BFA aspirants dig deep to finance campaign
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday June 12, 2020 11:01
Although nominations close on June 19, it is expected to be a three-horse race amongst incumbent, Maclean Letshwiti, his predecessor, Tebogo Sebego and newcomer, Ookeditse Malesu.
But the candidates are expected to fund their campaigns, as they traverse the length and breadth of the country canvassing for support.
Malesu said the budget for the campaign could exceed P500,000. He, however, said his team is running on a shortfall.
“I do not have a budget for the campaign, I do not know how much we are going to spend. But I can tell you that it is very expensive, it can even go over half a million. It’s a voluntary position in a society; it has never been about the money. But in a campaign like this, you have to move around a lot, you pay for the car, food and accommodation. We do not have that kind of money, but we do have the will power,” Malesu said.
Sebego, who served as the BFA president between 2012 and 2016, admits there are financial challenges. He said the football agenda, and not money, should be the priority.
“We are trying to drive an agenda of clean football. We are more focused on the principle and ideas that can change the game of football. For a campaign, you need to travel a lot around the country, including funding our satellite teams, as it is people who have the willingness to change the game,” Sebego said.
“We do not have a sponsor and we do not need one, we rely on special donors. We are volunteering and everyone in my team is paying from his or her own pocket. We do not want to be mortgaged, it’s a principle we have adopted.”
Letshwiti said the cost of his campaign would be minimal, but refused to disclose figures.
“It will include mostly the travel, so I think it would be very minimal. Now that people know me unlike the previous time, I do not think I will spend much. We are accommodated by our supporters in some regions and that reduces the cost, so I do not think we will spend, it will be very minimal,” he said.