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Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane (centre) and the executive members of Spoja (Southern Region) at a Bulawayo hotel yesterday (Friday, Feb 18 2017)

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Ministry of Sport and Recreation will soon organise a workshop on sports diplomacy and the new sports and recreation policy for sports journalists in the southern region.

This was said by Minister Makhosini Hlongwane when he met Sports Journalists Association (Spoja) southern region executive committee at a local hotel yesterday.

“Media is an important development partner in the country and I can promise you, Spoja SR great partnership with my ministry and for that we need to have a workshop through your structures so that you can fully understand the various policy issues,” said Minister Hlongwane.

He said capacity building for journalists was an important factor and encouraged sports journalists to desist from just being football journalists.

“We can only be happier as the Government that such a structure has come on board, it becomes easier as Government to engage you when you are structured. It is indeed good news to hear that Spoja was actually pioneered here in Bulawayo as I have also met your counterparts in Harare,” said Minister Hlongwane.

He also promised the committee that for any Government funded foreign trips, his ministry would not concentrate on the Northern region only but would from now on work on a rotational basis with Spoja Southern Region and their Harare counterparts seconding its members for the trips.

The Spoja (SR) executive, led by chairman Muziwethu Hadebe briefed Minister Hlongwane on the main thrust behind forming the association.

“We intend to work together with the ministry and while we may differ here and there on certain issues, we will eventually reach a consensus for the good of sports in the country,” said Hadebe.