MINISTER of Sport, Arts and Culture Andrew Langa is happy with progress on the construction of venues for the African Union Sports Council Region V Youth Games that will be held in Bulawayo in December. THANDIWE MOYO SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Langa met with stakeholders yesterday at a Bulawayo hotel to discuss the progress on preparations for the regional games which will run under the theme: “Reach for the Greatness”.
Construction of the 25x25m pool at the Bulawayo Swimming Pool (formerly Barrow Pool) has started.
“We are trying to work on the facilities and so far I am happy with the progress that has been going on. It assures us that we will be able to hand over the facilities on September 30 to the Region V organising committee,” Langa said during the tour of the swimming pool. Bulawayo already has an Olympic size pool, but did not have one for the juniors.
The minister said construction had already started at Hillside Teacher’s College where the athletes will be housed, Luveve and Barbourfields stadiums where soccer matches would take place.
At Luveve, construction of new dressing rooms, toilets, terraces and ticketing rooms has started.
Langa said the government had not set aside the construction of hostels at the National University of Science and Technology, but that would be done at a later stage.
“Initially, I had announced a budget of $46 million. Part of it was for the construction of hostels to leave a legacy. The government has not put that aside, it will be done. The 1 800 athletes will be housed at Hillside Teachers’ College and there is construction happening there,” he said.
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Langa said the infrastructural facelift is meant to leave a legacy for Bulawayo and that it has to be maintained for the youth to have access in future.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Eunice Sandi Moyo said the work being done at the different sports facilities is meant to benefit the people of Bulawayo.
“The programme is taking off well and we are moving in the right direction. This is an opportunity for the people of Bulawayo to benefit not only in business, but employment as well. Each contractor has their own expertise, but they should remember that we have plenty of labour here in Bulawayo and we expect them to be employed,” she said.
Deputy mayor Gift Banda said the facilities would leave a lasting legacy for Bulawayo and it was great that the games coincide with Bulawayo celebrating 120 years.
Bulawayo is set to host 15 countries from the region in December with participants taking part in athletics, netball, swimming, basketball, football, tennis, boxing and judo.
Premier Soccer League chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele, who is the local organising committee marketing director, attended the meeting.
