Hlongwane warns sports associations Makhosini Hlongwane
Minister Makhosini Hlongwane

Minister Makhosini Hlongwane

Ellina Mhlanga, Harare Bureau
THE Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhosini Hlongwane yesterday warned national sports associations to take governance issues seriously.

Hlongwane declared 2017 as a year of governance while speaking at the National Sport and Recreation Governance Conference at Cresta Lodge where he was the guest of honour.

“We are prepared as Government for 2017 to suspend a few associations that are delinquent. Take this seriously because it will visit you if you don’t do things properly.

“And don’t come to my office if the SRC demolishes you because I will support the SRC, that’s why I am saying this as a matter of public record.

“You must be compliant. We will suspend a few if you are not compliant. If we are not able to suspend a few I am very happy because that means success on our part, on the part of SRC.

“We are prepared to be suspended as a country by the international federations in order to realise the best value of organisation in the Sport and Recreational sector in our country.

“Sport is for the people, you can’t continue to mess up with sport. Governance sits at the centre of how we can unleash full potential in this country,” said Hlongwane.

The minister emphasised the need for national associations to spread structures to all provinces and make sport accessible to all.

“We are also dealing with the issue of our structure as government to say are we present where we are supposed to be present.

“We can’t leave NSAs in Harare alone, they have to go the provinces, they have to go the districts, that’s very important. So 2017 is the year of governance in Sport and Recreation development,” said Hlongwane.

Last year the Sports Commission sanctioned seven national associations for non-compliance and three of them — Zimbabwe Handball Federation, Zimbabwe Wushu Federation and Zimbabwe Boxing Federation had their executives suspended for two years.

The other four — Zimbabwe Netball Association, Judo Association of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Taekwondo Association of Zimbabwe and Table Tennis Association —were given warnings.

The conference, organised by the Sports Commission in conjunction with the parent ministry, attracted participants from different organisations including the national sports associations, PSL clubs, tertiary institutions and other stakeholders.

It covered various topics to do with governance with Sports Commission chairman, Edward Siwela presenting on the topic, effective corporate governance a recipe for success.

Commissioner Titus Zvomuya spoke about effective leadership in the Sport and Recreation sector.

Old Mutual marketing manager, Tendai Mutseyekwa, came in to present a voice on corporate support and sound financial management and spoke of the various issues, including transparency, accountability and the importance of adopting an annual budget.

Former Harare Mayor Much Masunda, who is a serving member of the panel of International Court of Arbitration of Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, addressed the legal perspective and arbitration in Sport and Recreation.

Sports Commission acting director-general, Joseph Muchechetere, said the conference was an intervention to address issues that have affected sport over the year.

“We are talking of the association being able to convene its executive meetings, council meetings, at least two council meetings per year.

“These are checks and balances to ensure the organisation is running.

“They should have records of the meetings because these are the resolutions which should bind the members of that structure and also the nation.

“There are also issues to do with audited financial statements. The majority of them they are not compliant in that, they don’t have audited accounts,” said Muchechetere.

 

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