Rollers ‘single and searching’ after fourth investor break-up
Mqondisi Dube | Friday May 2, 2025 12:37
First there was Sommerset Gobuiwang, a man credited with pioneering the transition of Township Rollers from a society to a professional entity with a commercial wing.
Gobuiwang brought on board Jagdish Shah and Rollers’ dominance was further accelerated as the club cantered towards a record 16th league title.
But by then, the fires had been stoked and the two friends had turned foes. Gobuiwang was losing grip as Shah became a popular figure amongst the Blues’ faithful. This was around 2015 and Rollers had to make a choice; stick with Gobuiwang and go with a businessman awash with cash.
The period was highly charged and Gobuiwang felt betrayed by both the legion of Popa fans he had come to call family over the years, and tellingly, Shah, a man he had introduced to Rollers. Gobuiwang became increasingly isolated and it became apparent that he was losing the war of attrition as the presence of Shah and how he had presented his future project, resonated well with the masses. Rollers recorded its first acrimonious divorce with a man who had given his all to Rollers walking away dejected.
Under Shah, as prominent lawyer, Kgosietsile Ngakaagae contends in a piece penned this week, Rollers recorded immense success as the “pony tailed no nonsense CA Sales merchant burnt his name into the hearts of Popa supporters.”
Shah became a messiah — not just for Rollers, but for local football as a whole — with the club emerging as the perfect template for how to run a team successfully. To an extent, this envious situation sparked other clubs into action, and a previously feuding Gaborone United saw the need to bring back ZAC Construction director, Nicholas Zakhem.
Other clubs made attempts to copy the blueprint with varying degrees of success. The Rollers juggernaut was in full swing on and off the field as commercial partners tripped to be associated with local football’s most visible brand.
But whilst the party was still on, behind the scenes trouble was brewing. Reports emerged that Shah wanted full control of the club, increasing his stake from 80% to 100%. That could not happen, refused the society, which to date, retains 20% of the shares. It became apparent that Rollers was headed for another ugly split as images of the team’s bus being stripped off its branding became a poignant reminder of what lay ahead. For some within the club, there was a sinking feeling but at the other end, die-hard Popa fans were defiant, declaring “Rollers was there before us and it will be there after Shah, the club is bigger than individuals.”
On May 31, 2023, the umbilical cord between Shah and Popa was cut in the most violent manner, plunging the club into an uncertain future, that had been, prior, spoilt for resources.
Through the Mapalastina door, walked the lesser heralded businessman, Jimmy Kereng who took control after the departure of Shah. Kereng was expected to be in charge in a 10-year-deal, but six months into the arrangement, signs of a faltering relationship started to emerge. Insiders say Kereng could have underestimated the task at hand as it proved financially draining to prop-up Popa, with one of the biggest wage bills in the Premiership.
This was a third break-up, and of the three, it was the less acrimonious as Kereng moved on to find other suitable offers. Kereng’s departure opened doors for the arrival of Tendani Sebata, thereto, unknown on the local shores. The transport business mogul promised to take Rollers to the land of milk and honey, rekindling memories of the old flame that was Shah.
“Relax, the funds are there but I cannot tell you how much,” Sebata assured journalists during a press conference to announce the partnership. Whilst Rollers and Sebata painted a rosy picture in public, bubbles of discontent simmered behind the scenes. Sebata had signed a deal under the Popa Popa Investment, one of the two commercial arms of the club. Sebata later discovered that Shah was still the majority holder in Township Holdings, and insisted that the deal be revised. He accused the committee, led by Bafana Pheto of misrepresentation. The other issue that broke the camel’s back involved the committee’s failure to inform the Botswana Football League (BFL) and the Botswana Football Association (BFA) of the ownership changes.
A new contract was drawn after the initial one with Popa Popa Investments was declared null and void. This time, sources said, Sebata got his wish to take control of Township Holdings, after efforts to ‘get’ it back from Shah. It is said the process was challenged in court by Shah.
Despite the new contract, where Sebata was to provide P8 million per season, up from the P7 million in the initial contract, the new investor dragged signing the revised deal.
Ultimately, there were demands for 100% ownership from Sebata, which was reportedly refused by the general membership, which still holds 20% of the shares.
This week, Sebata Consolidated Holdings cut ties with Rollers, marking the departure of a fourth investor in the last decade. The future of the assets bought by Sebata remains unclear, with reports they could be returned to the investor, whilst a legal route to recoup some of the investment could be in the offing.
The Rollers committee has chosen to deal with the matter behind closed doors and indicated it will engage Sebata for a smooth separation.