Ntshingane on switching camps ahead of BFA elections
Mqondisi Dube | Friday May 29, 2020 14:46
Ntshingane was one of two members from Tebogo Sebego’s Friends of Football to win seats during the 2016 elections.
But he has decamped and would now contest under foe-turned-ally, Letshwiti when the association holds its elections on August 8.
“Yes I am standing for the position of vice president, and I must say it has been a learning curve with the good mentorship of president Letshwiti. His message is very clear, he would like to see ‘football people’ in football. You can see by the overwhelmingly big numbers of former players taking part at the FA since he took over,” Ntshingane said.
He said he appreciates what Sebego did for him, when he got the first shot at a BFA leadership position.
“I would like to believe that we are all friends of football and we all have good intentions on the development of the game. I greatly appreciate that former FA president, Sebego put me in and afforded me the opportunity to stand, as you know how the game and the process to contest is. But I am currently, as mentioned, in the middle of a good project at the BFA, which I cannot sabotage now.”
He said there were some exciting developments at BFA, as the ground work for success has been laid down.
“For me, it is all about football and plans ahead,” Ntshingane said.
He emphasised that switching camps is not about allegiances.
“I don’t really interpret this as allegiances. These are not political parties and nowhere in the constitution that there should be contesting camps. It is just that I think as people prepare for elections, they will caucus and plan ahead so that they have people they feel can deliver.”
Ntshingane said he spoke to Sebego regarding contesting under the Letshwiti team.
“Because I respect people and (as) an appreciative person, yes we did have a talk with Mara (Sebego) and he understood,” Ntshingane said.
He said the game needed consistency, which explains why he wants continuity, rather than a change of leadership.
“You vote in another person, and they will start afresh with new ideas, and then we vote them out again. Honestly, I think this is anti-progress and I think at the last BFA AGM, the resolution was to correct this to try and give football a chance,” he said.