'We play you pay'

Monkagedi Gaothobogwe | Monday December 2, 2013 11:49

A total of eight social clubs in Metsimotlhabe took part in Raletobana’s tournament that was concluded last Sunday. But the prize giving ceremony, as explained by the MP’s brother and tournament organiser, Elias Raletobane, will only be held on December 7. The affected clubs are refusing to wait one more week, fearing that should the MP loose in the Botswana Democratic Party primaries this weekend, he would not honour his promise.

Earlier this week, representatives of five social clubs - Tigris FC, Mets Ville, Boko Haram, Xavati and Flyboys - stormed Mmegi offices, demanding their story to be told before the BDP goes to the primaries this Saturday.

First, the MP’s accusers claim he used them for his campaign, planning the tournament in such a way that it dragged from November 2 to 24.

Tigris FC’s Kaone Madikwe is sceptical about the MP honouring his commitment, claiming that the MP failed to show up during the final stages of the tourney, something Raletobane’s brother disputes.

Mets Ville captain, Tau Rangaka, revealed that his club was expecting to be paid P4 000 as tournament winners, with runner-ups Tigris promised P2 000, and third placed Flyboys P1 200. The forth slot is for Xavati whom P800 is due to them. 

While coming down the line with only P500 promised to them, Boko Haram Social Club representative Letso Morake, insisted they could not wait one more day, because, “It is a lot of money for us, we toiled for the MP for days in the scorching heat. We feel he has been manipulative, by now we expect to have the cash in our hands and using it to improve our lives.”

Rangaka said he was always suspicious of the MP’s intentions. “I asked this question in the beginning during our meetings, ‘will we really get paid?’ I’m suspicious that politician might somersault should he lose the primaries,” said Rangaka.

Xavati’s Cebo Letlamoreng chipped in: “It is like this, the way we play tournaments is just like doing a piece job for brick-making. You are paid there and there, you don’t wait for tomorrow.”

Rangaka insists that all they want is their money. “We really want this issue to come out because we do not understand what is happening, there are rumours doing the rounds saying that this was a charity tournament. We do not know what that means; we want our P10 000 immediately. I hope you guys are not bribed to kill our outcry, because we will come back again and ask what happened to our laments.”

In addition to the prize monies, the MP’s accusers claim they were promised three soccer balls for the tournament but that never materialised.

“We were also promised free transport to and from the playgrounds for the entire period of the tournament as well as provision of referees, but the teams were transported only once for one game. The referees also came just once, from there on, we were on our own,” said Rangaka.

Elias Raletobane, the tournament coordinator found the accusation unsettling, saying contrary to the club’s version MP Raletobana throughout the duration of the tournament. He said the MP even donated bags of oranges to the clubs although some club officials were caught selling the oranges.

As regards the contentious issue of prize monies, Raletobane’s younger brother said the MP had, from the on-set of the tournament, made it clear that prize giving would take place on December 7 at a glittering ceremony attended by chiefs, village elders, and the MP. 

“He is the MP for the area so he wants to perform the prize-giving in an honourable way,” said Elias Raletobane.

Moreover, said Raletobane, the MP could not be accused of using the tournament for political gains, as he had always intended the prize giving to be done after the primary elections. He the semi-finals and finals were postponed twice so as to allow Bulela Ditswe to pass, as the tournament was in no way tied to the MP’s campaign.

At the prize giving ceremony, Raletobane said soccer balls would be presented to the top three teams.

The plan is for the tournament to be held annually, targeting constituency league teams in the village.