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Nico players owed salaries for the whole season

Players of the relegated Nico United are owed salaries for the whole season, the club’s former Treasurer, Kgakgamatso broke the news recently at the club’s Annual General Assembly at Lekadiba Club. He said the club’s monthly wage bill stand at P80, 000 and that the club is currently sitting on a P700, 000 debt.


Moreri revealed that some players have since taken the legal route to force the club to pay them. He said that they have since appeared before court and the club has been ordered to pay outstanding salaries, a directive unlikely to be met in a short time and likely to attract subsequent penalties. Moreri noted that they have since paid over P25, 000 in rental arrears after the landlord approached the courts for redress. It appears if Nico’s financial trouble does not subsides, it is likely to be embattled with court appearances and lawsuits.


Nico’s expenditure stands at around P700, 000 in the just ended season, largely relying on the Premier League grants and donations from good Samaritans as well as gate takings. The club’s slightly over P600, 000 income made in the 2016/17 season was all consumed in the expenditure which exclude payment of salaries. Players were only paid “inadequate” bonuses way below their salaries in the months of October, December and January. Nico United’s expenditure include paying for housing and utilities for its players.


Moreri also noted that the club’s technical sponsorship deal with Pedigree Sport has come to end and pleaded with the team to look into issues of membership as the club has no registered and subscribing members since the closure of BCL. Nico made around P25, 000 in subscription fees from its members who worked at the mine. Nico has been falling in the premiership log-standing since 2013. The Phikwe based outfit were runners-up in the 2012/13 season and fell to position five the following season. It went on to drop to position nine, position 11 and 14 in the 2014/14, 2014/16, and 2016/17 respectively.


The General Assembly ended with the election of a new Executive Committee to run the club in the next four years as per the club’s constitution. Moagi Tshupego has been elected chairman with Ace Moloko and Okemetse Matebejane as his Vice Chairman Administration and Technical respectively. Busang Moalosi and Phinda Mbereki have retained the positions of Team Manager-Welfare and Team Manger-Logistics respectively. Bangulani Choolisa was elected Treasurer while Ace Orapeleng retained as Public Relations Officer.


 The position of Secretary went to Esther Ikaneng, assisted by Tshinyegelo Mogote while Supporters Chairperson was won by Mathiba Mothelo. Joseph Kelekwang was voted in as Kit Manager while Samuel Ponatshego and Kgakgamatso Moreri are additional members.
Meanwhile, renounced Sport Analyst, Vusa Ziga of Botswana Television advised Nico United to be united as they will now be playing at first division, warning that if the club fails to gain promotion to the BTC Premiership in two years, its chances of going back to the elite league will be very elusive.


“You have to come up with new strategies that will help to promote the team from first division. Nico is going to depend more supporters to run the club and if we do not get promotion in the next two years, we will follow on the footsteps of FC Satmos,” he said.
Ziga, who is BTV’s General Manager for Projects and a Nico United supporter is one of the club’s well-wishers who has helped Nico financially in the last season. On this day, he donated five soccer balls to show his continues support for the club.


The new committee’s first task is to meet former FIFA Development Officer, Ashfold Mamelodi to help them strategise and establish a working relationship with Real Movers, another Selebi Phikwe based team that will be playing alongside Nico in the Debswana First Division North. Mamelodi is said to have volunteered his mentorship skills to lend a helping hand to Nico United in order to see the club return to BTC Premiership.

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BFA slow-stepping efforts in Wilson’s quest for citizenship?

18th March 2024

A quarter of a year ago, Zebras’ strategist, Didier Gomes Da Rosa, took a decisive step by enlisting midfielder Brandon Wilson, who flexes his soccer prowess at Ha Noi Football Club (FC) in Vietnam.

Yet, the 27-year-old sensation found himself benched before the game even started, due to his Australian nationality, despite his roots firmly planted in Gaborone, Botswana.

Fast forward to today, and Wilson’s name is still missing from the latest Zebras’ lineup for the forthcoming four-nation friendly extravaganza set to unfold in Madagascar.

Pundits from the local football arena argue that this tournament, starring The Zebras alongside Madagascar, Rwanda, and Burundi as hosts, presented a golden ticket for Wilson to unveil his skills, merge his playstyle with his teammates, and pass down his seasoned insights to the squad.

Looking ahead, The Zebras face a rugged path in their 2026 World Cup Qualifiers Group, battling titans like Algeria, Somalia, Guinea, and Uganda—teams studded with Europe-based talents. Integrating Wilson into the team now would be nothing short of strategic.

Amidst this saga, a ray of hope shined through a High Court ruling, suggesting the Botswana government’s nod towards dual citizenship, potentially giving the BFA the nudge it needed to expedite Wilson’s case.

Yet, as 2023 unfurls, Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Anna Mokgethi, hinted at a six-month timeline to legislating this change. “We’re laying down the legal and procedural groundwork to enable dual citizenship. This process will span at least six months.

