Zone VI delegation inspects Zambia’s state of readiness

Zambia from December 7 to 16 this year.
This was the third scheduled visit in the year having been on a similar mission in March and July.  
The Zonal Organising Committee was able to meet with the full Local Organising Committee (LOC) in a joint meeting on September 21 before hosting a Confederations and Chefs de Mission meeting the following day.
Chefs de mission from a total of eight countries — Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe — attended the meeting while seven Zonal Confederations were represented and these were basketball, Cosafa (football), Cosana (netball), swimming, judo, tennis and boxing.  
Athletics was unable to attend the meeting.  
The confederations expressed         satisfaction with the state of preparedness having had an opportunity to tour the facilities that will be used for their respective sporting competitions.
The following general observations were made on key elements of the Games:
Commitment: The Zonal Organising Committee was pleased with the level at which the government of Zambia is applying itself to ensure successful delivery of the Zone VI Games.
All the structures in Zambia are seized with the project from as high as the Minister of Youth and Sport in Zambia, Chishimba Kambwili, to all senior staff in the Ministry and other government departments directly and indirectly involved in the project.
The Zonal Organising Committee, led by its chairman Mbebe in the company of the SCSA Zone VI general manager Stanley Mutoya, also held a meeting with the Minister for Youth and Sport in Zambia to brief him on their assessment and advise on other critical areas requiring attention.
Infrastructure: The team proceeded to inspect all venues, including those that had been placed on a critical time path.
It was not difficult to conclude that the competition venues were all on track and would be ready on time, even for test events before the Games in December.
Most impressive, was the work done at the NASDEC; the venue for boxing, tennis and netball.
The progress made within a short space of time on the swimming pool at OYDC also stood out prominently.
Rehabilitations at the University of Zambia (UNZA) that will serve as the Games Village, is planned to commence this coming Monday, when the university will have closed to allow works to commence in earnest.
Stakeholders: The various sub-committees serving under the Local Organising Committee (LOC) that were put in place to ensure Games systems and critical structures and functions are in place are in full swing and geared to ensuring smooth delivery of the Games.
The Zonal Organising Committee, was able sign a broadcasting deal valued at US$700 000 in airtime with the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) on September 22.
This is a critical step towards ensuring that the Games are broadcast throughout the region.
In addition, the Games can now be marketed to various corporates within the Zambian market and regionally.
The Zonal Organising Committee was able to pronounce the state of readiness as above 80 percent; which is an impressive outlook by all standards.  
The Zonal Organising Committee was further pleased to accept the request by Mauritius and Seychelles to be allowed to field football teams during the Games.
A final inspection visit is planned for mid-November 2012.