20 Nov 2016

 As part of its strategy to increase the number of women participation in sport and leadership positions, the Botswana National Sports Commission has appointed Ntebo Maplanka as chairperson of Botswana Sports Volunteer Movement (SVM).

Maplanka took the baton from Segolame Ramotlhwa who has been the chairperson since its inception in 2000.

She will be assisted by Thabo Osekeng, who beat both Hari Koata, Tapson Patane 15-0 during SVM’s annual general meeting on Saturday.

Tsholofelo Gaotswake retained her position as secretary after she garnered 14 votes, while Moses Poloko was voted by two delegates.

The new SVM treasurer is Nathaniel Matsheka who won by nine votes, while Koata was voted by five, and only two votes for Issaih Gababonwe, while the position of additional member went to Kgotlaetsile Moube and Tefo Mbaiwa.

In her acceptance speech, Maplanka said she was happy to be honoured to lead a big organisation like SVM, which some of its objectives include conscientising communities about the importance of sports in health, education, productivity and quality of life and to foster a spirit of cooperation amongst all sporting codes.

“This is a beautiful movement from what I gathered. I got baptised in the movement in July. I was being baptised to SVM not to sport,” she said. She said having played and being a netball administrator, she knows what it takes to be a volunteer especially in Botswana sport, adding that she know the hurdles and challenges besieging sport.

She further said she was confident that she would march the road of volunteerism together with her committee, so that in two years when their term ends, they would also leave a lasting legacy in the movement.

“We are going to work and learn together, because Robin Sharma says ‘relentless learning is one of the main traits of an open and powerful person’. Therefore, for a person to become powerful they have to learn relentlessly without ending,” she said. ENDS