06 May 2021

Three candidates will battle it out for the Botswana Netball Association (BONA) presidency during an elective assembly on Saturday.

The incumbent, Malebo Raditladi-Nkgakile, would face stiff competition from Thulaganyo Retshabile and Onkemetse Mpudi.

Mpudi is a sport administrator, manager and physical education teacher having acquired a  master’s degree in physical education at the University of Botswana.

According to her manifesto, she has gone through most stages of the sport in terms of direct involvement, playing, coaching, officiating, guiding, tutoring and leading.

She said if given the mandate, she would help re-shape the sport to make it as enjoyable, beneficial and educative as before.

She said she would also assist with provision and delivery of sound leadership, high level of expertise and effective management for proper and effective athletes’ development.

Mpudi further pledged to help transform the sport not only to have it run systematically, but also attractive enough to lure potential partners to come on board.

Retshabile on one hand holds Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Systems Engineering and is a former national team player and has been a part of netball for the past 20 years.

She is the current Women and Sport Botswana (WASBO) marketing and public relations officer, International Netball Federation (INF) technical delegate, certified INF technical officials tutor and also Women in Sport Leadership Academy graduate.

If voted, Retshabile said, she would foster, nurture and advocate for equal opportunities for both women and men in netball.

She indicated that men needed to be fully involved in the sport, adding that she intended to ensure that there was a league as well as tournaments that would include them.

She said she would also revive all competition structures to have a fully-fledged national league, two annual tournaments for both men and women, adding that she would facilitate participation of national teams in regional, continental and international competitions as well as promote development of netball throughout Botswana.

Raditladi-Nkgakile holds Executive Masters in Sport Organisation Management (IOC MEMOS), and she is an Africa Safe Sport programme coordinator and facilitator run by the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympics Federation (NIF).

If given the mandate, Raditladi-Nkgakile said she would ensure that BONA functional structures were in place to promote professionalism.

She said without operational structures, BONA would continue to struggle since the line of communication and responsibility would never be understood.

She said she would ensure that members reviewed the strategy and have a buy-in, adding that she would also make sure that sustainable national netball activities were back in action.

In other positions, Seipei Gaelesiwe would be unopposed for the position of vice president responsible for projects and events.

Masego Serumola would also be unopposed while Mokeresete Mokeresete and Kereemang Montwedi would battle it out for the position of marketing and public relations officer. ENDS