The call was made by director for sport development at Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC), Peaceful Seleka, during netball’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held over the weekend highlighting that men’s netball was growing at a fast rate. His address comes a week after Botswana Netball Association’s (BONA) National Executive Committee (NEC) took a decision to cancel men’s league finals due to match fixing allegations. Despite the games being called off, those for women continued with Jwaneng netball club crowned league champions for Division A while Prisons are the champions of Division B. On the other hand, Thamaga Jaspers emerged as Under-17 champions. Seleka said despite the growth, it should not overshadow women's netball, adding that as things stand, women participation in sport remains a challenge.
Meanwhile, he highlighted that there are three critical pillars that will determine the future success and sustainability of netball in Botswana, good governance, development and collaboration. He said as sport continues to evolve globally, good governance has become non-negotiable requirement for successful National Sport Associations (NSAs). “Good governance is not merely about compliance with regulations, it is about accountability, transparency, ethical leadership, effective decision-making, and responsible management of resources,” Seleka said in giving a keynote address on behalf of Botswana National Sport Commission’s CEO. “Organisations that embrace good governance create confidence among athletes, members, partners, government and potential sponsors.” Seleka added BONA should continue to embrace governance, best practices and to view compliance not as a burden but as a strategic tool that can unlock growth opportunities and enhance the reputation of the association.