This waiting game could be pegged to aligning with the court of appeal’s decision.

“This buffer is designed to ensure a seamless transition, enabling talents like Wilson to clinch their Botswana passports and don the Zebras jersey,”

On the V.League 1 Table (Vietnam) – 2023/24 front, Wilson’s squad, Ha Noi FC, is holding sixth place after 13 showdowns, boasting 19 points—a commendable feat for their freshman year in Vietnam’s Elite League.

Since his leap to Ha Noi FC on September 5, 2023, Wilson has left his mark on 15 matches across domestic and AFC Champions League arenas, an impressive feat for his inaugural season.

In a recent WeekendSport dialogue, Da Rosa sung praises of Wilson’s gameplay. “Wilson’s mastery of the field, his spatial awareness, and ball reception, earmark him as a midfield marvel. His strategic positioning is a lesson in discipline, a skill set our team can greatly benefit from.

“He’s a crucial cog in our quest toward the 2026 World Cup dream,” Da Rosa said.

 

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Kemoeng’s departure opens doors for School sports – BOSETU

18th March 2024

The departure of Kitso Kemoeng from the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture has been met with a sigh of relief by many, particularly by the Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU). Kemoeng’s tenure as Permanent Secretary was marked by a lack of progress and engagement on the issue of reinstating school sports, which has been a crucial aspect of child development in Botswana.

BOSETU had accused Kemoeng of being a stumbling block to the resuscitation of school sports, citing his arrogant and anti-engagement attitude towards the issue. His transfer to the Botswana Public Service College has been seen as a positive development by the union, as it signals a clear message that non-delivery and lack of vision will not be tolerated within the government.

The union has expressed confidence in the new Permanent Secretary, Bright John, who is expected to bring a fresh perspective and understanding of the importance of sports and culture in the holistic development of children. The absence of school sports in Botswana has had a detrimental impact on the youth and the development of sports in the country, and it is imperative that immediate action is taken to reinstate these programs.

According to BOSETU the departure of Kemoeng from the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture is a step in the right direction towards reviving school sports in Botswana. The union and other stakeholders are hopeful that under the leadership of Bright John, progress will be made in ensuring the well-being and development of the youth through sports. It is time to breathe a sign of relief and look forward to a brighter future for school sports in Botswana.

 

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Will Makhwengwe’s exit halt Tafic’s remarkable streak?

24th February 2024

The abrupt severance of ties between Tafic Football Club and its erstwhile commander-in-chief, Philemon Makhwengwe, colloquially celebrated as the “Spin Doctor”, has sent ripples through the football aficionado community, given his laudable stewardship in the 2023/24 Botswana Premier League (BPL) crusade. The narrative of Matjimenyenga, as Tafic is affectionately dubbed, narrates a saga of resilience, having faced the ignominy of relegation to the Debswana First Division North on two occasions prior.

The chronicle of their fall from grace in 2018, settling at a dismal 14th place with a record marred by more losses than victories, delineates a club in dire need of strategic revival. Fast-forward to the present campaign, and the transformation under Makhwengwe’s aegis has been nothing short of remarkable. At the cessation of 16 rounds, Tafic perched at the fifth position with 24 points is a testament to an emboldened renaissance.

However, the plot thickened on the 20th of February, 2024, as Tafic pronounced the departure of Makhwengwe from his coaching pedestal via a Facebook communiqué, a move that bewildered the football-watching public. Discrepancies surfaced, with reports attributing his departure to discord with the club’s upper echelons over proposed adjustments within the technical team, painting a picture of internal discord.

Makhwengwe, a tactician revered for his prowess in architecting footballing triumphs, has been instrumental in Tafic’s ascent from the quagmire of league standings to a commendable sixth position. This leaves the footballing realm in suspense over Tafic’s trajectory post-Makhwengwe, especially after their recent conquest over Gaborone United, thrusting them into a formidable league position.

Amidst this backdrop of controversy, where Makhwengwe’s own assertions conflict with the official narrative – oscillating between resignation and dismissal – the saga unfolds with layers of intrigue. The spectacle calls into question the capacity of Tafic to sustain their impressive run. The precedence set by Cote D’Ivoire’s astonishing turnaround at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a managerial upheaval offers a glimmer of unpredictability inherent in football, though juxtaposing club football dynamics with international fixtures holds its own set of complexities.

As Tafic grapples with the loss of one of Botswana’s most esteemed coaching figures, the overarching question looms: How will this episode influence their fortunes as the season wades into its critical junctures? With the BPL already witnessing a carousel of coaching departures, Tafic’s saga adds a compelling chapter to the unfolding narrative of a league characterized by flux and fervor. The departure of Makhwengwe not only marks a pivotal moment for Tafic but underscores the perennial dance between stability and upheaval in the quest for footballing glory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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