Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
SPORTS and Recreation Commission chairperson Nathaniel Madzivanyika has expressed satisfaction with the work that his board has done in their initial half year in office but bemoaned the lack of resources, which is pegging their progress.
Madzivanyika also noted that while resources remain the biggest hindrance the commission seems to have hit the ground running and achieved beyond expectations.
“Yeah, I believe we have done well as a board and things are going on very well for us so far,” he said.
“What is very interesting is that we have tried hard to address pertinent issues with our sporting associations individually. These are issues which really have not been going right for the past two, three years or so.
“We might not have addressed every issue or concern but we have done our best.
“It is a process.
“Our major challenge, however, has been that the Sports and Recreation Commission needs a lot of funding because the national sporting associations look to us to fund them as well.
“We need to spread our engagement in terms of partnerships with business and community and international bodies as well so that the SRC is afloat.
“Most of our challenges are financial as an association,” he said.
Madzivanyika was speaking on the sidelines of the Commission’s annual meeting at the National Sports Stadium yesterday.
The indaba discussed their corporate, chairman, director general, financial compliance and audit reports for the year 2024.
It is the first AGM for the board since they took over from Gerald Mlotshwa’s leadership.
In his report, Madzivanyika noted how the commission managed to meet all the targets of their strategic plan.
These include all the critical focus areas which include participation in sport and recreation activities, podium performance, sport for development, clearances and major events hosted, emphasising how they performed above the set targets in all.
The commission furthered their quest for grassroots development through the consolidation of programmes across the country.
Madzivanyika noted how the country achieved a total of 258 medals, namely 112 gold, 81 silver and 65 bronze during the year 2024.
The medals included 11 medals from the African Games in Ghana, African Championships, rugby (men’s Sables), squash and tennis, among many others.
The 2024 medals displayed quality, with gold tallying the highest number with 112 medals.
“The Commission continued to provide the necessary support to athletes, including capacity building of coaches and administrators and national associations in their quest to put Zimbabwe on the global map for podium performance,” said Madzivanyika.
“Infrastructure development plays a pivotal role in the development of sport and recreation, and the commission fully recognises that without the requisite, adequate and standardised sporting infrastructure, there would be stunted growth of sport and recreation.
“Thus, we continued with our engagements with stakeholders for the upgrade of sporting infrastructure in the country, more importantly, through the provision of technical advice on standards required.
“The rehabilitation of the National Sports Stadium continued in the year under review and is expected to peak soon.
“During the year 2024, twenty-five facilities were under refurbishment, with five fully completed,” he said.
The major facilities that underwent active refurbishment included Rufaro Stadium, Murambinda B Stadium, Chahwanda Stadium, Wadzanai Stadium, Rafomoyo Multi-Purpose Court, Geo Pomona facility, Mashayamombe Multi-Purpose Courts, Mabhikwa Multi-Purpose Courts, among others.”
The commission’s financial report was also revealed and painted a gloomy picture of the environment they are currently working under.
As of December 31, 2024, the total asset base of the SRC had, however, improved by 21 percent to ZWG14,185,352, compared to ZWL11,682,322 in 2023.
The overall improvement in total assets was largely attributable to an 81 percent growth in non-current assets in the year under review, which was ZWG8,190,449 in 2024 compared to ZWL4,519,699 the previous year.
The Commission’s net cash balances reduced significantly from ZWL6,433,589 to ZWL815,258 in the same period.
