Gunners� privatisation takes shape
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Thursday March 3, 2016 15:50
The Lobatse giants are following in the footsteps of Gilport Lions, Township Rollers, Gaborone United (GU) and Mochudi Centre Chiefs who have all taken a commercialisation route.
The club’s chairperson, Phenyo Gothaang told journalists at the launch of a new kit yesterday that they would have tied everything down by March 19.
“By the time we play Rollers, I should have something in my hand,” he said.
Gothaang said they already have a potential investor and had also placed adverts for expression of interest, which closed last Friday. He said they received responses and are still evaluating them before they can make a final decision and announce the new investor. They have also taken a decision to give the incoming investor 80 percent of the shares in a company named Extension Gunners Holdings. The society will own the remaining 20 percent.
He said Gunners supporters are alive to the fact that they are about to lose control of the club and ready to see it move a step further. “They are also aware that we are taking a route that others have taken before, even in other countries,” he said. “We know others have taken that route and it created problems but we have learnt from that. We can no longer be afraid to make some decisions just because those decisions created some problems for others.”
Gothaang said their discussions with the potential investor centred on issues pertaining to the name, the home town and the colours.
“I can confidently reveal that the name will remain Extension Gunners,” he added. “The colours will remain black and white and we will not relocate from Lobatse.”
Gunners have since appointed a task force of two people, attorney Tshiamo Rantao and football administrator, Thabo Ntshinogang to see if the transformation is in line with the club constitution. They will also advise if the constitution needs amendment to cater for the transformation. He said Gunners can no longer afford to see their players not paid on time and have reached a stage of no return as far as privatisation of the club is concerned.
Meanwhile, both the club and their technical sponsor, All Kasi, launched the new home kit for the current season yesterday. The two parties have agreed to a new three-year deal that will see All Kasi giving Gunners P25, 000 grant every month; a transfer window allowance of P50, 000; and P5, 000 towards a youth development programme. The programme will be under the tutelage of well-known development coach, Odirile Matlhaku.
“For now we are just launching the white home kit because the black kit is still on the shelves,” the company director, Ludo Kemoeng said yesterday. “Our intention was to use those kits for two seasons but the white shirt has been sold out. That is why we are launching this new one today and not at the beginning of next season.”