03 Apr 2014

 Government provides an annual grant to the Botswana Netball Association through Botswana National Sports Council (BNYC).

Acting Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Mr Vincent Seretse said in Parliament that the grant level differed from year to year depending on the association’s planned and approved activities for the year. He said in 2013, the grant stood at P800 000.

Mr Seretse noted that government also provided assistance to the association to enable them to attend important events such as regional, continental and international championships.

“This is done in addition to the annual grant they receive through the Botswana National Sports Council. In terms of netball administration, the Botswana Netball Association is one of the sport associations with fully equipped offices with a full time administrator and a sport development officer who are all paid monthly salaries from government through the Botswana National Sports Council,” he said.

Regarding coaching, Mr Seretse said the association had a volunteer coach from New Zealand who was funded by his government, while the coach’s daily transport requirements, accommodation and meals are met by the Botswana government through the sports council.

He said netball was one of the sport codes provided for in the Centres of Sport Excellence Programme at secondary schools and through these Centres, Government sought to increase the proportion of young people who take up sport for excellence.

Further, Mr Seretse said there had been a number of private companies which were coming aboard since 2009. Examples included Choppies, Mascom, Spar, AT&T Monnakgotla, Debswana, be Mobile and Motor Centre among others.

Mr Seretse said private sector support had been in the form of both formal and sport attire for the Senior National team, trophies, transport, league sponsorship, event management and various other activities.

He also noted that the Botswana Netball Association has so far managed to export three players to Singapore. He said Seretse said the current level of support to the Association by the Government was sufficient for the development of netball in the country.

Kanye South MP, Mr Abram Kesupile had asked the minister to explain the extent of support by government and the private sector to the Botswana Netball Association and its affiliates in critical areas of development.

He had also wanted to know whether the current level of support was sufficient for the development of this sport. Ends