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Makhosini Hlongwane

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
SPORTS and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane will make his first official visit to the City of Kings tomorrow to apprise himself with the legacy of the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games.

The Games were held in Bulawayo in December last year. Minister Hlongwane will hold meetings with the Bulawayo City Council, who own most of the facilities that were renovated for the Games.

Various sports associations that were part of the Games will also meet the Minister. “The visit is to get an appreciation of the AUSC Games facilities and what they meant to various partners.

“The Minister wants to make sure those facilities don’t become derelict like what happened to the Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex.

“We want the facilities to be used for sport and for the benefit of sports persons,” said the principal director in the Ministry, Benson Dube. He said the 2014 local organising committee (Loc) will brief the Minister on the infrastructure.

Meanwhile, sources told Chronicle Sport yesterday that there have been spirited efforts by some sports associations’ administrators to remove some of the equipment and take it to other provinces.

“Some people are still not happy that the Games were hosted in Bulawayo and are so eager to take the donated equipment under the pretext that they have games and would therefore want to use them, but once that happens, we will begin to hear stories that some of the equipment is now broken or has been stolen,” said a source close to the AUSC Region 5 Games programme.

In the build-up to and soon after the Games, President Robert Mugabe remained steadfast that the AUSC Games will leave a lasting legacy to Bulawayo saying the city will never be the same again as a result of playing host to the Games.

Minister Hlongwane is expected to reiterate the government’s position in that aspect.