By Nangamso Mabindla

Zwelitsha, a township in Bisho, would now be able to produce Olympic swimmers, Buffalo City Executive Mayor Sindisile Maclean said when as he opened the Zwelitsha swimming pool earlier this week.

The R300 000 swimming pool was reopened after its closure in 2000. The mayor urged the community to take care of the facility.

There were many communities around Buffalo City that needed a swimming pool but it was difficult to satisfy everyone's needs, Councillor Maclean said. "Sweetwaters, Mngqeshe and other villages would love to have this facility but we've chosen Zwelitsha. It is your responsibility to take care of the swimming pool."

Zwelitsha Sports Council Board Chairman Malusi Ngcaba assured the mayor his organisation would do everything in its power to make sure the swimming pool was kept in good condition.

Addressing the crowd at the official reopening, Mr Ngcaba said: "We want to have the next Penny Heyns coming out of Zwelitsha. We encourage you to take swimming seriously and make a career out of it."

Recreation would not only assist in the fight against poverty but also would limit many of the scourges facing local communities. "If you engage in recreation, you will not have to think about things that could lead to theft, teen pregnancy and HIV/Aids," said Mr Ngcaba, adding that children needed to be encouraged to use their time wisely.

After the opening, children were allowed to play in the pool, honing their swimming skills. Said the mayor: "I'll put aside three hours of my time one Saturday and come here. I want the best swimmer to give me swimming lessons."

There would be permanent lifeguards on duty and strict security to prevent children from entering the premises without supervision.

"We do not want to hear of any deaths because of this pool - especially deaths caused because people defied the law and sneaked into the pool unsupervised," Councillor Maclean said.