Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex goes down the drain

The Zimbabwean

1 February 2012

Every time Kirsty Coventry romps to victory in an international swimming competition, Zimbabwe cheers.

Even President Robert Mugabe, with his well-documented allergy for the white minority, has not been spared the wave of awe. Calling her the “Golden girl” after her medal haul of three Silver and one Gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, he gave her $100 000 and a diplomatic passport.

The 28-year-old became the third sportswoman from Africa to earn a gold in women’s swimming at the Summer Games, after Joan Harrison (Helsinki’ 52) and Penny Heyns (Atlanta’96).

Yet she has never won a major competition at home. Reason – there is no state of the art facility to host such tournaments here.

The Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex, which hosted the 1995 All Africa Games, is now in an embarrassing state of neglect. Its dilapidated infrastructure has left it deserted by swimmers who must flock to it.

The complex is equipped with an Olympic size swimming pool, a practice and children’s pool. It boasts electronic timing equipment and a boiler house that should warm water to allow year-round swimming.

But at 12:36pm (the time on the giant clock) some day in March 2002 a “tornado” hit the venue.

Paddington Songori, SRC Events and Functions manager from 1995 to 2011, said the automatic valve holding water in the pool broke and water flooded the basement.

“From the time it was switched off in 1994 until it broke down in 2002, the valves must have been exhausted. It was not a matter of negligence, but just a common fault. It was a daily routine that we switched-off the whole plant after knocking off for work, but when we came back one day, water had flooded the basement, covering all the mortars, electrical board and the pumps. we called the fire brigade who drained it but the damage had been done.”

Songori said repairs would cost around $2 million. The facility is government property managed by the SRC. Under the contract with the Ministry of Public Works the commission is responsible for minor repairs, while the ministry attends major repairs.

SRC Director General, retired Colonel Charles Nhemachena, proposed annual budgets to renovate the venue – but they have come to naught. The pools remain unusable.

A recent visit showed walls peeling, while rain water collected in the giant “pits” had was covered in algae and floating litter. Rust-coated steel rails around the pools and deserted spectator stands, and the boiler room made it look like a haunted mansion in horror movie “Bones”. Unknown somebodies have flocked the multi-purpose hall to hold music shows, beauty pageants and church services. What ideally should be a “sports bar” has been turned into a beer-hall.

Songori said that was for fundraising, but for what, as the centre continues to deteriorate? Funds raised are never enough ever to cover the electricity bill.

Fans are not impressed. The Zimbabwe Aquatic Union, now using Harare’s Les Brown Pool for provincial and national competitions, has admitted challenges of grooming a star like Coventry without top facilities.

Secretary General Neil Bradshaw told The Zimbabwean that the African Swimming Confederation was always looking for hosts for major continental events, but dilapidated Zimbabwe could not bid.

“If Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex was revamped, it would certainly be hosting all national events and bidding for international ones,” he said.

“We have not assessed the cost of repairs and regrettably, the cost of reinstating the country’s pools and building new ones could cost tens of millions – we just do not see where that kind of money would come from.”

Bulawayo’s Khumalo Hockey stadium was renovated last year after Hockey Association of Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Public Works and Minister of Education, Arts, Sports and Culture, David Coltart, united for the common cause. The Chitungwiza complex is crying out for the same favour.

Nhemachena said they were going to hand it over to the ministry of public works, hoping that it would get the 2002 fortunes of the National Sports Stadium.

“We recently had a meeting with them to discuss the modalities of us handing over the facility. The impression was that the ministry of public works now wants to do the (renovations) job,” he said.

“If the big pump can’t be repaired, any cheaper modifications that make small pools functioning and get things going would be fine.”

Should the commission divorce itself from such facilities, would the Ministry of Public Works manage, with the best interest of sport at heart?

“The Ministry of Public Works builds schools and hospitals they do not run. Why should it be different with sporting facilities?” questioned Nhemachena.

“It would be good for sports if the complex is renovated because most major competitions being held in South Africa would come here. It is among the best pools in the world and if it gets to work again, we would attract big events and sponsors.”