BFA election pits 'allies' against each other
Mqondisi Dube | Friday July 10, 2020 12:55
Fobby Radipotsane and Maokaneng Bontshetse have become synonymous with BFA elections, and have never been on the losing camp.
They fought to bring in Dikgang Phillip Makgalemele in 2004, before they decamped to campaign for David Fani four years later.
Fani beat Makgalemele, but before long, Radipotsane and Bontshetse were propping up a new candidate, Tebogo Sebego.
Their winning streak continued as Sebego was installed as the new BFA president in 2012.
The two ‘kingmakers’ were soon on the road, with Bontshetse backing Maclean Letshwiti ahead of the 2016 polls. However, Radipotsane decided to ‘abstain’ and did not back any candidate.
“They were both fine with me, I did not have any problem,” Radipotsane said.
Letshwiti emerged victorious, with Bontshetse key in the campaign. Up until recently, the Bontshetse-Radipotsane axis had remained intact.
However, jostling for the 2020 BFA positions proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Bontshetse reportedly made it clear to the Letshwiti camp that he would only stand for the second vice president position.
The camp preferred incumbent Masego Nchingane, with Bontshetse reportedly offered another position.
“I will not make way for anyone, not even Jesus,” a defiant Bontshetse said recently, before switching allegiances. The Francistown football region chairperson has since moved on to the Sebego camp.
Radipotsane in the meantime, had shown interest as additional member, but quit at the last minute citing infighting.
Reports are that he has remained with the Letshwiti camp, separating him with his long time ally.
“This time around, he said I must take part (in the elections) as additional member (in the Letshwiti camp). I don’t know about their fights. After he recruited me to Letshwiti, and then left, I decided not to contest, but I remain where he left me,” Radipotsane said this week.
“We brought Sebego together and he decided to drop him, to support Letshwiti. I don’t know why he wants to bring Sebego back, but it looks like it’s internal fights.”
He said he was going to support Bontshetse if he had stood as an independent. Bontshetse said he was driven by passion, which is why he is not afraid to dump a preferred candidate.
“I am passionate about the game, I am not a pay cheque administrator. I don’t get in there because there is something, I am there to uplift the game. I want to make changes at the regions, that is where the game is,” Bontshetse said.
He said Radipotsane only joined the Letshwiti team recently.
“Fobby supported Sebego during the last elections. He just joined Letshwiti two weeks back before the COVID-19 committee was formed. He is not a problem, he adds no value,” he said.