Sports ministry worried about club levies Tabetha Kanengoni-Malinga
Deputy Minister Tabitha Kanengoni-Malinga

Deputy Minister Tabitha Kanengoni-Malinga

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture is concerned about the various levies and costs that football clubs in the country are incurring and have since engaged the relevant stakeholders.
This was said by deputy Minister Tabitha Kanengoni-Malinga in Bulawayo yesterday during an interview on the sidelines of a visit by the Senior Minister of State in the President’s Office Simon Khaya Moyo to see venues for the African Union Region Five Under-20 Games.

Deputy Minister Kanengoni-Malinga said they had received the complaints, which she said were genuine and they had since engaged the relevant stakeholders like the Sport and Recreation Commission as well as local councils through the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.

“Something is being done to address that problem which we believe leaves our sports clubs in serious financial problems, yes something is being done definitely,” she said.

Kanengoni-Malinga, however, said the ministry was incapacitated on how to deal with the police costs that clubs incur.
“We know that the police rates vary according to rank and time, however the deployment to the grounds is solely at the discretion of the police, expected number of spectators among other points,” said Kanengoni-Malinga.

The calls for the government to intervene and bail out the clubs heightened after the Independence Cup semi-final match between Highlanders and FC Platinum that saw the two clubs receiving $346 each for a match that grossed $26,010.

FC Platinum won the semi-final tie 6-5 after a penalty shootout watched by a crowd of 6,912 fans who were eager to see the readiness of the two Southern Region giants.

Debt-ridden Zifa, who organised the match, received the second highest amount of $3,483. This was 15 percent of the gross gate takings while the owners of the venue, Bulawayo City Council received $4,644 as their 20 percent.

Value added tax which the clubs are now compelled to pay (15 percent) accounted for $3,483 with the Sport and Recreation Commission’s six percent at $1,393.
Other expenditure items included $1,789 to the police who perhaps because of the significance of the event should have provided their services for free.

Club treasurers got $300, protocol $150 and cost of tickets $791. Assistant chief cashiers who numbered about six were paid a total of $1,200.
Cashiers of the day recieved $960 while ticket got $680 for a largely effortless task.

An amount of $5,536 went to sundry expenses which included camping and transport for the teams.

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