By Brian Hodzi
Famed fitness trainer, Sabhuku Temba Mliswa, has accused the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) of passivity by allowing rugby to degenerate into a mess without taking timely action.
Mliswa, who is the Mashonaland West Province Rugby Chairman, said the national body is culpable for where rugby finds itself at.
The former MP said it’s sad that rugby finds itself enmeshed in a mess where the SRC has since asked that the whole Board should resign.
“Why did they allow the past elections to be endorsed, yet there were clear complaints of wrongdoing?
“Some who voted had not paid their subscription, while others, with expired terms of office, also participated.
“We raised issues about money missing; over US$250,000, nothing was done by the SRC.
“In fact, I was suspended! The cartel has been driving a narrative that if something is done, the funding will stop. It’s a fallacy!
Mliswa narrated how he has a long history in rugby, which compels him to intervene.
“I single-handedly changed the landscape of rugby in this country when it was still dominated by whites, and we developed the game to serious levels.
“We created a league of 20 Primary schools from where the likes of Tonderai Chavhanga and Tendai Mtawarira emerged.
“Therefore, I cannot stand on the sidelines while the games fall into disrepute.
“In the same way, the people who liberated this country have a right and moral mandate to protect that victory; those of us who fought for equal participation in rugby have a moral duty to protect it when saboteurs arise to fleece it.
Last week, the SRC issued a strong directive calling for the immediate resignation of the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) national executive board and executive committee.
The move comes amid ongoing leadership and governance challenges that have tarnished the sport’s reputation.
In a formal letter addressed to ZRU Chief Executive Officer Sifiso Made, the SRC outlined the expectation for the resignations to be carried out by Friday, 5 September 2025.
The commission warned that failure to comply would compel them to take stringent measures under section 30 of the Sports and Recreation Commission Act (Chapter 25:15).
“The Sports and Recreation Commission, having noted the incessant governance and leadership challenges bedevilling the Zimbabwe Rugby Union, which have ultimately brought the sport of rugby into disrepute, hereby recommends for the immediate resignation of the ZRU National Executive Board and the National Executive Committee,” read part of the letter.
ZRU has been given until Monday, 8 September, to justify why the SRC should not invoke the statutory powers.
Meanwhile, Mliswa remains under suspension on accusations of breaching Section 19.1 of the sport’s governing body’s constitution.
This followed his filing of a police case against the rugby executive, accusing it of funds mismanagement.
The absence of clear timelines on his suspension is again another issue of complaint which he has raised.
