Following the hold-up by the Botswana Boxing Association (BoBA) to stage their Ordinary General Meeting last year, this weekend’s OGM will be a make or break gathering which could leave the boxing Executive Committee limping. At the meeting, BoBA is expected to make a decision whether to reinstate or replace three suspended committee members.

The Association which has lately been involved in some fracases went at it again last month, slapping two executive members and an umpire/judge with suspension letters. Both Gibson Rauwe and Phetogo Tsheko were suspended “due to lack of accountability’’. Rauwe who leads the technical committee is accused for failing to account for funds used at a youth development tournament in Nata and also for “swindling” the association subscription fees for two Ghantsi clubs. As for the events manager Tsheko, he is alleged to have misused funds in the last year’s trip to the African Championships in Morocco.

The two suspensions, along with that of the umpire Victor Mhlanga, who is facing charges of officiating in South Africa without been granted  permission by the local association has left tongues wagging. Disgruntled affiliates have made it clear to this paper that they will seek answers as to what really led to the suspensions of the three. “We are the same people who voted them to power and it only makes sense for us to demand explanations at the meeting as to what happened and obviously the way forward,” one of the affiliates said. “For Mhlanga I can’t get much into it because I think its petty, but to a certain degree maybe they are justified,” added one of the affiliates. The duo according to the letter “will only be reinstated into office upon retirement of funds that were advanced to them”. “What if they don’t retire the funds, are we going to have an incomplete committee,” another member quizzed.

While the matter is still before the association’s Disciplinary Committee (DC) headed by BoBA Legal Advisor Kebonye Modisa there are reports that the victims are contemplating resignations. “Rauwe is employed by Botswana Prison Service and Tsheko is at Diamond Trading Centre and their reputations are at stake here because they are employed at organisations that are against crime hence they plan to leave the association.” When the association’s media liaison Kenny Maragana was contacted for comment he confirmed the suspensions but could not dwell much on the issue. “The matter is before our DC so I can’t deliberate much on it,’’ he briefly explained. The affiliates are again expected to challenge the legitimacy on which the legal advisor is heading the association’s DC as they want Boxing to create a penalising committee within its office with the legal advisor acting as the overseer.

BOXING TEAM LEAVEs FOR ZONE VI

After the association hold their OGM, the national team will leave for Mozambique tomorrow where they will embark on their mission retaining their title as conquerors of southern Africa. The team which boast of experienced coaches in Thebe Setlalekgosi (ladies) Johannes Ditlhabang (Men) is expected to retain the throne. The local pugilists have been in rigorous training since last year hence they fancy their chances of defending their last year’s feat. ”It’s not the first time we will be facing our opponents but with the training we had we will come back with something,” female pugilist Keamogetse Kenosi promised.