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Tirivashe Nheweyembwa

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Sports and Recreation Commission has said in future National Youth Games and National Paralympics Games officials would be required to submit bank accounts for their allowances to be deposited after the games.

This follows the embarrassing demonstration during which Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Deputy Minister Abigail Damasane and other officials were held hostage for four hours by angry officials demanding payment at the just-ended Paralympics Games in Gwanda on Monday.

“As a way forward, we might have to follow what the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission does during elections whereby people submit their bank details and their money is deposited,” said SRC spokesperson Tirivashe Nheweyembwa.

Questioned why the officials were not paid, Nheweyembwa said the problem was beyond the local organising committee as they had done their part by applying for a government grant, which, however, had not been processed by the time the games ended.

“Government had not released the grant as we had expected,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lifa Mpofu, the Matabeleland South sports coordinator, yesterday denied that general managers were each paid $500.

“Where would such kind of money come from? All we did as the LOC was to submit a budget of $328,000 of which 50 percent would normally come from the government, but let me quickly state that if treasury cannot raise the 50 percent, they give you what they have,” said Mpofu.

He said they received 30 percent from provinces, while the Loc also raised a similar amount.

“The other problem we encountered was that provinces failed to honour their promises in terms of the number of athletes they had said would come to the Games, yet our budget was based on those figures. For example, Harare had said they will bring 181 athletes, but only came with 17, so naturally all things fell apart as a result,” said Mpofu, who stands accused of misleading officials that all was under control.

Affiliation fees per athlete or official was pegged at $50.

Mpofu said grant money from treasury had still not been released by yesterday.

“The officials have since gone back to their respective provinces. We still don’t know how much we will receive from treasury as we are aware of the crunch economic conditions the country is going through, but these rumours that general managers were paid $500 each are all lies,” said Mpofu.