23 Feb 2016

Four years ago, the Botswana Rugby Union (BRU) leadership revealed an ambitious plan to build a stadium on a piece of land allocated the code by Botswana National Sports Commission (then called Botswana National Sports Council).

The said piece of land lies on the area allocated BNSC around the National Stadium.

Bob Lekan, the BRU president at the time, informed the union’s 2012 annual general meeting that the development was envisaged to comprise a pitch, stands, change-rooms, offices and parking space.  The idea was warmly welcomed by affiliates, but no tangible progress was made in terms of developing the piece of land for the past four years.

On Saturday, the rugby fraternity learned with astonishment during the BRU annual general meeting that developments had not commenced because the land was actually not allocated the union.

When delegates quizzed the outgoing executive committee to clarify the matter, former president, Elijah Jones who vacated the leadership on Saturday, explained that the land was ‘earmarked’ for the union, but had not been allocated to them.

Jones, who was succeeded by Dave Gilbert, said it was impossible for the union to commence developments on the land while they did not possess the title deed for the land. He stated that without the title deed his administration was frustrated in efforts to solicit funds for developing the plot.

“There is no guarantee at the moment that the plot will be given to us. Therefore, it will be difficult for BRU to go ahead and develop,” Jones said. Meanwhile, the meeting agreed to reinstate Tuskers Rugby Club into A-Division, while the union also accepted applications from four new clubs to play in the B-Division.

The four are Molepolole, Selebi Phikwe, Ghanzi rugby clubs, and Tlamelo Academy.

The meeting also adopted the financial report for last year, but the treasurer Vincent Mashaya informed delegates that the union was in ‘intensive care in so far as funds were concerned.’
Some delegates suggested that BRU should change its auditor because the current auditor has been with the union for a long time. Ends