Silwane Youth Centre must be renovated: Pumula Residents

Residents in Pumula have asked the Bulawayo City Council to renovate Isilwane Youth Centre in Old Pumula to promote youth development.

The latest council minutes state that Ward 19 Councillor, Lazarus Mphandwe, said the buildings were in a sorry state

"Councillor Mphandwe noted that Isilwane Youth Club was in ward 19 and it covered other wards 17 and 27. The centre needed to be renovated and more activities introduced. Pumula Open Air Hall was also in a dilapidated state. The facility was not being utilised, " read the minutes

Mphandwe said there were too many arts groups at Silwane and that the building alone could not accommodate all the youths.

He said the buildings are very old. So much work needs to be done on the tennis courts which no longer have proper poles, the basketball courts as well as netball courts.

"We have appealed to the Council to replace the soccer goalposts that were stolen forcing the youth to use makeshift poles," he said.

"If the Pumula Open Air Hall is renovated, more youths will be accommodated than being crowded at Isilwane."

He said the issue had been added at the budget consultation meeting in his ward as residents saw it as a priority.