Chronicle Editor
Simba Jemwa, Chronicle Correspondent
QUEENS Sports Club was officially granted the piece of land on which the club stands today in mid-1894 by the British South Africa Company.
Over the years, it has morphed into one of the premier sports and social venues in the country.
The energetic new management board that was thrust onto the leadership of the club has taken a massive revamp exercise of the whole facility to retain past glory. The evolution has been spurred by the club’s decision to include some of its members in the management of revenue generating business units, which has improved revenue inflows.
“We realised that we needed to develop strategies that would ensure revenue inflows that will ensure the survival of the sports club. And to this end, we partnered with our club members to manage business units like the car wash, cocktail bar and the restaurant, a decision that has been very beneficial to the sports club financially.
“Membership has been dwindling over the years and membership was a key earner for us which is why we decided to commercialise part of the sports club,” revealed club president, Ntutuko Gabellah.
The sports club has been the heart and soul of Bulawayo and has been credited with nurturing and talent development. It has stood the test of time, churning out talented gems in various fields mostly in cricket, tennis, and bowling.
Due to dwindling membership, the revered facility has been a pale shadow of its former self in recent years but with the coming on board of the current youthful leadership, the club is blossoming again.
Gabellah leads a board that includes several tried and tested minds with years of improving the club’s operations.
This man took Saturday Chronicle on the journey the club is riding on.
“We want to bring past glory to this club. It’s a facility that is renowned for championing and nurturing sporting talent. We took over when things were on the downside and we realised that we would need to up our game in terms of revenue generation and to this end, we added a few amenities that now make us a one-stop social facility. As you can see, we are beginning to attract a large pool of membership though, because we still feel that membership is the backbone of any sports club.”
He said most of the members nowadays are young enthusiasts but the club president encourages the older generation and senior citizens to continue being a part of the multi-sports facility.
“We encourage more mature and older members to stay on board. We feel that they have a lot to impart to the younger generation who are now the majority of membership. That makes our development path sustainable. The experience, knowledge, and expertise of these senior members will always be an asset in the existence of QSC,” said Gabellah.
“Our sports club accommodates people from all backgrounds without discrimination,” he added.
A mega borehole has been installed to ensure a continuous supply of reliable, fresh, safe, potable water for the sportspeople, fields, and patrons. Electricity is available at full scale as there is a high voltage generator on standby when main grid power falters.
“We have tried our best to ensure all facilities are operating without disruption. A borehole and generator are there for emergencies. You will agree with me that water supply and electricity availability are a challenge. So, we’ve hedged against shortfalls to ensure continuity of activities and operations.”
On utilisation of the sports facilities by ordinary members of the public, the club has a plan.
“We encourage people in the city to come and utilise some of our amenities. It’s theirs to benefit from. We can host large gatherings like parties and conferences,” he quipped with a confident chuckle.
The outstretching home of sports has sections namely, bar and restaurant, squash, cricket and pool. All the sections are smiling and embracing refurbishment at various stages.
Under the management of club members, Thabiso Ngwenya, Mehluli Ngwenya and Thando Ralph Dube, the club’s cocktail bar has been renovated and now caters for non-members, allowing the sports club to generate more revenue.
“When the opportunity rose to manage the cocktail bar, we did not hesitate. As members we felt like we have to play our part in ensuring that Queens Sports Club returns to its former glory,” said Thabiso Ngwenya.
“The cocktail bar now offers its facilities which include a swimming pool to corporate functions, private parties as well as organising its own entertainment events,” Ngwenya added.
This vision for income generation is also shared by another club member, Herbert Samupunga, who runs the Queens Car Wash.
“The car wash has grown in leaps and bounds since we opened in February. It employs six people on a full-time basis and another four or five are available as and when we have pressure. We have the capacity to handle around 50 cars per day and we offer discounted rates to club members.
“We are currently working on ensuring that our customers are able to get food and drinks while they wait for their vehicles,” said Samupunga.
Most sports facilities are in usable condition with squash youngsters enjoying a new lease of life on the courts, daily.
QSC stands in stark contrast to other sports clubs in the city that are now in a dilapidated condition.
According to Gabellah, the sports club is a non-profit institution. Previously, the club sustained itself from member contributions, sales, and stakeholder benevolence. All funds generated are ploughed back into the running costs of the reawakening giant. – @RealSimbaJemwa
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