The Gamononyane-based side has swapped its status with the new club, Black Lions, meaning VTM will now be playing in the regional leagues. Speaking to MmegiSport yesterday, Mafuta confirmed the swap deal, adding that the plan for now will be to play in the regional league or youth league. “Now we must focus on building the club or club development, infrastructure,” Mafuta said. At the end of last season, the club dropped a bombshell when it announced that they are withdrawing from the elite league citing financial constraints. At the time, Mafuta laid bare the financial struggles of running a football club in the Premier League without any major financial partners. He had said the cost of running the club outweighs the financial gains. However, the club lived to fight another season in the league. But financial challenges remained the same and VTM recently announced ways that would help alleviate the situation including joining Business Botswana.
This week, it has now been confirmed that VTM will now take the Division Two status from Black Lions, which is linked to former Township Rollers investor, Tendani Sebata. The majority of the players in the team are expected to join other teams with VTM now focusing on development and rebuilding from the bottom. Meanwhile, Botswana Football League chief executive, Bennett Mamelodi, said they had not been informed about the developments between VTM and Black Lions. "No, we have not been told anything by anyone. Not even VTM has told us that they are leaving," Mamelodi told MmegiSport.
