17 Jan 2022

Football supporters will, through voting, decide teams that will play in the inaugural Mascom Charity Cup.

Eight teams, which finished on the top eight bracket last season: Jwaneng Galaxy, Township Rollers, Orapa United, Security Systems, Gaborone United, Prisons, BR Highlanders and BDF X1 will compete for the only four positions in the cup.

Speaking at its launch in Gaborone yesterday, Mascom chief executive officer, Dzene Makhwade-Seboni said the charity cup would be powered by MyZaka.

She said four teams participating in the Mascom Charity Cup would be determined by fans through SMS.

“Four teams with the highest votes will compete against each other in a one-day tournament with the champions walking away with P250 000,” she said.

She said Mascom would spend over P1.1 million in the extravaganza. The funds would cater for travel and accommodation costs for the top four teams as well as other requirements to enable smooth running of the games.

“I must underscore that the Mascom Charity Cup is for charity, therefore, the eligible football teams have identified preferred charities which they would like to support. Proceeds from the SMS voting lines will go to charities selected by each participating team,” Makhwade-Seboni.

SMS voting lines opened yesterday and will close on February 28 with each SMS set at P1.50.  The SMS line, 16001 is open to all Mascom subscribers.

Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development acting permanent secretary, Kitso Kemoeng, urged Mascom to ensure water-tight competition rules and regulations.

“The last thing a partner would want is to be associated with a controversial competition which makes headlines for wrong reasons,” he said.

Kemoeng said it would not be a bad idea to have one or two international clubs invited each year, adding that this would not only enhance the clout of the competition, but also its income generation potential.
He said he was confident that the Mascom Charity Cup would not only provide clubs and players with another exposure opportunity, but it would provide the well needed capital injection to participating clubs.

For his part, Botswana Football Association president, Maclean Letshwiti, said since 2005, Mascom always played a critical part in the game.

“If there is anyone who has been widely accepted by football, it is you because your endurance in the beautiful game can never be questioned. We thank you for this spirit and pray that indeed, it continues forever,” he said.

He said Mascom’s gesture was a challenge to Business Botswana to introspect and reflect further on what it could do to help drive the BFA mandateA.

Letshwiti said it was important that stakeholders and partners come together especially looking at the impact and damage COVID-19 pandemic had done to football. ENDS