12 May 2024

Botswana Softball Masters Association (BOSMA) on May 10 donated a house to Joseph Kgosiemang in Matsiloje.

Kgosiemang, formerly employed as a groundsman at the softball grounds, National Diamond in Gaborone, retired in 2019 due to ill health.

BOSMA Chairperson, Gloria Gaosikelwe said she first met with Kgosiemang commonly known as ‘Uncle Joe’ in 1980 while working as a groundsman at National Diamond.

She said because of ill health, Kgosiemangs had to depend on a wheel chair to move around, making it impossible for him to continue with his daily tasks.

By building him a house, Gaosikelwe said BOSMA was in a way appreciating Kgosiemang for his tremendous work.

“We have found it ideal to build him a studio pad, as it would ease his movement inside the house.

By the way Kgosiemang is now recovering as he is using crutches to walk”, she added.

Furthermore, Gaosikelwe said they did not gift Kgosiemang a house because he was impoverished, but rather as a token of appreciation towards the services he rendered for the softball community.

She noted that Kgosiemang was very diligent when it came to his job, as he did it wholeheartedly.

Kgosiemang is described as a father figure, who raised a lot of individuals in the softball community and even taught some of the softball legends how to do the markings of the softball pitch as well as its upkeep.

“Kgosiemang even went to the extent of buying a softball rule book to further equip himself with the skills of softball and to teach the players rules of the game. He indeed had love for the game,” said Gaosikelwe.

For his part, Member of Parliament for Tati East Constituency remembered Kgosiemang from his schooling days.

Dr Letsholathebe attests that Kgosiemeang was really good at his job as he did not only take care of the National Diamond softball pitch, but equally ensured that other sporting fields in the vicinity were looked after.

He said BOSMA was leading in an exceptional manner, indicating that in life people needed each other’s support. Appreciating the gift, Kgosiemang expressed sincere gratitude stating that at first he was a football fanatic, but later on fell in love with softball as he spent too much time around it.

He said his love for softball was highly influential as his three children were now playing softball adding that his goal was to adopt Matsiloje Junior Secondary School softball team. ENDS