Fireworks at table tennis meeting
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday November 11, 2023 06:00
Some of the burning issues included alleged unfair treatment affiliates are subjected to at the hands of vice president-technical, Kabo Mosarwe. The debate came about after Smash Maniacs presented a motion calling for the lifting of suspension of Marriam Matshaba who was in the BTTA team managers' forum. Presenting the motion, the Smash Maniacs development officer, Boykie Selerio said they received a letter from Mosarwe requesting the club to appoint a new representative to the team managers’ forum, which is used as a communication channel between BTTA and clubs. He said in the letter, it was stated that Matshaba was going through a disciplinary process. “We responded seeking clarity and why she should be replaced. We sent the letter to vice president-administration, who was the mediator. That is when the president wrote to us informing us that he had discussed the issue with Mosarwe to follow the disciplinary process as it was under his portfolio,” he said.
Selerio said they received a verdict from BTTA public relations officer (PRO), Tshegofatso Malepa, who was said to have conducted the disciplinary process and decided to suspend Matshaba for one year, including a P500 fine. Selerio said it was surprising that Mosarwe, who was the complainant, led the disciplinary process. “We were shocked when we received the verdict when we thought the disciplinary process was still ongoing, as we were still waiting for the hearing. We feel the process was not conducted as per the constitution. The constitution states that members of the disciplinary committee are the president, vice president-finance, vice president-administration and vice president-technical. In this case, vice president-technical was conflicted,” he said.
Selerio said the BTTA executive committee should have appointed an independent task force to conduct the process. The BTTA president, Kudzanani Motswagole, admitted that the constitution was violated during the process. He requested delegates to vote on the matter and only Nhabe Table Tennis Club voted for Matshaba to continue serving the suspension. Mosarwe was also accused of suspending BTTA members without going through the disciplinary process. Some of the affected members are Bonolo Mabote, Maatla Dikgomo, Seabo Zacharia and Tirelo Tshipinare. Selerio said some of the members have since quit table tennis due to what they perceive as injustice. He also revealed that players' prize money is deducted by charges coming from the vice president-technical office. This affected mostly national team players. When asked to respond to the allegations, Mosarwe chose not to comment. Meanwhile, the financial report was not presented as vice president-finance, Oabona Raditloko, informed the delegates that the financials were still being audited. “The delay was due to receiving our grant late from the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC). The audited financial report will be presented when they are ready,” she said.
She also revealed that the financials that are being audited are for the 2021–2022 financial year. Meanwhile, Motswagole retained his position as president unopposed. The rest of the committee: Reatile Morapedi (vice president-administration), Mosarwe (vice president-technical), Malepa (PRO), Tlamelo Ntebele (additional member), and Raditloko (vice president-finance until a successor is appointed).