27 Feb 2023

Tsabong community and businesses have been challenged to invest in football to benefit from the demographic dividend presented by the game.
Investing in the sport would cushion inadequate grant that regional structures obtained from the football mother body.

 
Botswana Football Association (BFA) national executive committee member Alec Monyake said this during a stakeholder engagement by Tsabong Regional Football Association (TRFA) in Tsabong recently.
He said TRFA is a structure funded by BFA subvention of P30 000 per annum, adding that the funds were not sufficient to adequately run football.

Monyake said in essence, a 90-minute game was potentially packed with great opportunities for the community, hence the need for them to see the value chain opportunities presented by a game of football.
The hospitality industry, retail, vendors, transport and tourism sectors stood to benefit from a game fixture in their locality.

He called for the business community to rally behind local teams through financial sponsorship as the football contributed to creation of employment opportunities indirectly, this he said could keep the local economy running.
The NEC member also drummed up the business community to reward players with prize giving ceremonies as a motivating factor.
Thus he called for members of the community to sponsor football and donate office space, which the BFA will support.

He said land for football grounds belonging to the community must be developed with relevant infrastructure such as proper lighting, and a turf.
“A re seka ra bonela such playgrounds at Gaborone only,” he said.
Furthermore Monyake encouraged locals to be involved in sports administration by training as court officials as such were some of the rewarding jobs in football.
 “A referee with a CAF B License is paid P850 per game when officiating a premier league game. When officiating first division teams a referee pockets P540 per game,” he said.
He challenged TRFA to host more tournaments as they were important to the community, businesses and the teams in Tsabong.

 “When teams have more game time they tend to perform better. It also improves quality of players produced and players stand a chance to be selected to bigger teams,” he said.

TRFA league committee member, Tshoganetso Mangole spelt out the challenges that stifled them from forging ahead as teams in remote areas positioned far away from urban areas.
 He called for the business community and BFA to assist with transport and accommodation when teams played in Gaborone.

 “It is difficult to raise money from this side because people have little purchasing power here,” he said.
“Our youngsters have great talent, but they are not working, and so encouraging them to play football could help to curb criminal activities as they will be kept busy with football,” he said.
Football, he said promoted tourism, “When supporters come to Tsabong for a football match, chances are that they will visit camel Park and other destinations, which will add value to the outfit,” he said.
Mangole said as such the trickle down economic effect should be taken into consideration.
During the event, most businesses and community members pledged to support the shining Black Rangers FC, which played in the First Division South league to prop it to the next level.
TRFA chairperson, Keleeme Bahakgametse appreciated the positive spirit of such an engagement which was organised to drum up support from stakeholders, business community, and government departments in the Tsabong District. ENDS