BOPSSA eyes two major take overs

Calistus Kolantsho | Friday December 12, 2014 20:20

 

BOPSSA president, Busani Segweni said they are negotiating with Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) to be given the Re Ba Bona Ha programme because it is currently under different sporting codes.

Re Ba Bona Ha was launched in 2002 before Debswana came on aboard in 2008.

Segweni said codes that are involved in the programme are boxing, football, softball, rugby, basketball, cricket, karate, athletics, chess, volleyball, tennis and judo. He admitted that they might not be having enough resources at the moment, but given a chance they cannot disappoint. He mentioned that they would not forget their core mandate, which is teaching.

He pointed out that they always remind teachers who are involved in sports not to neglect their work.

 Segweni said development programmes should be under them because they deal directly with the beneficiaries being pupils. He revealed that BOPSSA has held some negotiations with the sponsors of A1 Hardware and Electrical about the take over and they have also shown interest.

Segweni said the sponsor is even willing to increase the sponsorship next year.  The competition is meant for Under-13 boys and girls and was the brainchild of Mogomotsi Otsetswe who started it in Selebi-Phikwe in 2009. The competition is aimed at promoting athletics at grassroots level. Meanwhile, Segweni said BOPSSA elective general meeting was held in Palapye last week. He said the meeting elected a new secretary general being Thapelo Jacob from Gantsi region and Koziba Lebala from the South region as the treasurer.

ìThe attendance was poor due to various factors such regions being unable to pay teachers overtime and subsistence allowances.  Despite that, all regions were represented,î he said.  Segweni mentioned that Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) and Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) have pledged to sponsor some of BOPSSA activities next year.

He stated that a huge chunk of the sponsorship would go towards the teachers.

 He noted that the mandate of BOPSSA is to organise activities and venues but payments are the role of the government and unions.

Segweni said they have managed to conduct all the activities that they planned for the year except cross-country athletics and seven-a-side football.

Segweni called upon parents to continue encouraging their children to participate in sports.

He said some children might not do well academically but excel in sports.