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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Local Organising Committee has identified seven venues for use during the 2014 Sixth Supreme Council for Sport in Africa Zone Six Games to be held in Bulawayo. Organisers have come up with a budget to refurbish the venues which has been presented to the government.Loc chief executive officer Henry Manzungu said his committee is already in full force working towards a successful event which will leave a lasting legacy and make Bulawayo an ideal sporting destination.
“Venues have been identified already, we will have Bulawayo Athletics Club being used for tennis, White City will cater for athletics, soccer and netball, City Pool, ZITF Halls for basketball, judo and boxing. At the time we were identifying these venues, Stanley Hall was not ready but now we feel we can also use it for boxing, it’s under consideration,” said Manzungu.
National University of Science and Technology and Bulawayo Polytechnic will be used as Games Village and command centres respectively.
Manzungu, a former Zimbabwe Saints fringe player, said preparatory wheels for the Games were rolled into motion in November last year when the protocol to play host to the Games was signed and the Loc was appointed.
“The Zonal Organising Committee (Zoc) has been to the city to get an appraisal of the selected venues because there are minimum standards that are required from the venues and as Loc, through the government we are already working towards meeting those standards,” said Manzungu.
He said his committee was under no illusion of the amount of work that needs to be done in terms of refurbishments as well as selling the Games to the nation.
The committee has already met and briefed the newly appointed Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Andrew Langa.
“All bills of quantities have been done and the budget presented to the government and we believe we are on course to be done by October next year. It’s a hectic schedule but we are confident we will meet our target, remember it’s the reputation of the country that is at stake here and as such success for us is not negotiable here,” said Manzungu who was with the Loc administration director and seasoned local government executive Ronnie Dube.
About 4 000 athletes are expected at the Games next year with Nust set to benefit immensely as it will see construction of accommodation halls for the athletes that will be handed over to the institution after the Games.
“We will also see a lot of employment for locals and putting Bulawayo back on the map. It’s also timely in that it comes with the government’s call to revive the industry in the city,” said Manzungu who will be based in Bulawayo until the hosting of the Games.
The local organising committee’s offices have been set up at Kumalo Hockey Stadium.
Team Zimbabwe led by Eugenia Chidakwa has already started the selection process of its coaches with interviews being held in Harare on Tuesday.
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