of the current board was at the awards ceremony as special guests of the minister, seated at a table near hers.
“There had not been mention of a chairperson at that stage. However, on 29th May (2019), I was watching my son playing hockey for his school team when a message came through from the minister. She was asking if I could take her call. The Minister expressed faith and confidence in me, and then asked if I was prepared to chair the board. You don’t say no to Africa’s greatest Olympian,” Mlotshwa told The Sunday Mail at the time.
From that moment on, the mission was clear: to ensure sport in Zimbabwe was run like a business. And Mlotshwa’s board did not hesitate to hold errant associations to account.
