Low turnout for Netball Pitso
Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday March 3, 2026 12:27
Clubs that were present include Notwane, BDF, Jwaneng, Morupule while UB attended briefly. The Pitso was meant for Botswana Netball Association (BONA) affiliates and executive committee to introspect and map the way forward. BONA president, Mpopi Moatlhodi told Sport Monitor that the low turnout was due to the many activities that were taking place at the same time. She said despite that, things went according to plan. In her welcome remarks, Moatlhodi said the Pitso was an opportunity for netball to reflect on its journey, to celebrate success and confront challenges with honesty.
She added it was also meant to allow them to collectively shape the future of netball in Botswana by strengthening governance, enhancing development pathways, improving competitiveness and improving sustainability at all levels of the sport.
“The Pitso is a platform of open dialogue, a place where voices are heard, ideas are shared and direction is shaped collectively. The Pitso was not a platform for personal attacks or settle old score, while we hold different views, we must engage one another with respect and professionalism,” Moatlhodi said.
“We are not here to resolver unresolved historical conflict, we are not here to dissolve what has been bothering us at a personal level. Pitso is not a space for division, factionalism or blame fixing. Netball is bigger than any individual, zone or club, our responsibility therefore I to the sport and athletes who depend on us for leadership and direction.”
Moatlhodi said the Pitso was not about opening the past without purpose, they acknowledge their history but they had gathered to focus on solutions and map way forward, not to spread misinformation.
She noted the event was also not meant to protect positions or advance personal interest, but to protect and advance netball in Botswana.
She highlighted that this is a crucial year for Botswana netball, particularly with upcoming Netball World Cup qualifiers.
Botswana last competed at the Netball World Cup in 2007, when the tournament was hosted in New Zealand and was in the same group with Malawi, Wales and host country.
Moatlhodi said it was time for the country to reclaim its glory on the global stage.
“It has been quite a while since we played in the World Cup, it is time to reclaim our glory. We should now gather pace and chart a sustainable future for Botswana netball,” she added.
Meanwhile, former BONA president, Tebogo Lebotse -Sebego, reflected on the lessons learnt from the successful hosting of the 2017 Netball World Youth Cup (NWYC).
She said the idea to host the NWYC was born in 2009 in Cooks Islands, because they felt that if a small island country can host, Botswana was able to host.
“To succeed we respected the chain of command. In simple terms, there were competition managers who owned the field of play, and even though I was the president then, they could kick me out of their meetings and I did not have access to the netball court during the games. We were also intentional to bring Batswana closer to the game. “We targeted students, children and families. We wanted #ReABatsaa to be chanted from mouths of babies and to date children who were in pre-school then still remember the day #Naletsana visited their schools,” she said.
Lebotse- Sebego believes the blueprint for success still exists. She said netball has what it takes to return to the prominence and national excitement experienced during the #ReABaTsaa era, and many of the people who drove that success remain available to contribute once again.