BNSC’s grant cut by P10m
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday May 29, 2026 13:17
Critically, BOKA had already received just over P436,000 in advance, which leaves the association with a balance of just above P63,000.
The karate body is in tier two of the BNSC's funding system.
BOKA also received P100,000 in direct and indirect allocation, according to a communication from the BNSC CEO, Olebile Sikwane. “You are requested to submit a detailed breakdown of how the direct allocation will be utilised by June 5. No less than 40% of the total allocation is dedicated to development, and no more than 30% is allocated to each of the competition and administration categories,” reads the letter signed by Sikwane. Speaking to MmegiSport, BOKA president, Mpho Bakwadi, said things are going to be tough for the association. “We appreciate what government and BNSC continue to do for karate, but the allocation is never enough considering the demands of the sport,” he said.
“We already have athletes who qualified for the African Championships in Algeria later this year, and international participation is expensive in terms of flights, accommodation, training camps, equipment, and athlete preparations.”
Bakwadi highlighted that BNSC funding assists the association to survive, but it limits many of their plans and forces them to prioritise only the most critical activities.
According the president, some development programmes and competitions would be scaled down unless additional sponsorship comes in. Asked about his reaction to the tier system, Bakwadi said the system is not a proper solution to sport funding. “Whilst we understand there has to be a structure for funding, some sports have bigger international obligations and more active participation than others. “For karate, we continue to produce results internationally and qualify athletes for major events, but the financial support still remains a challenge. “The system needs to be reviewed and more consultation with National Sport Associations to ensure funding reflects activity levels, performance and international commitments,” Bakwadi said. He argued that karate deserved more support, especially considering the results karatekas continue to achieve internationally and the number of young people involved in the sport.
Bakwadi said karate is one of the most active sporting codes and continues to positively impact youth development and discipline.
He said BOKA would now shift focus to prepare for international championships, national competitions, and referees development, including local activities, amongst others. “The state of affairs means we should be aggressive in attracting sponsors because government support alone cannot sustain the growth of karate. “We need stronger partnerships with the private sector and corporate sponsors if we want to compete seriously at the highest level,” Bakwadi added. Meanwhile, BNSC Director of Sport Development, Peaceful Seleka, told MmegiSport that the problem is not the tier system but what sport gets as a grant from the government. “You can check with all the countries, football never gets the same amount as swimming, motorsport or any other code. BNSC allocation is P10 million less than what we received last financial year,” Seleka said.
Last year, the BNSC received P161 million from the government.