10 Jun 2019

The newly promoted Francistown-based football club, Tafic has recognised some of its players who were instrumental in the team’s success this year at a glittering awards dinner in Francistown on Friday.

Yapo  Tibathutwe scooped two awards; the Most Disciplined Player and Supporter’s Player of the Season while Kemoreng Batisani got the Most Improved Player and Top goalscorer awards.

The Young Player of the Season award given to Kgosietsile Ernest while Abednico Morapedi received the Goalkeeper of the Season award.

Gobonyeone Selefa scooped both Player of the Season award and the Player’s Player of the Season award. 

Machimenyenga, as the team is commonly known, awarded players  P1 000 each.

Speaking at the awards, former Botswana Premier League  chief executive officer, Bennett Mamelodi said Tafic had a social role to play, which was to create hope even in time of despair

Mamelodi also said the club should remain committed, united and resolute in the pursuit of a common goal; that is gradually returning Tafic to the glory days of yesteryears.

He said it was important to continue to create excitement and highly competitive environment so that Tafic may remain attractive and relevant.

He further said modern football in Africa particularly in Botswana, was faced with challenges such as defining the club’s philosophy.

Another challenge, he said, was building a talent pipeline, a systematic identification and development of young talents and their deliberate integration in to relevant structures.

He said football infrastructure development was needed because it was critical element in the sustainability of growth, competiveness, commercial viability and professionalism.

Mamelodi said it was significant to identify a cultural identity of the club that would set it apart from other clubs in the premier league. He said it was critical to engage the 21^st century Tafic FC fan by applying cutting edge marketing strategies to the football business.

Moreover, Mamelodi said the commercial viability of Tafic and the success of revenue of the club relied heavily on two fundamental avenues, which was the Corporate Social Investment (CSI) and government support.

“All major corporations and industries including local and national government have an untapped CSI budget available to football,” he said.

Francistown deputy mayor, Godisang Radisego acknowledged the gesture made by people towards the success of the awards ceremony. Radisego said players should be recognised for a job well done.  He said it was important as a city to not rely on government to fund Tafic adding that it should be the responsibility of the Francistowners to embark on house to house campaigns. 

Tafic chairperson, Carlos Sebina, who could not hide his excitement, acknowledged all for their commitment in ensuring that the team returns to the premier league.

He said the awards were held for the first time so as to recognise  all for their return to the elite league. ENDS