Participants to clean-up before games

Sikhumbuzo Moyo in Hwange 

PARTICIPANTS in the annual Old Mutual Hwange Colliery Company Limited sports day will today conduct a clean-up in line with the Government’s National Environment Cleaning Day campaign.

President Mnangagwa declared the first Friday of each calendar month a National Environment Cleaning Day, in a move meant to ensure the country has sustainable environment management and waste disposal systems.

“HCCL management and sporting disciplines will take time to clean-up their respective vicinities of play. Ever since the declaration by His Excellency, the company, with the support of key stakeholders, has religiously heeded the call with great success. The aim is to support the declaration at community level as part of our integrated approach,” said HCCL corporate affairs manager, Rugare Dhobbie. 

After the two-hour cleaning exercise, the employees, management and members of the community will then go to various venues to participate in their disciplines of choice.

Badminton, darts, squash, pool, tennis and bowling will be held at the Colliery Club and its vicinity.

Ladies’ football will be played at Hwange High School where former Hwange FC coach, Weekly Mwale, will be the overseer.

Their male counterparts will use the Colliery Stadium, while volleyball will be played opposite the Number One guest house.

Basketball and chess will be at Sports Pavilion and St Ignatius Primary School respectively, while boxing is slated for the Lwendulu Sports Centre.

“A total of 501 participants will showcase their sporting expertise. An assessment of the venues by the organising committee is clear that all the players will enjoy the games under some decent sporting infrastructure of which worthy winners will emerge during the evening awards,” said Dhobbie. 

The sports day was mooted as part of means to console relatives, employees and the community from the devastation of the 1972 Kamandama Mine disaster that claimed 427 miners. 

“As Hwange Colliery, we never lose sight of the significance of this day,” she said.