21 Jun 2015

The Botswana National Sport Council board is expected to dissolve before the end of July to give way to the Botswana National Sport Commission.

Addressing Ntlo ya Dikgosi on Friday, the deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, Kago Ramokate briefed dikgosi that the commission was passed by Parliament in 2014 and hence the ministry saw the need to inform community leaders.

He informed them that the commission aimed to reduce duplication of roles between Botswana National Olympics Committee (BNOC), Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) and Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture (MYSC) as it has emerged in the past that the three have a clash of roles.

“The key section of the commission includes transition from sport council to sport commission for regulation of sport at all levels and further ensure everything pertaining to sport is dealt with accordingly,” he said.

Ramokate said the board commission would comprise 11 members from BNOC, sport associations, Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, WASBO and paralympics among others to be voted by the minister, adding that identification of the board was currently ongoing to ensure everything was in place when the commission effects in July.

In their response, dikgosi welcomed the commission, indicating that it was high time Botswana joined other countries and let sport be run as a commission.

Moreover, they said Botswana has witnessed growth in sport over the years with local athletes performing to ensure that more talent was unearthed.

Dikgosi said Botswana has grabbed the world’s attention by hosting major games which prompts sport custodians to run it professionally. They further noted that the commission would save the country costs as sport would be consolidated and run by one body to avoid duplication of roles. ENDS