01 May 2025

 Former Zebras coach, Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Stanley Tshosane, who passes on last week Friday aged 68, will be buried in Tati Siding on Saturday.

Affectionately known as ‘Bra Stan’ in football circles, the legend was yesterday honoured with a memorial service in Gaborone, where President Advocate Duma Boko described the fallen hero as a patriotic leader who funnelled the Zebras to their maiden Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification in 2012. President Boko said the coach had left a legacy for the generations to come.

“Let me thank the players, the technical team and everyone else who has worked with coach Tshosane,” he said, also thanking the Tshosane family for having allowed the deceased to serve the nation with distinction.

He said most of the time the coach was away from his family, as he had to perform national duties, saying none the less the family never complained.

“I also want to thank the nation for relentlessly supporting the coach in large numbers, some of whom even composed songs about him - in appreciation,” he said.

For his part, Minister of Sport and Arts, Jacob Kelebeng reminded the gathering that the Tshosane was the first coach to help the Zebras to qualify for the AFCON, while at the same time improving the national team’s ranking. 

Kelebeng said he was alive to the fact that Bra Stan had wished for the 2012 squad to be honoured, promising that the wish shall come to pass. The team that qualified for the 2012 AFCON will be recognised and honoured, declared Kelebeng.

A representative of Tshosane’s children, Thabo Gwatiwa, described his father as a disciplinarian who loved and took a good care of his family. He said Stan wanted his children to be better people, hence he made it a habit to take them to the cattle post to instill a sense of responsibility in them.

“My father was so loving. He liked jokes, but he was a very good listener, who would listen attentively to everything we talked about, whether he differed or agreed with us,” he said.

Tshosane, who originated from Jakalas 1 in the North East District, started his coaching career in 1988 with Matebejane, and went on to coach Gabane United in 1992 and a year later joined Mogoditshane Fighters until 1998.

In 1997, Stan was also appointed as Botswana Under 20 assistant coach. In 1998 he joined Gabane Santos as a trainer and the following year he was scouted by Botswana Defence Force (BDF) XI for the position of an assistant coach. He served the team as caretaker coach and later as a coach, where he served until 2008.

He had two stints with the Zebras, first in 2002 as caretaker coach and from 2008 up until 2013 when his term with The Zebras came to an end. Having served as both player and coach for BDF XI and other teams, he later propelled Botswana senior national football team, the Zebras, to their historic maiden qualification for the AFCON in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in 2012.

In an interview, the aunt to the deceased, Elizabeth Mathumo said ‘Bra Stan’ grew up in Mandunyane and joined his uncle in Gaborone after completing Standard Three to continue with his primary education, which he completed at the city’s Lesedi Primary School.

Upon completion of the primary education, the deceased immediately joined the BDF, where he worked until he retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel to become a farmer. For the love of the game, Tshosane played for an assortment of teams and also coached numerous teams until he retired from professional soccer to play for social clubs. Tshosane who was the only child in his family, is survived by his wife, a son who lives in South Africa and a daughter who resides in Australia. ENDS