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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
HAVING received the thumbs up to host the December African Union Sports Council Region V Youth Games from the regional organising committee, the local organising committee is confident of meeting next month’s deadline.
Work being done at the facilities to be used for the sports festival is expected to be complete by November 15 and the ROC said the Games’ Village at Hillside Teachers’ College would be ready by the cut off date.

LOC chairperson Khonzani Ncube said: “We are embracing and are taking all the recommendations made by ROC so that we meet the November 15 deadline. We will work round the clock to make sure that we beat the deadline”.

The regional youth sports extravaganza will be held in Bulawayo from December 5-14.

Eleven countries – Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Seychelles, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe will compete at the Games.

ROC officials led by secretary-general Mvuzo Mbebe finished their assessment of facilities to be used for the sports festival yesterday with a tour of the Games’ Village and the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair which will be home to basketball and judo.

They also went to the Bulawayo Polytechnic College which will be the Games’ command centre.

They were impressed with renovations done at the hostels that were described as “high standard” as well as landscaping at the college.

Noted outstanding issues at Hillside Teachers’ College were the cold room, two cookers and an additional space to cater for 150 athletes at the dining hall which at present can host 350.

At ZITF, construction of basketball and judo changing rooms is underway.

Renovations are being done at White City Stadium which will be home to athletics and netball, Bulawayo Athletics Club (tennis), City Pool (swimming), Luveve and Barbourfields stadia (football).

Boxing will be held at the Large City Hall
ROC also directed the LOC to start the accreditation for all Games’ supporting staff based in Zimbabwe, an exercise to be concluded by November 28.

“Everyone in Zimbabwe should be accredited by November 28 and after that it will only be athletes. People should hand their accreditation forms to the LOC which will do the vetting of all officials,” said Mbebe.

Having been satisfied with the infrastructure, Mbebe said the LOC should engage in more awareness activities to create hype for the Games.

“Marketing of the Games is not at the level that we want it to be. There is a need to fast track the process of marketing, ramp up awareness activities.

Very soon, flags should be flying in the streets of Bulawayo,” said Mbebe.