He expressed concern that referees are still paid peanuts despite the good work they do in local football. He said refereeing is a very risky task, therefore it needs good rewards.
The lowest ranked referee is paid a mere P50 per game while FIFA accredited ones get P150 in Botswana. This is in spite of the fact that in some matches, especially in the elite Premier League, gate takings amount to P200,000. In lower divisions, there are no gate takings as games are played in open grounds. Lebotse said regional lower leagues have always struggled to pay referees because they raise no money from gate takings and they have no sponsors.
"The current payments do not satisfy us at all. We always engage in negotiations with the relevant authorities for them to do something but they cite lack of funds," said a senior referee. He said the Botswana Football Association (BFA) is aware of their plight and has promised to do something. Lebotse regrets that it is not easy to retain referees because of poor remuneration. "We need to get to a point where we attract quality referees. But right now, we cannot because of this problem," he lamented. He added that a number of people have shown interest but are demoralised by the low pay.
