Heated Exchanges As Tennis Elects New President
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday February 6, 2017 16:16
Amanze has served in various positions in the BTA executive committee for more than 10 years. Fichani was unopposed in a meeting that was expected to provide flash points and it did.
BTA affiliates took time exchanging harsh words with Amanze over the adoption of the meeting agenda. Amanze said the affiliates were at the meeting to follow the constitution not to question it. “We should follow the best practices of governance all the time. Right now we should adopt the agenda and follow it. We do not want later on to be told that we had an illegal gathering,” he said.
That did not go well with Gaborone club chairperson, Dr Jerome Mafeni who said it was not fair for the affiliates to be instructed to adopt the agenda because they have no choice. Dr Fichani chipped into the discussion and said the procedure of an annual general meeting is to adopt an agenda, not to add anything to it. “I am disappointed in Dr Mafeni. As a chief executive officer, he should be guiding these other people,” he said. Not to be outdone, Mafeni hit back saying he sits in various boards and he is aware of the importance of an agenda. He said people cannot be expected to come to a meeting, rubber stamp things and move on. The argument led to Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) representative, Steve Botlhasitse intervening. He reminded the affiliates that their executive committee had the powers to establish a sub-committee and in that case it was the elections committee. He said on how the elections committee is established should be deferred to the next BTA meeting. Botlhasitse was responding to a query on how the committee was established. Amanze took over the proceedings and stated that the constitution gives them power to set up a committee that can assist in the smooth running of the association.
“We are not here for a circus. This is an AGM. The constitution we have here has been approved by the Registrar of Societies. The amended constitution is not yet out,” he said. He warned affiliates against leaking information to the media. He said such practice scared away potential sponsors. He said there is no sponsor who would want to be associated with mediocrity.
“You have been thinking that by taking matters to the media, you are hurting Amanze. No, you are killing tennis. Stop hanging your dirty linen in public. That should stop now,” Amanze warned.
During the election most of the executive committee positions were unopposed, only the secretary general post was contested for. Tefo Tefo of Orapa took on the incumbent Boikobo Gaolebalwe with the first round of voting producing a tie of eight votes each. The second round saw Tefo prevail by 11-5 votes.
The other committee members are: Oaitse Thipe (vice chairperson), Atang Mokgware (treasurer), Shelton Benzah (PRO), Peter Nthele (senior technical manager), Serwalo Lesolame (junior technical manager). Additional members are Dr Mafeni and Katlego Keogoletse. The new president called for unity and urged affiliates to cooperate with the leadership.