South African youth players and their parents were left stranded in Zimbabwe at the African Youth Chess Championship after Chess South Africa failed to pay their accommodation fees on time. Many were left scrambling for rooms, with some spending the night on couches, or being shuffled between hotels, disrupting routines and preparation for the high-level tournament. On Saturday 6 December 2025, 76 South Africans were boarding their flights to Harare, Zimbabwe, to take part in the prestigious African Youth Chess Championship.
However, concern and uncertainty had already been building in the weeks leading up to the tournament after parents tried and failed to receive communication from Chess South Africa (Chess SA) about confirmation of accommodation. Low and behold, upon arriving, not one South African participant and parent was allowed to check in, as the hotel — Cresta Lodge — had not yet received payment from Chess SA. Children as young as eight and their parents were left stranded and having to fend for themselves that night.
While some managed to book accommodation elsewhere, others found themselves on the couches of the hotel sans any food to eat. “It was dismal,” one parent said. “You shouldn’t treat kids like that.” This parent – who will now be referred to as Parent A after requesting anonymity out of fear of repercussions against their child – ended up forking out an extra R5,000 to book a place elsewhere on Saturday.
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The African Youth Chess Championship is a prestigious tournament for junior chess players aged from as young as eight to 18 years old. The tournament, which started on 6 December, is taking place in Harare and has attracted more than 450 young minds from 17 African countries, to compete in a week-long showcase of strategic ability. However, South African participants’ experiences have been marred by a lack of co-ordination and communication in the background.
Seeing the chaos unfold as she was on a much later flight, another parent – hereby called Parent B after also requesting anonymity for the same reason – made alternative sleeping arrangements for her and her child on Saturday night, booking their own shuttle. After landing and being picked up by their transportation, she asked to stop by Cresta Lodge before heading to their other accommodation on the off chance they would be provided their room. They subsequently waited at the hotel for two hours before being told there were no rooms available.
This while some parents and kids had been there since the morning, only to hear that same unwelcome statement: there were no rooms for them. The following day, the day the tournament officially started, some parents sprang into action and began organising places for everyone to sleep, said Parent A. Hotels within the Cresta hospitality group, including Cresta Jameson and Cresta Lodge, began accepting guests for only one night at a time where people could be booked in at 10pm, but were told to vacate by 8am. On Monday, the same thing happened.
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