The
issue
was
raised
during
a
Full
Council
meeting
on
Wednesday,
where
councillors
expressed
concern
that
Bulawayo
is
no
longer
producing
as
many
top
athletes
as
it
once
did.
Ward
14
councillor
Dumisani
Netha
said
the
city
previously
produced
a
large
number
of
footballers
who
went
on
to
represent
the
national
team
but
warned
that
the
trend
has
declined
in
recent
years.
“Bulawayo
City
Council,
through
the
youth
centres,
produced
the
majority
of
players
for
the
Zimbabwe
national
soccer
team
back
in
the
day,”
Netha
said.
“But
now
we
no
longer
have
those
facilities.
In
the
most
recent
games
there
were
only
two
representatives
from
Bulawayo,
which
is
too
low
a
number.”
He
said
reviving
the
centres
would
help
keep
young
people
engaged
and
reduce
social
problems
such
as
drug
abuse.
“If
we
leave
them
idle
they
will
end
up
turning
to
drugs
because
they
have
nothing
to
occupy
them,”
he
said.
“There
is
so
much
talent
in
our
city,
especially
in
arts
and
sports,
and
we
need
these
centres
to
nurture
that
talent.”
Ward
22
councillor
Bruce
Moyo
said
the
centres
should
also
focus
on
equipping
young
people
with
skills
suited
to
the
modern
economy.
“We
need
to
ensure
that
the
programmes
offered
at
these
centres
make
young
people
relevant
in
today’s
economy.
We
want
them
to
learn
digital
skills,”
he
said.
He
added
that
traditional
training
programmes
should
evolve
to
reflect
technological
changes.
“Years
ago
it
made
sense
to
teach
young
people
how
to
repair
phones
and
television
sets,
but
now
the
world
is
going
digital.
These
young
people
must
be
taught
things
aligned
to
artificial
intelligence
and
other
digital
skills.”
Moyo
also
stressed
that
young
people
from
wards
without
recreational
centres
should
be
allowed
to
access
programmes
in
other
areas.
“We
must
ensure
that
youths
from
wards
without
these
centres
are
not
left
out,”
he
said.
“Community
halls
that
council
usually
rents
out
to
churches
could
also
be
used
as
classrooms
for
youth
training.”
Bulawayo
mayor
Councillor
David
Coltart
said
the
city’s
strong
arts
and
culture
sector
could
play
a
role
in
revitalising
the
centres.
“We
can
all
agree
that
Bulawayo
has
a
vibrant
arts
and
culture
sector,”
he
said.
“I
recently
spoke
to
artists
from
different
disciplines
and
encouraged
them
to
work
with
local
councillors
to
use
and
help
maintain
these
centres.”
Coltart
also
warned
that
rising
drug
use
among
young
people
was
linked
to
unemployment
and
lack
of
opportunities.
“Most
of
our
youths
are
doing
drugs
because
they
no
longer
have
hope
of
getting
employment,”
he
said.
“Recently
council
passed
a
resolution
to
turn
one
of
our
properties
into
a
bar,
yet
we
could
have
turned
it
into
a
sports
and
recreation
facility
instead.”
Chairperson
of
the
Health,
Housing
and
Education
Committee,
Ward
23
councillor
Ntombizodwa
Khumalo,
said
efforts
were
already
underway
to
equip
existing
centres
and
broaden
the
programmes
they
offer.
“We
are
trying
our
best
as
a
committee
to
equip
our
centres,”
she
said.
“There
are
a
number
of
courses
that
youths
and
the
community
at
large
are
interested
in,
and
we
welcome
suggestions
on
additional
programmes
so
that
we
can
make
the
necessary
resolutions.”