30 Jul 2025

Former Serowe District Councillor, Solomon Dikgang, who died on Friday after battling a long illness, has been described as a polymath who wrote his life stories in numerous ways, as he was active in many spheres that involved community projects.

“Serowe was blessed with ‘Taliban’ who was gifted with the best problem solving skills that has ever existed, and beyond that, a natural inclination and passion for problem solving,” Mr Kgopeetsile Gabegwe, a family representative said in an interview on Monday.

He said Dikgang was nicknamed ‘Taliban’ because of his aggressive nature of tackling issues that needed to be addressed.

Mr Gabegwe described ‘Taliban’as a friend to all, who cherished democracy and was blessed with love, respecting both young and old that earned him a household name.

He said the late Dikgang was a philanthropist, who changed the lives of many to the positive and his philanthropic deeds knew no boundaries, adding people of such calibre were coveted in the society and the nation at large.

Furthermore, he said the late had the people of Basarwa descent at the core of his heart that saw him pledging his capabilities to support them in numerous ways.

He said at one point such people were not having accommodation and assisted them to have accommodation.

As a family person, he said the late loved his children, family members and the general populace, noting he would cook for his children and literally eat with them.

As for his political journey, he started at Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and he was a councillor for Tidimalo Ward in Serowe for two terms spanning 2004 until 2019.

In 2019, he defected to the Botswana Patriotic Front.

He was re-elected as a councillor for Tidimalo Ward until 2024. 

At some point ‘Taliban’ submitted himself to the Muslim religion for a short stint but later joined Christianity becoming a staunch member of Heavenly Garrison Church until his time of demise.

An additional member of  Botswana Sports Volunteers Movement, Mr Bokopano Kediretswe lauded ‘Taliban’ for his selfless contribution to different sporting codes in the country.

He said the Sports Volunteers Movement was later rolled-out to other parts of the country and Serowe was no exception in which Dikgang started with Serowe Region Sports Volunteers Movement since its inception in 2014 until March 2025 when he was elevated to the mother body, Botswana Sports Volunteers Movement as additional member of the national executive committee.

Mr Kediretswe described him as a father figure, mentor, brother and friend.

Some of the highlights of his dedicated efforts to sports that would be remembered include among other things, starting Boteti Sports Volunteers Movement and forging partnerships.

He said the late believed that all should be given an opportunity to showcase talent, learn and thrive.

He reiterated that the late contributed a lot to uplifting the lives of disadvantaged people.

At one point, he was a public relations officer of Miscellaneous Football Club and served as Serowe Rollers branch executive member.

At the time of his demise, he had initiated for the sports volunteers movement to launch sub-regions in Palapye and Mahalapye.

Mr Kediretswe said they would launch such sub-regions to honour the legacy of ‘Taliban’.

Dikgang was also a chef de mission for team Central at the Botswana Games and had volunteered his capabilities in sport when Botswana hosted the 2^nd African Youth Games in Gaborone in 2014, the event, which brought together approximately 2 500 athletes from 53 African countries, making it the largest multi-sport competition ever hosted in Botswana. 

In addition, he volunteered his services at the Botswana Tertiary Student Sports Association games and in several netball games in Botswana including the 2017 Netball World Youth Cup and the African Netball Cup.

Meanwhile, a memorial service will be held in his honour at Serowe Sports Complex on Friday and will be buried on Saturday. ENDS