peterRobin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
PROMOTION of social recreational activities in communities will protect youths from engaging in undesirable activties as they were spending a considerable amount of time in the streets where they are being exposed to drug and alcohol abuse.
This was highlighted during a handover ceremony of four football uniforms to four community soccer clubs in Pelandaba suburb in Bulawayo yesterday by the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Judith Ncube.
“Social clubs are important in our communities, they uplift the societies that we belong to as the youth have places to refresh on weekends.
Tomorrow we will be watching cricket and the President will be here to officiate at the event to show the importance of sport.
Social clubs enable the youths and future generations to find alternative and safe ways for leisure and in those spaces, we expect that there will be mentoring from seniors about life and business ideas,” she said.
Cde Ncube said with time, social clubs must form associations and ask for help from the President to acquire a mine and create jobs and improve the welfare of the youths.
She spoke of the donation of the kits saying concerned mentors had approached her seeking help.
“I was approached by some of your members who said the youths were playing social soccer but were incapacitated to get kits and I spoke to one man from the United Kingdom who has made this donation for the four teams.
We thank the sporting legends from Bulawayo who are assisting in nurturing this young talent that we have in Bulawayo.
They have matured in the game and now act as mentors for these young players in social soccer teams,” she said.
The Minister said if support is offered to the legends and their teams, the city will see a generation of players that will be born from the social clubs that are also free from drug and alcohol abuse.
Douglas ‘British’ Mloyi, a Highlanders Football Club legend, said supporting social soccer was a great initiative.
He echoed similar sentiments by Cde Ncube of sport being a safe haven for youths. – @NyembeziMu.
derick.khumalo