02 Feb 2025

The football fraternity, family and friends of Anthony ‘Pele’ Ntogwa laid him to rest Saturday at his home village, Jackalas 2.

Ntogwa, a former football referee, died January 26, aged 67, at Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital in Francistown.

One of his caretakers, Motsamai Ntogwa said the deceased had not been well since November last year.

He said since then, he was on periodic check-ups at Nyangabgwe but toward his demise, he seemingly looked better.

Former Tafa Football Club player, Bubah Thamage said he met Ntongwa in 1995 as his teammate who was always punctual for training and smartly dressed.  

“He always took his time to dress up and keeping the morale in the camp up with his lively jokes,” he said.

Thamage recalled one game against Black Peril when they got instruction from their fortune teller not to speak to their opponents in order to win.

He said the game ended and went for extra time without uttering a word to them and they won. 

Ntogwa played for Sebele United, Black Peril, Tafa Sporting Club, Gareitiri Social Club and was founder of Jack 2 legends and a qualified referee.

Botswana Football Association representative, Meshack Medupi said the football world lost a legend and a contributor to its development as a referee. 

A member of the Zion Christian Church Ntogwa was able to distribute his time equally between football and the church and his absence was never felt in any of the two.

His aunts, Leva Sechele said Ntogwa was a parent and a sheltering tree to all members of the family. 

She also described him as a good dancer especially at church ‘mkhukhu’, a good football player who wholeheartedly loved the sport and was full of laughter. ENDS