The Zimbabwean netball team, The Gems, who are currently in Liverpool, Europe for World Cup are not amused with the Zimbabwean Bond notes allowances which they will get together with more promises coming their way as they return home, government has revealed.
The Gems had a fruitful debut appearance at the World Cup which saw then sneak into the the top eight of the World rankings.
Deputy minister of Youths Sports Arts and Recreation Yeukai Simbanegavi revealed that the girls will be getting their allowances in Zimbabwean Bond notes and are very happy with that since it is now difficulty to get foreign currency in Zimbabwe.
“We just had a meeting with the netball association discussing on the appropriate incentives that we can provide for our Gems and we have agreed on something that we think is good from the funds which have been coming from the government and some that was raised by the netball association.
“The Zimbabwean dollars will just go to girls as Zimbabwean dollars since we can not change it to US dollar and as you also know that US dollars are no longer a legal tender in Zimbabwe.”
However, Simbanegavi added that it is only the allowances that the ladies are getting during their stay in Liverpool that will be paid in US dollars, but she could not reveal the amounts.
The Deputy Minster made it known that the Gems will also be presented to the President, Emmerson Mnangagwa upon arriving back home hoping that their performance will also persuade the President to extent his helping hand in appreciation as most of the team members are bread winners in their families. She added that more and more incentives were still coming in.
“When we go back home, I will make sure that the girls are more recognized further than today and I will present the girls to the President with the hope that he will also address some of their problems as most of them have families and some are single mothers.”
The Deputy Minister said she was happy with the way the Gems performed in Liverpool in all the games they played.
