Interest in TAFIC's top job piles
Chakalisa Dube | Friday November 27, 2020 13:49
The position fell vacant after Carlos Sebina was voted into the Botswana Football Association (BFA) executive committee in October.
The club’s elective Annual General Meeting (AGM) was initially set for the first week of November, but was postponed to tomorrow due to lack of interest in the contest.
Former TAFIC branding and marketing manager, Tebogo Toteng is amongst those who have expressed desire to challenge for the position.
Nearly five years ago, Toteng was given the task of leading the club’s re-branding strategy. However, the initiative fizzled out when he left office.
Another familiar face at TAFIC, Christopher Ollyn has raised his hand. Ollyn is a former BDF XI player and at one point he served as TAFIC welfare manager.
He is also amongst TAFIC’s council of elders. TAFIC diehard supporter, Oarabile Phemelo is also in the race. He is a former chairperson of the club’s supporters committee.
Yesterday Ollyn said that should he be voted into office, his aim is to foster a relationship between the club’s executive and supporters.
“For years, we have been alternating between the First Division North and Premier League. I believe this is because the club management and supporters do not have a strong working relationship. There is disharmony because the two parties often have varying ambitions for the club,” he said.
Ollyn believes a strong working relationship should be the foundation of the club’s commercialisation strategy.
“We cannot talk about privatisation if there is no good working relationship between the executive and supporters,” he said.
The club has for some time been trying to implement the privatisation strategy to no avail. Toteng also shared his vision for TAFIC.
“I take the mission to lead TAFIC seriously. If voted in I want to drive TAFIC towards privatisation, which would then usher in a commercialisation plan. My first action, if elected is to appoint a one or two men team to drive this. I also want the club to attract the best players and remunerate them properly.”
Toteng also believes that with strong planning the club can leverage on the goodwill of its brand to drive a commercialisation plan and return to the Premier League for good.
“My vision for TAFIC is shared by many staunch and never die TAFIC fans. There is no doubt TAFIC is the biggest brand in the north, which over the years has failed to live up to expectation. What sets TAFIC apart is the loyalty of our fans and we have not fully repaid that loyalty. It is my intention that together we build TAFIC into an outfit that we can all be proud of.
“I know the history of the club. I have played for the club and have served in its various sub committees. In the past, the executive was led by people who only wanted to use the position to elevate their status in the society. This has made it hard to pursue the privatisation roadmap. That is why I want to contest for the position of chairperson. I do not have any ambitions of elevating my social status, my sole aim is to help improve the status of the club.”
Phemelo noted that his main goal is to restore the club’s credibility to the business community.
“The best strategy will be to restore the club’s credibility to engage in partnerships with businesses rather than directly asking for money as sponsorship. This will ultimately kill the perception that the executive mismanages funds from sponsors. Once that has been achieved we can then focus on the privatisation strategy,” he said.
He also noted that he would educate the supporters to back the club’s privatisation initiative.
He said the club’s privatisation strategy is failing to take off because it has not received backing from the supporters as critical stakeholders.
Meanwhile, former TAFIC secretary-general Foster Machola who resigned unceremoniously has thrown his name in the ring to contest for the position of vice chairperson.
Machola is unopposed. Obusitswe Pitlagano is also unopposed for the position of secretary-general. Gilbert Makombo, Kabelo Dipholo and Thuso Mudongo contest the position of communications and marketing manager.
Tabona Jopi and Wililani Nteba will vie for the position of technical manager while Kamogelo Tamokate is unopposed for the position of welfare manager.
The position of additional member has attracted five contestants Timothy Dickson, Thato Mbenge, Martha Masokola, Mpho Keforilwe and Tumelano Maphosa. So far the treasurer, vice treasurer and deputy secretary-general are unchallenged.