23 May 2023

The 2022/23 First Division South champions, Matebele FC on Saturday converged at their home ground, The Nest, to celebrate their ascension to the elite league.

The event was also used to award the team's best performers.

Speaking during the celebration, which was also used to award the team's best performers, Botswana Football Association's additional member, Lobito Ncube labelled the achievement by the team a milestone worth celebrating.

"This is one team that has gone through so many challenges in its formation before changing names to Matebele FC. Your soar is typical of the eagles that you nickname yourselves after," she said.

Ncube indicated that for a team to ascend to the elite league just three seasons after its formation, it indicated faith and hard work by all those involved.

Concerning the facilities at the club's home ground, which included a natural turf, Ncube said the association was pleased with the features, although she urged the club to improve them to meet the Premier League standards.

"This is something that you can achieve with the right partnerships through commercialisation," she said.

Ncube also reminded the club to ensure that they meet club licensing requirements and take grass root football development seriously, including women's soccer.

She said that could be made easier if management took advantage of courses that the association often offered, such as coaching and management courses.

The club's managing director, Lame Makache said their success was in fact a culmination of 10 years of hard work.

"From the onset in the third division the aim was always to ascend to the premiership. Although we were over ambitious, we always believed that as long as we put our minds to it and persevere it would be possible," he said.

Makache indicated that it was not an easy journey, and promised that they were coming to the elite league to stay and not just to add numbers. He also appreciated them for supporting the team through thick and thin.

Club chairperson, Moemedi Kediseng also appreciated all volunteers who had been using their resources to bring the club thus far.

He said such resources, both financial and otherwise, enabled the club to recruit some experienced players and put it in a position to compete.

Kedisang also urged the fans to be more committed now that the team would be travelling all over the country.

The village leadership also labelled the team the pride of the village and the whole of Kgatleng.

The team’s outstanding performance was also hailed as good for sports tourism in the village, as well as having potential to support small businesses. The leadership therefore urged the Kgatleng District to rally behind the team.

During the awards, Thabo Maponda was given the top scorer award, having netted nine times in all competitions.

Most disciplined player award went to Mompoloki Samachana, while Keorapetse Ramakgathi won both the players' player of the season and supporters' player of the season awards.

Kgosietsile Ernest walked away with player of the season while the director's award went to the top supporter, Dikeledi Kengwegetse. BOPA