Men urged to stop bulldozing women in netball
Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday June 16, 2026 10:17
The call was made by director for sport development at Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC), Peaceful Seleka, during netball’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held over the weekend highlighting that men’s netball was growing at a fast rate. His address comes a week after Botswana Netball Association’s (BONA) National Executive Committee (NEC) took a decision to cancel men’s league finals due to match fixing allegations. Despite the games being called off, those for women continued with Jwaneng netball club crowned league champions for Division A while Prisons are the champions of Division B. On the other hand, Thamaga Jaspers emerged as Under-17 champions. Seleka said despite the growth, it should not overshadow women's netball, adding that as things stand, women participation in sport remains a challenge.
Meanwhile, he highlighted that there are three critical pillars that will determine the future success and sustainability of netball in Botswana, good governance, development and collaboration. He said as sport continues to evolve globally, good governance has become non-negotiable requirement for successful National Sport Associations (NSAs). “Good governance is not merely about compliance with regulations, it is about accountability, transparency, ethical leadership, effective decision-making, and responsible management of resources,” Seleka said in giving a keynote address on behalf of Botswana National Sport Commission’s CEO. “Organisations that embrace good governance create confidence among athletes, members, partners, government and potential sponsors.” Seleka added BONA should continue to embrace governance, best practices and to view compliance not as a burden but as a strategic tool that can unlock growth opportunities and enhance the reputation of the association.
He advised that athlete development cannot be achieved through training alone, as athletes improve through regular competition. Seleka noted that competitions provide opportunities for skill development, performance evaluation, tactical improvement and mental preparation. “BONA has an ambition to participate in the forthcoming Netball World Cup qualifiers scheduled for September in Kenya. “It will be an opportunity for Botswana netball to showcase its talent and compete against some of the best teams on the continent. Such participation contributes significantly to athlete exposure, performance, benchmarking and international experience,” he added. For her part, BONA president, Mpopi Moatlhodi said in the past year, they witnessed encouraging developments in the association. She revealed that everyone including athletes, coaches, technical officials, administrators, and volunteers demonstrated dedication and resilience despite the challenging economic environment that they are operating in.
“The future of netball in Botswana depends on our collective efforts. By working together with government, the sporting fraternity, sponsors, and our valued stakeholders, we can continue to create opportunities for our athletes and ensure that netball remains a sport that empowers individuals, builds communities and promotes national pride,” she said. The AGM endorsed Lebole Matlapeng as BONA treasurer while three clubs, Dinare, Egan and Vipers were accepted as affiliates. Vipers are making a comeback after being kicked out at last year’s AGM following non-compliant claims. As such, the side missed out on playing the just ended league.