Coltart outlines six-point plan for new SRC board

The Zimbabwean

By Mxolisi Ncube

28 February 2013

David Coltart, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, recently spelt out the six-point 2013 mandate of the recently appointed Sports and  Recreation Board.

The principal policy objectives and goals of the Board include organising Zone VI Youth Games, the Hockey World Series of February 2014, mapping an action plan for 2016 Olympics and Paralympics, coming up with new sport regulations and the tightening of discipline and improvement of administration of NSAs.

It is also tasked with mapping government policy on strategic sports and the integration of Sport to Zimbabwe’s Education curriculum

Zimbabwe will host the Zone VI Youth Games in December 2014 and the immediate task of the board is to appoint an Organising Committee and a CEO and make the decision on whether Bulawayo or Harare should be the host city.

“I am dissatisfied with the comparative analysis and costings done in this regard to date and urgent further work needs to be done,” said Coltart, who is also the Senator for Bulawayo South.

“Once the host city has been chosen, the various venues will need to be refurbished and it is imperative that this work be commenced in 2013 and completed well before the start of the games. It goes without saying that this is the greatest sporting event Zimbabwe has hosted since the All Africa Games in 1995 and it is imperative that it be well organised.”

Zimbabwe will also host one of the Hockey World Series Tournament in February 2014, subject to its preparedness to rehabilitate Harare’s Magamba Hockey Stadium in Harare.

The Minister of Finance has since confirmed that Government would provide the funds.

The SRC was also tasked with urgently developing a strategic plan in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee with regards to the Olympics, which should include the early identification of potential medal winners and the mobilisation of support for them and their respective associations.

The Board needs to be more proactive in enforcing a higher standard of administration and financial accountability in all National Sports Associations.

“Whilst Government is committed to respecting the right of all Zimbabweans to promote and develop all sporting disciplines, Government itself needs to be more strategic in identifying and supporting those sporting disciplines which Zimbabwe has a comparative advantage in, and which can assist in creating jobs and generating wealth,” added Senator Coltart.

“We increasingly need to recognise that ‘sport is business’ and strategically direct Government and Corporate sector support for certain sports. Accordingly the SRC needs to advise Government on say 10 key sporting disciplines which we need to focus on it particular. Tied to this is the development of a strategic plan to invest in these disciplines with a view to contributing to Zimbabwe’s GDP.”

Implementation of the recommendations made by the Nziramasanga Commission regarding the development of a more vocationally-oriented curriculum was also identified key component of sports development.

“Closely tied to this is the need to recognise that sport needs to be part of a vocationally oriented curriculum. Key, strategically targeted, sports must be taught in schools not on the periphery but as an integral and fundamental part of the curriculum. In this regard the SRC needs to take an active part in the review and reform of the curriculum.”