27 Aug 2024

Volunteers within the sport fraternity are pivotal to the successful hosting of sporting activities.

Kanye deputy district commissioner, Norman Patlakwe said this on Saturday at the launch of the Kanye sub-region of the Sport Volunteers Movement (SVM) that volunteerism in sports enhanced sporting activities in different ways.

He said in addition to it bringing about social order and cohesion among sportsmen and women, it also reduced the cost of running sport, thus increasing the industry’ sustainability.

“Organising sport events is very expensive as it requires a lot of manpower and different skills, which requires events organisers to hire a supporting cast. 

The Sport Volunteers Movement therefore helps sports associations and events organisers to execute such events at a minimal cost,” he said.Patlakwe said the SVM’s presence in the Kanye District would improve the district’s image and highlight its capability to host prestigious tournaments.

Emphasising the need for the new sub-region to quickly find its footing, he said its growth and entrenchment within the district, would increase the latter’s chances of hosting more sporting events and ultimately becoming a centre of sports activities in the country.

Former Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC)’s sports and development director, Bobby Gaseitsiwe described sports volunteers as the heart and soul of sports, observing that without them there ‘would be no sports associations, no clubs, no teams, no coaches and no athletes’.

He said sport in Botswana survived primarily through the commitment of the volunteers, administrators and coaches, who continued to selflessly serve the sporting fraternity. Gaseitsiwe implored the Kanye sub-region to believe in its capacity to not only grow but to also become exemplary in standing for what the SVM existed to achieve.

The Lobatse liaison person, Kgotlaetsile Moube appealed to the Kanye sub-region to endeavour to always advance the interests of sport, saying whatever should be about the good of sport.

Moube said volunteerism was centered on selflessness, hence SVM members should put the interests of sport above their own.

After the launch, the Kanye SVM sub-region elected its regional committee, which will be in office for the next four years.

The chairpersonship was assumed by Ntebogang Karema, with Botshelo Basenyapelo as vice chairperson.

Gaone Karema was elected secretary general while Tshepo Tshwaro and Itumeleng Kgakgamatso became public relations officer and treasurer respectively.Gilbert Mokgweetsi and Ketshepaone Kootswele were roped in as additional members.

The chairperson, Karema said later in an interview that top in her priority list would be to introduce SVM to people in the district, thereby enhancing its visibility, which would in turn improve its chances of gaining new members.

She said she would work hand in hand with the Lobatse sub-region from which the Kanye branch was birthed, noting that since they were just starting out, they would need all the support and guidance that they could get. Ends