Infighting breaks out at FRAFA
Koketso Kgoboge | Friday October 27, 2017 12:55
The chairperson, Maokaneng Bontshetse said Gaolapelwe Western (treasurer) and Isaac Mabutha (secretary) have refused to avail the region’s financial statements.
On the other hand, the two accuse the chairperson of mismanagement and dictatorship.
It is alleged that the FRAFA house has never had peace since the executive committee assumed office. Allegations are the two FRAFA factions were born from the 2016 Botswana Football Association (BFA) elective assembly. The fracas at FRAFA is said to be a continuation of the battle of camps between BFA president, MacLean Letshwiti and former boss, Tebogo Sebego. The chairman, who was in Letshwiti’s campaign team does not see eye-to-eye with his secretary who belonged to the Sebego camp.
Despite talk of the relationship breaking down irretrievably, Bontshetse refuted the talk. He said the problem stems from the two’s refusal to hand over financial statements, taking arbitrary decisions on behalf of the committee and exposing the committee’s internal affairs on social media.
“We are not divided. It’s not issues of politics, we are taking action against the members because they are not doing things accordingly,” he said. Bontshetse said he cannot divulge further information, as the committee is yet to meet on the issue. “We invited them to a meeting on Tuesday evening and they did not show up. Nothing has been decided on suspensions yet. The committee will meet again.”
Mabutha, unlike Bontshetse said their relationship was sour, claiming he turned down efforts to recruit him to the Letshwiti camp.
He said he had tried to engage the chairperson, but the latter has not been forthcoming instead he sabotaged him ever since they assumed office.
Mabutha said they are not refusing to avail the financial statements as alleged. He said the financial materials are available with him, but he was not made aware that he should submit them to the committee. He also denied being invited to any midweek meeting.
“The chairman does not speak to me and he doesn’t want to see me face to face therefore, I would not have known if he wanted me to submit the statements. The treasurer gave all the materials to me when he went for a compassionate leave.”
According to Mabutha the straw that broke the camels back was when him and the treasurer decided to pay the referees without the consent of the chairperson. He said they later apologised at the committee meeting.
“Referees payments were deemed unimportant so much that funds were diverted to pay for promotional banners. We took a decision to settle the referees outstanding debts without the chairman because our league was about to kickoff and that’s where problems began.” “Things are not done properly in the committee and when we question the process it’s a problem. I can’t exist in a corrupt environment,” the distraught Mabutha said.
“Whether lawful or unlawful if the suspension comes I will take it. I will only challenge it if it tarnishes my image. I have long thought about resigning because of the animosity, but I felt I have an obligation to the teams.”
“I can’t allow myself to watch as things are not done properly under my guard. There is a problem at FRAFA and teams need to stand up for themselves.”
The treasurer also quashed allegations of them refusing with the financial statements. He said he is fingered for refusing to take the chairman’s side against the secretary.
“At one point I was promised the secretary’s position by the chairman and I refused to help push the secretary out. It’s factional matters and I am not part of any faction,” Western said.
Western accused Bontshetse of abusing office. “It’s not a question of the financial statements because they are in order. I have been a treasurer at FRAFA for the past three years and my track record is clean. I refuse to do what I see is wrong. I follow procedure,” Western said.