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Raymond Jaravaza
LOCAL authorities are mandated to provide sport and recreation facilities to the communities they serve so to that end, the Sports Leaders Institute of Zimbabwe (Sliz) is inviting municipalities to a symposium that will tackle issues around provision of sports infrastructure.
The Sliz symposium with the country’s local authorities is scheduled for next month in Harare.
Russell Mhiribidi, Sliz president said the institute wanted to engage local authorities in order to highlight the importance of providing sport and recreation facilities for youth development.
He said councils had a major role to play in shaping Zimbabwe’s sports industry hence the need to remind them of their responsibility to provide the sport and recreation facilities.
Representatives of sporting associations will also be invited to the meeting so that they can lobby for the facelift of dilapidated sporting facilities in their communities.
“As usual we’re looking at coach and administrator development, which is very key but we have also decided to engage councils which provide sport facilities.
“We feel that there is a need to look at facilities which are very crucial for the development of sport.
“Councils have the mandate to provide these facilities and this meeting is just meant to remind them of their responsibility,” he said.
Mhiribidi said councils’ sport and recreation facilities enable youths to participate in sport within the neighbourhood.
“A lot of footballers are products of local municipality-run junior youth programmes that were breeding grounds for young talent across the country. The youth centres were not restricted to football alone but also had other sporting disciplines such as athletics and boxing.
“So, as the sports leaders, we are saying local authorities are partners in sports development and they must provide services and facilities,” said Mhiribidi.
Harare City Council owns a football team that plays in the Premier Soccer League, a volleyball club, netball club and basketball club.
The Bulawayo City Council also bankrolls a football club in addition to running various youth centres such as the Tshaka Boxing Club among others.
The Emakhandeni Tennis Club is owned by the BCC and is used by tennis coaches to train players as young as six years old.
Online Reporter