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Vice-President Mnangagwa yesterday presented the City Pool and other Region 5 games facilities to Bulawayo deputy mayor Clr Gift Banda.Looking on are the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Andrew Langa and his deputy Thabitha Kanengoni Malinga

Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
VICE-PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday handed over the Africa Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games facilities to the Bulawayo City Council and some educational institutions on behalf of the government.

VP Mnangagwa called for the preservation of sporting infrastructural legacy.

Bulawayo hosted the regional Games in December under the theme “Reach for Greatness”.

The Local Organising Committee (Loc) secretariat temporarily took over infrastructural facilities from local government institutions for use during the games.

The government went on to give the facilities major facelifts so that they meet international standards.

VP Mnangagwa said sporting facilities such as the City Pool, Bulawayo’s ceremonial home of soccer, Barbourfields Stadium, Luveve and White City stadiums should be made available for sports programmes at district, provincial, regional and international level.

He said sporting equipment should remain in Bulawayo as part of the Games’ legacy.

“It needs to be reiterated that the government invested a lot of money in equipment used during the Games. The government will ensure that this equipment is transferred to central government through the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture. The Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture, in liaison with the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, will ensure the infrastructural facilities and equipment are made available to community sports programmes for district, provincial, regional and international competitions,” said VP Mnagagwa.

“On behalf of the government I want to make it clear that all sporting equipment acquired for use during the games must remain at the respective sporting venues in Bulawayo. It’s now time to hand over to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. What we’ve seen to date is far below the full benefits of hosting the Games as a country.

“It was seed funding that’ll need time to germinate, grow and bear fruits. Only then can generations to come harvest the fruits of government investments in hosting the 2014th edition of the AUSC Region 5 Under-20 Games.”

Renovations were done at Barbourfields Stadium’s four changing rooms and ablution system. The VIP arena was fitted with bucket chairs and an electric scoreboard was installed. The stadium also received a standby generator.

A new block of change rooms and a VIP arena were constructed at Luveve while White City got a tartan track, two blocks of change rooms and an extension of the VIP lounge. The netball courts at White City were resurfaced.

VP Mnangagwa said the government was aware of outstanding work at White City Stadium, especially completion of the tartan track.

He said the outstanding work’s budgetary needs would be sourced from treasury. Once resources are made available, construction work will resume.

Hillside Teachers’ College, Bulawayo Polytechnic College, government offices and hospitals were other beneficiaries of the AUSC Region 5 Under-20 Games.