‘Selected candidate for SRC director general was rejected’ Mr Edward Siwela
Mr Edward Siwela

Mr Edward Siwela

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
FACTIONALISM delayed the appointment of a substantive Sports and Recreation Commission director general, a SRC board member said yesterday.

The board member who requested anonymity, said after the interviews conducted in May, the board came up with a suitable candidate for appointment, contrary to reports that all the candidates interviewed did not meet the criteria.

“It is not correct that we failed to come up with a suitable candidate after the interviews.

“The truth of the matter is that one of the candidates impressed the interview panel which recommended his appointment and this was approved by the board,” said the board member.

The board member said the name of the successful candidate was then submitted to the then Ministry of Sport and Recreation for approval.

“Minister Makhosini Hlongwane and SRC chairman Edward Siwela rejected the submitted candidate as their preferred candidate had failed to impress the interview panel,” said the board member.

Siwela however dismissed as unfounded the board member’s claims insisting that the initial interview did not come up with the right candidate in terms of the SRC Act.

He said it was not true that the Minister had a preferred candidate.

“I don’t know why people enjoy spreading untruths. The fact of the matter is that the appointment of a director general is subject to a ministerial approval   and if the process does not yield that, what is the correct position? This is the legal position,” said Siwela.

The SRC director general’s post has been vacant for more than a year following the retirement of Charles Nhemachena on April 30, 2016.

The supreme sports body’s sports development director Joseph Muchechetere has been the acting director general since then and is one of the candidates interviewed for the post.

Muchechetere, who joined the SRC 25 years ago as an officer, is credited with designing and implementing most programmes, projects and activities the SRC is known for.

Some of the SRC brands credited to Muchechetere, among others, include the Annual National Sports Awards, Zimbabwe National Youth Games, Zimbabwe National Paralympics Games, National YES Festival, Diploma in Sports Studies and Executive Diploma, Community Sport and Recreation Club Systems, National Sport and Recreation Policy. — @skhumoyo2000

 

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