New twist in P100m golf project saga
Calistus Kolantsho | Thursday October 26, 2017 14:59
The parties, GGC and the Botswana Golf Union (BGU), are at loggerheads with the former challenging the redevelopment and the latter eager to terminate a lease agreement with the club to pave way for the developments.
Last Friday, President Ian Khama halted the project after listening to the concerns of the GGC members. However, this week, the Assistant Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Kefentse Mzwinila urged those involved to find common ground after meeting with the warring parties along with the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC).
Mmegi Sport is informed that the meeting was convened at the instruction of the President, who advised Mzwinila to give the concerned parties audience.
Mmegi Sport is in possession of a letter, authored by GGC captain, Martin Mogomela to the club members. He said following months of anxiety after receipt of the lease termination from the BNSC, they are glad to inform the members that a meeting, which Mzwinila chaired, took place on Monday. Mogomela said the assistant minister had enquired about the proposed development and appreciated GGC’s concerns that they were not properly consulted, which would have seen club members “dealt an irrecoverable blow by the proposed development”.
“The assistant minister determined that the whole redevelopment process should be restarted afresh with all parties consulted and necessary approvals secured,” the letter read. Mogomela said his executive committee appreciates the insightful decision and look forward to the BNSC reinstating the GGC lease to enable the resumption of the consultations for redevelopment in good faith.
“The executive committee regrets that it cannot state anything with certainty at this point in time, until it gets communication from the landlord,” Mogomela said.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Mogomela refused to discuss the matter, instead saying, what is important is that the project is not going ahead.
BGU president, Enoch Mushango told Mmegi Sport the contract with the developer had not been cancelled.
He said the BNSC is tasked with directing proceedings as per the junior minister’s directive. He said the outcome of the meeting was that the three parties, BNSC, BGU and GGC should meet and come up with a solution that ensures golf development while bringing stakeholders onboard in accordance with procedures.
“The BNSC is tasked with coordinating. We, therefore, await a call from BNSC for discussions to start. As regards to communication to the GGC members, we cannot comment because we do not know where he (Mogomela) got his information (from) and what the intention of the statement was,” Mushango said.