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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
THE Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation will deploy full-time experts to maintain the National Sports Stadium.
This follows the decision by the Government to transfer the giant facility into the hands of the Sports Ministry.
The country’s biggest sports facility has been under the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
And, for 10 years, the venue has never been refurbished due to a lack of funding.
This resulted in it being banned from hosting any international matches by the Confederation of African Football.
The ban, which was also extended to all the country’s stadiums, has forced ZIFA to move the Warriors’ next home match against Algeria on March 29 to Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Government last week injected $37,7 million towards the refurbishment of the National Sports Stadium, Barbourfields and Sakubva.
Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation Minister, Kirsty Coventry, confirmed the giant stadium was now under their wing.
“ZIFA have failed to assure CAF that work we are doing in the stadiums will safeguard our national teams playing home games in Zimbabwe,’’ she tweeted.
“ZIFA now have to come up with a stadium outside of Zimbabwe.
“Good news — it has finally been agreed that the ownership and operations of the National Sports Stadium in Zimbabwe will now be transferred to the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation.
“We have the experience, and passion, to now use this opportunity for Zimbabwe to become a sporting powerhouse.’’
At the moment, workers are busy on the ground giving the National Sports Stadium the CAF-recommended facelift it badly requires.
At the completion of the exercise, the stadium should be in a position to host the national teams’ assignments with the Warriors having a packed AFCON and World Cup programme this year.
Giving oral evidence before a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation last week, the acting permanent secretary for the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Joseph Mhakayakora, said there was need for Treasury to avail funds for the upkeep of the stadium.
“We haven’t received any funding for the maintenance of the National Sports Stadium for the past 10 years,’’ he said.
“The venue has deteriorated to an extent it now needs $234 million to be upgraded to meet CAF minimum requirements.
“About US$9,6 million is needed to just install bucket seats in the entire stadium.
“There is absolutely need for skilled personnel to maintain that facility, the field of play, changing rooms and all other infrastructure.”
Youth, Sports, Art and Recreation Deputy Minister, Tino Machakaire, said the coming of the giant stadium, under their control, was a positive move.
“We would like to thank the Government for transferring this very important facility under our armpit,’’ he said.
“With the experience that my boss (Coventry) has, and the general work ethic and the determination in the ministry, we are very confident we will change the face of the stadium.
“Work has already begun to make sure we host each and every international match at the giant facility.
“What is very important, at the moment, is that the facility is there. It is now our responsibility to upgrade it to world-class standards.
“What we need is to make sure that we have the right expertise for the right positions at the stadium. We are past that stage of having mere groundsmen to take care of the lawn.
“We need experts, we will make sure we have the right personnel at each position and, of course, some general hands to complement their efforts.”
Machakaire said a full-time workforce will be based at the stadium all the time, making sure the venue is ready to host either athletics or football events at any given moment.
Online Reporter