SPITZKOP North Extension (Red-Cross) playing grounds are set to be subdivided into stands
for residential flats, the acting Town Chamber Secretary, Nelson Ndlovu, has confirmed.
The acting Town Chamber Secretary was weighing in on a recently published council notice,
which in part reads: “Notice of application for change of use from sports ground to residential
flats and commercial stands, Gwanda.”
The rural-urban migration has seen the mining town running out of residential stands, while its
housing waiting list is ballooning to alarming levels.
To accommodate everyone the council is set to partner with Infrastructure Development Bank of
Zimbabwe (IDBZ) to build residential flats.
From the onset the council wanted to construct a second Stadium and unfortunately funds limited
them.
However, the move has drawn condemnation from Gwanda residents, who say the town already
lacks recreational facilities.
“What we know is that the place was set to be home to the second stadium in Gwanda after
Phelandaba Stadium, so does this mean council has no way to raise revenue to complete this
project and they just want money to quickly sell land at the detriment of sporting activities in the
town?
“Already, we lack recreational facilities especially looking at sports. This move should be
stopped by all means necessary,” said Thembinkosi Tlou, who resides in Phakama.
Former ZIFA Matabeleland South administrator, Mishom Tshabalaka, said the move was a step
back in promoting local sports development.
“We do not have facilities at all, save for Phelandaba, which is not even sufficient to cater for
several sporting disciplines.
“So, what is the motive of council’s move yet we were actually expecting to hear that council has
actually started working on building the stadium? It is quite a sad development for sports in
Gwanda,” said Tshabalaka.
Gwanda Residents’ Association Secretary General, Wellington Nare, also castigated the move.
