Era Ends For Dr Fichani
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday September 2, 2019 11:49
Dr Fichani came into office in 2017 as president. Prior to that he was the vice president to Nelson Amanze since 2015.
Things took a turn for the worst during the BTA annual general meeting on Saturday when Dr Fichani lost to his vice president, Oaitse Thipe.
The incumbent got six votes while Thipe received 12 votes. Thipe won the contest in absentia as he was attending Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) meeting in Morocco.
The vice president-administration is Tefo Tefo who emerged victorious over Clare Mosarwa. Tefo got 14 approvals while only four voted for Mosarwa. Natasha Siku is vice president-technical beating Thato Kgosimore by 11 votes to seven.
Coaching development director is Osefelepelo Mathe after emerging victorious by 14 votes over four for Kabelo Radithotse. The affiliates voted Sadi Moshe as the director of tournaments administration and development. She won by 14 votes to four received by Olebile Kedule.
Team Thipe dominated the elections with Ari Kaimari beating Nelson Gabofiwe with 13 votes to five. The party continued in the public relations office and marketing position contested for by three candidates being Shelton Benzah, Portia Molete and Katlego Keagoletse. The treasurer, Atang Mokgware retained the position unopposed.
Keagoletse emerged victorious with 12 votes while Benzah got four and only two affiliates went with Molete.
Speaking on behalf of Thipe, Tefo said being given the responsibility to lead tennis is the beginning of hard work.
“We want people who have been elected into office to work. If you are unable to deliver, just quit, if it gets too hot for you, just leave. If the affiliates are not happy with our work they can just recall us. We want an executive committee that can work every day to take tennis forward because we do not have a secretariat like other codes,” he said.
Tefo said they wanted to do better than their predecessors by making sure that they have more tournaments. He said junior players were doing well but nothing was happening with senior players.
Meanwhile, the elections were nearly deferred after an enqury by Boikobo Gaolebalwe who argued that they could not proceed with the elections because the meeting did not form a quorum. “We should wait for the financial report to be completed and be shared with us.
When we are not happy with them, we would not only hold the treasurer alone accountable but the entire committee,” he said. The financial report was not presented to the affiliates because of the absence of the treasurer and the fact that the report was incomplete.
For his part, Dr Fichani said deferring the report was not a train smash but just a mere postponement.