Councillors ignore service delivery, propose $300k budget for football club

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is planning to more than double funding for its football club, a move that has sparked controversy as the local authority continues to struggle with poor service delivery, including potholed roads, persistent water shortages and delayed salaries for council workers.

Bulawayo City Football Club, which currently competes in Division One, the country's second-tier league, was relegated from the Premier Soccer League in 2022. In a rare move, the club's administrators later opted to drop a further two divisions to the Southern Region Division Two, citing a lack of financial resources to sustain competition in Division One at the time.

The decision proved strategic, as the team quickly regrouped and secured promotion back to Division One, where it finished fourth last season.

Now, council documents seen by reporter show that councillors have approved a proposal to increase the club's monthly grant from US$10,000 to US$25,000, amounting to US$300,000 annually.

Presenting a report to the council's finance committee, the director of housing and community services, Dictor Khumalo, said councillors who sit on the club's board believed increased financial support was necessary to consolidate recent gains and push the team forward.

"Increased financial support will enable the team to build on recent progress, reduce injury risk, enhance player welfare and development, and improve competitive results," Khumalo said.

He argued that the investment would bring long-term benefits through talent development, improved performance, sustainability and an enhanced organisational reputation.

"The house felt that the football team has demonstrated commitment, improvement, and clear potential for development. Targeted financial investment at this stage is both timely and necessary to convert progress into consistent success," Khumalo added.

However, the proposed increase has drawn sharp criticism from within council, with at least one councillor questioning the priorities of the financially strained local authority.

"The department of housing and community services is struggling to secure chemicals to control mosquitoes, but we are more than doubling the allocation for a football team in Division One. Make that make sense," the councillor said.

"It's a clear money-making scheme by someone. That team should be disbanded — we have far better priorities."

In response to the criticism, Khumalo defended the funding of the football club, insisting it fell under council's corporate social responsibility mandate. He said the team played a key role in youth development by keeping young people off the streets and nurturing sporting talent.

The debate highlights growing tension within council over spending priorities at a time when Bulawayo residents continue to endure declining municipal services and economic pressure.