Nkosilathi Sibanda
ZIFA Matabeleland South Division Two outfit, Gwanda Pirates are not only eying the championship but are also set to be one of the most vibrant and creative on social media.
Based in the mining community of Gwanda, the club has become a favourite to many who reside there and nearby. The influence seems to be one that is steady and penetrative. The club has used the power of social media to keep its fans abreast with informative and entertaining posts.
Their craft seems to follow what local Premiership side, Bulawayo Chiefs have done on X. They even earned the moniker “Twitter Kings” as the social media site was known then. As many sports institutions are fast catching up in the social media frenzy, it has been seen as an effective tool in information dissemination and fan engagement.
Gwanda Pirates are falling in trend
From podcast, team updates and fan engagement, Gwanda Pirates has managed to grow their status, according to the chairman Guqukani Mpofu.
“We aim to be a club that is in touch with reality. Being on social media means an institution that appreciates the value of networking and fan engagement.
“With our social media presence we want to reach out to fans and other football stakeholders not only in Gwanda but elsewhere in the world. It will be a gradual development, one that we can say is slowly connecting us well with football stakeholders. We continue to aim high on the field as well,” said Mpofu.
He said the football project they are pursuing was motivated by the love of the game and the hunger of young people who want to play football.
Launched in April, the team is coached by Yolamu Ngwira, a former Chrome Stars player.
