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Minister Makhosini Hlongwane

Sikhumbuzo Moyo in Hwange
SPORT and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane yesterday read the riot act to organisers of the ongoing Zimbabwe National Youth Games, telling them mediocrity cannot be tolerated.

Hlongwane reacted angrily to reports of chaos that marked the start of the revised Games in Matabeleland North that saw some athletes and officials going for long periods without eating, despite the Government availing resources for a successful staging of the tournament.

He said he was disturbed by organisers’ failure to execute their duties, especially the transportation of athletes and officials, that resulted in long delays in feeding them.

Speaking at the official opening of the Youth in Sports Conference at Lwendulu Hall in Hwange yesterday, Hlongwane said there was need to change the attitude of embracing mediocrity in the country.

“We have this habit of pulling our legs, we don’t do things properly. What is the problem? You have everything at your disposal, but you just can’t execute. It’s not good to have games where children are going without eating, especially when food is there, that is not correct. We should get out of this mentality of tolerating mediocrity, it can never be right,” said Hlongwane to wild applause from athletes.

He went on to direct the local organising committee (Loc) transport committee to ensure every athlete, technical official and coaches are where they should be on time and also fed on time so that the games run smoothly.

“Make sure that every athlete, every technical official and every coach is where they are supposed to be on time and that they are fed on time, this is important. We need an attitude change in our country. It’s no longer business as usual, but it’s business unusual. Knowing and anticipating that these games are going to be bigger and they are going to pose some logistical challenges, I went out of my way to get resources even from the private sector to make sure that there is enough food to feed the people, enough fuel to transport everybody from the provinces and back, but what becomes the problem, execution; all because somebody stationed in a particular section is not doing their job,” Hlongwane said.

He said athletes can’t compete on hungry stomachs, more so when food is there, because of failure in deployment of resources. “Athletes deserve better than that, you can’t do an athletics event without eating, you just can’t.

“So the structure of the local organising committee, working together with the SRC, (Sports and Recreation Commission), working together with the ministry has to be enhanced to provide maximum efficiency in the administration of the games. People have resources, but fail to deploy the resources and the whole thing collapses, that has to stop; it’s now business unusual,” Hlongwane said.