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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

THE Zimbabwe Netball Association (Zina) has decided to rope in amateur clubs from Bulawayo into the mainstream league ahead of its elective general meeting to be held before January 31, 2020.

The present Zina led by Leticia Chipandu was left with only two clubs affiliated to it after other clubs jumped ship and joined the Rainbow Amateur Netball League.

Zina rebuffed all attempts by Ranl to be registered as an affiliate until the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) intervened last month and ordered that Ranl be registered.

The SRC also ordered Zina to hold an elective general meeting not later than January 31, 2020, to bring some semblance of normalcy into the game following rampant chaos in the administrative structures.

The SRC directive to hold elections seems to have rattled the Zina executive, forcing it to absorb as many amateur teams as possible.

“A positive initiative within Bulawayo Social Netball leagues has been established and an initial tournament has been set for the 7th of December 2019. It is my pleasure to notify you that the following teams will take part in this tournament at White City Netball Arena,”

Zina wrote to the targeted clubs in a memo this week.

According to the memo in the possession of Chronicle Sport, four clubs under Bulawayo area zones BCL, PNL and Masiye Netball leagues will take part in this weekend’s tournament, which sources say is aimed at setting up new structures ahead of the January elective meeting.

Teams under BCL that will take part in the tournament are Zinwa, Melly Mine, Bakers Inn and Spurt, while Mthala, How Mine, Iminyela and Lobengula Queens represent teams from PNL. The Masiye League will have Swallows, CAAZ, New Vision and Sizinda.

“They have been ignoring these clubs for all these years and nothing else except electioneering can be the reason for holding this tournament. They’re trying to salvage some support,” said a source.