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Makhosini Hlongwane

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
SPORT and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane has bemoaned the lack of literature on the country’s sporting personalities and institutions.

Hlongwane said it was sad that there was no book about Highlanders, the oldest football club in the country, and no autobiography of the most celebrated warrior of all time Peter Ndlovu, who was the first African footballer to move from the continent to play in the English Premiership.

“Where is our academia that resituates within the sports and recreation movement? Why can’t we write about our sports greats?” asked Hlongwane.

He said golf was the only sport in the country that had a rich documentation, with literature dating back to its inception in the country over a century ago.

“But the rest of the sports codes there is no literature. There is no book about Kirsty Coventry, the greatest Olympian ever to emerge from Zimbabwe. We need literature about Kirsty Coventry,” he said.

Hlongwane revealed that his ministry, through its legacy project, will start compiling literature on the country’s sports personalities.

“Under the Legacy Project, we are talking about this body of knowledge that situates within the body of sports and recreation sector. The content that comes out of the sports and recreation sector cannot be allowed to go to waste without being captured by the academia and those that study sports.”

He said in advancing the legacy project, his ministry was working with local universities and sports institutions to set up the journal whose duty would be to create content on sport and athletes.

“We’re going to come up with a journal with serious essays that interrogate issues with sports and recreation in our country so that you can publish if you are a student interested in sports and recreation in the country. You can start publishing your articles in credible journals that are accredited and recognised by government,” Hlongwane said.

— @nqotshili