BOTESSA chairman Dele Akpata said on Monday that they got the money from the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC). He stated that they need P1 million to stage the games and companies like Mascom, Gaborone Sun and BBS have come in with sponsorship in cash and kind. Other sponsors that have shown interest in backing the games are BOMAID and Botswana Tourism Organisation. Akpata said at a media briefing in Gaborone on Monday, that about 2,000 athletes and 400 officials drawn from nine southern African countries are expected to take part in the games. The University of Botswana will be the games' village. Other venues will be the National Diamond, Botswana College of Agriculture and Botswana Netball Association courts.
Akpata said they are negotiating a friendly game for Botswana soccer players in the games against a Premier League club. The games are organised under the Confederation of Universities and Colleges Sports Associations (CUCSA), which is marking its 20th anniversary. The confederation plans a dinner dance on July 5 as part of the anniversary celebrations. It is expected that sports ministers or their representatives from participating countries will grace the occasion. South Africa, Lesotho, Angola, Namibia, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and hosts Botswana will do battle in athletics, basketball, chess, football, netball, tennis, table tennis, volleyball and darts.There will be no softball at the games after only three of the required five countries registered.
