Online Reporter
Blessed Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport took a significant step towards boosting sport tourism in Bulawayo on Wednesday, visiting the Khumalo Hockey Stadium to meet stakeholders and assess the state of the facilities.
The committee’s mission is to identify key areas for improvement and develop strategies to upgrade the grounds, which are crucial drivers of sport tourism in the region.
The committee was told of the challenges on the ground which they said were similar and needed attention if sport was to develop using good facilities.
It was also established that local authorities were abdicating their role of providing amenities as a service with many now turned to hot drinking spots at the expense of sport and its growth.
Khumalo Hockey Stadium has hosted African and World Cup qualifiers contributing to the Bulawayo economy and been used as a springboard by developing players some of whom have played for the national team and won scholarships to study abroad and even play there as professionals.
Joseph Tshuma, the head of the Local Government and National Housing Portfolio and is also part of the Portfolio Committee on Sport, said his heart is so sore to see such a beautiful facility that was built in 1995 already getting dilapidated.
“Players in the stadium management are throwing cards at each other, nobody wants to take responsibility on how to run this place,” he said.
He said that the cricket facilities around the country are so well kept because the responsible officials are taking good management of the grounds hence the same need to be done at the hockey stadium in Bulawayo.
“I being the chairman of the Local Government have already agreed with the chairman of the Sports Portfolio Committee, Honourable Farai Jere to say let us have a joint sitting of these two portfolio committees,” he further said.
Tshuma blamed the local authorities on overcharging sporting disciplines when they want to use their grounds and stadia hence leading to them not making enough money to maintain their facilities.
“I was speaking to the boxing association today who previously were doing their activities at Stanley Square which was very convenient but are now holding their matches at beer gardens but we all know that children are not allowed in there and other people cannot go in there for other reasons hence it affects the sport,” he said.
In order to stop the use of sports clubs as beer drinking havens the Parliament Committee said they are working on reforms to curb that as it is an issue of concern.
“As a Committee of Sport and Local Government we are going to do a joint sitting to make sure that we talk even to the people that are running these facilities to incline to sporting activities more than bar activities,” said Tshuma.
“These are things that we are going to come together to discuss and also engage all stakeholders involved so that we can come up with a holistic approach that will solve this problem once and for all,” he said.
Colletta Dube