AUSC equipment transfer contradicts games’ legacy

SENIOR officials in the Ministry of Sport and Recreation want to move to Harare furniture and other equipment acquired for the African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Youth Games held in Bulawayo in 2014. This is despite assurance from both President Mugabe and Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa that the equipment will remain in the Cityas part of the games' legacy.

Speaking during a function to hand over the Games' equipment to the Council on July 3, 2015 Vice President Mnangagwa said sporting equipment should remain in Bulawayo as part of the Games' legacy.

"On behalf of the government I want to make it clear that all sporting equipment acquired for use during the games must remain at the respective sporting venues in Bulawayo. It's now time to hand over to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. What we've seen to date is far below the full benefits of hosting the Games as a country. It was seed funding that'll need time to germinate, grow and bear fruits. Only then can generations to come harvest the fruits of government investments in hosting the 2014th edition of the AUSC Region 5 Under-20 Games," VP Mnangagwa was quoted saying.

However, a T Mafondokoto who is the assistant deputy director (administration) in the Ministry of Sport and Recreation issued an internal memo to the permanent secretary requesting to transfer the items which he said will be used in the office of the Minister, his permanent secretary, principal director, four directors and seven deputy directors all based in Harare.

The request was subsequently sent to the council which grudgingly acceded.

"Authority is being sought to collect furniture and equipment which were procured for the AUSC Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games in Bulawayo in 2014 for use at Head Office," states the letter by Mafondokoto dated June 9 and captured in the latest Bulawayo City Council minutes.

The letter further stated that a vehicle will have to be hired to transport the assets from Bulawayo to Harare with the estimated cost for a single truck put at $1,300.

"At least two officers from administration will go to Bulawayo to record the items and update our registers accordingly. The officers will require hotel accommodation and meals at an estimated cost of $400 and 160 litres of fuel," reads the letter.

The council has since resolved to surrender all the games' equipment to the ministry "as it was feared that council was taking care of equipment that would eventually all be taken elsewhere".

List of furniture and equipment sent to Harare:

Minister's office

2 Lounge Suites, 3x 60 inch colour television, 1x 6 drawer cabinet (lockable) 1 x HP laptop, 3x DSTV decoder

Permanent Secretary's office

2x Lounge Suit, 1x 60 inch colour television, 1x coffee table, 2x wooden cabinet-6 drawer (lockable), 1x executive desk, 1x boardroom table, 2x visitors' chairs, 12x padded chairs, 1x DSTV decoder, 1x HP laptop, 3x surge protectors, 1x printer Pro 400

Principal director and Four directors

5x Lounge suites, 5x swivel chairs, 5x executive desks, 5x 40 inch colour television, 5×4 drawer cabinets (lockable), 10x visitors chairs, 5x HP laptops, 5x HP printers, 5x Fern, 5x surge protectors, 5x DSTV decoders, 5x refrigerators

Seven deputy directors

7x swivel chairs,7x executive desks, 7x 4 drawer cabinets( lockable), 14x visitors chairs, 7x HP laptops, 7x surge protectors, 7x small refrigerators

Reception:

1x lounge suit, 1×60 inch colour television, 1x DSTV decorder, 1x surge protector

Boardroom

1x 60 inch colour television, 1x DSTV decorder, 2x surge protectors

General-for cleaning purposes

5x vacuum cleaners (hoover), 10x hard brooms, 900 tissues, 20 x visitors chairs for other offices

Deputy director- southern region

1x swivel chairs, 1x executive drawer, 1x 4 drawer cabinet (lockable), 1x visitors chair, 1x HP laptop, 2x surge protectors, 1 x small refrigerator