05 Aug 2019

Francistown City deputy mayor, Godisang Radisigo on August 3 gave John Phoko Primary School teachers a pat on the back for giving moral support to this year’s Marang Spar Charity Football spectacular beneficiary.

The beneficiary is also a pupil at John Phoko primary.

Radisigo, who is also a councillor for Satellite ward in Francistown, said by traversing such a long distance from Tonota to Francistown demonstrated both teaching and non-teaching staff commitment to pupils’ welfare beyond the confines of the classroom.

“The gesture by yourselves is encouraging and should inspire others to emulate you,” he said.

Concerning the sponsors of the tournament, Radisigo said for years Spar had been at the forefront as far as its corporate social responsibility. He added that it had endeared itself to Batswana and transformed their lives in many ways.

He said unlike other companies that rake in money from the community, Spar had always initiated ways in which it could plough back proceeds accrued to improve the livelihoods of members of the community.

The deputy mayor was also happy that the tournament had increased its footprint to take on board four teams from the periphery of Francistown.

John Phoko School head, Reginah Muguni relayed that her school’s relationship with Spar went back many years and continued to grow in leaps and bounds.

She told all that Spar supermarket has been the primary sponsor of her school’s quiz, spelling as well as garden projects.

Other than helping the beneficiary with monthly grocery, Muguni said the retail outlet also provided uniform for the pupil in question. Tsholofelo Chimela, a principal elections officer based in Tonota, who also drummed up support and solicited Spar to come on board to assist the beneficiary after seeing his plight, was elated that Spar assistance had gone beyond just the monthly grocery.

Marang Spar’s customer care official, Gotewang Kemisetso said the annual tournament was an answer to the plight of many downtrodden members of the community, and was happy that the John Phoko Primary School pupil had been identified as a beneficiary of all the proceeds accrued from the tournament until 2021.

Kemisetso was happy that the marriage between Marang Spar and the 14-year-old beneficiary continued to produce results including, the pupil’s improved academic results.

“We have also asked authorities to secure a plot for the beneficiary with a view to construct him a house,” he said.

A total of 28 teams, which include Tumediso Young Strikers and Cannibals Football Club from Matshelagabedi, Palmas Football Club from Mathangwane and Tswane Football Club from Natale, will battle it out in a knock-out tournament whose final is slated for August 11, 2019.

Mopane Mine Football Club, who are the reigning champions, having won the tournament back to back in 2017 and 2018 respectively, will be looking forward to winning it for the third time and keeping the floating trophy. ENDS