26 Aug 2021

The death of Botswana Tennis Association’s (BTA) former sports development officer, Mthandazo Sibanda, has opened floods of memories from the tennis fraternity.

Sibanda died at Sir Ketumile Teaching Hospital on Monday after being transferred from Princess Marina Hospital where he had been admitted for some weeks.  

After retirement, Sibanda formed Banana Tennis Club in Francistown.

The club’s home ground is St Kizito Secondary school and his aim was to help curb the disparity that existed between the northern and southern part of the country.

Sibanda alias Sibs and tennis were intertwined, therefore most have something to say about him.

Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) chief executive officer (CEO), Tuelo Serufho, said Sibanda was passionate about his job.

“He was the first one to arrive at work early in the morning and the last one to leave from Monday to Sunday. He lived for his job,” said Serufho.

During their times in tennis, he said Sibanda would get involved at all different levels from development to national team.

“He was also a parent to us all, from athletes to officials. He would find out concerns athletes and his colleagues had and if possible find a way to assist,” he said. Serufho said this was not a loss only to Sibanda’s family, but to the nation at large especially tennis community as he still had a lot to offer the sport that he dearly loved.

Communication from BTA stated that tennis would not be where it was without Sibanda’s dedication over several decades, noting that he selflessly and relentlessly served as sport development officer and as a volunteer.

BTA president, Oaitse Thipe, said Sibanda worked in various capacities for the association over 30 years.

He served as national coach for a high performance programme for over 20 years and he was also the Davis and Billy Jean King Cup captain for over 10 years.

 “In that period our Davis Cup team won the BNSC Team of the year Award,” he said.

Thipe said Sibanda was instrumental in the association’s coaches training and had travelled around the country equipping teachers on how to coach tennis.

He highlighted that Sibanda introduced wheelchair tennis in collaboration with International Tennis Federation. ENDS