Gunners continues to disintegrate
BTC Premiership campaigners continue to face an uncertain future. The latest episode in the ongoing Peleng saga sees team General Manager (GM) Ian Kebopetswe quitting the club, BG Sport can reveal.
Kebopetswe tendered his resignation letter to the troubled Lobatse outfit last week. “I was not sure of my future with the club hence the reason for my resignation,” Kebopetswe said when reached for comment this week. However, Kebopetswe remained cagey about reasons leading to his abrupt decision. This week sources close to the matter have shared that the die-hard Gunners official was unhappy at the Lobatse outfit.
Following the recent departure of technical sponsors and management partner Tsa Gae (Pty) LTD, the former GM is said to have been confused and uncertain of his relationship with the current regime at Peleng. Recent allegations coming out of the Mapantsula camp are that Kebopetswe was always painted with the same brush as Tsa Gae by the Gunners management. “When the relationship between Gunners and Tsa Gae turned sour, Kebopetswe was caught in the midst of it all. He has been accused of unprofessionalism,” the concerned source said.
A copy of the resignation letter that was leaked to BG Sport this week suggest that the team might be owing Kebopetswe some of his dues, and he is demanding that the debt be settled within 14 days. “You will advise regarding payment of my outstanding remuneration and benefits and I would appreciate if same is settled within 14 days from date hereof,” reads the letter. Quizzed about his future plans, Kebopetswe said he will always avail his services to Gunners because it is a team close to his heart, however the football administrator is on the lookout for other opportunities. Kebopetswe’s journey with Gunners dates back to 2008. He ascended to the position of team Secretary General from 2011 until he resigned from the Executive Committee in 2016. He was appointed GM on a five-year contract back in February 2017.
However, numerous efforts to reach the Gunners management proved futile as their phones rang unanswered for the past two days. Messages sent to the team Chairman Hennel Kaisara were also not responded to. Meanwhile, this publication has since learnt that Gunners players including Katlego Mbise and Leteng Legopolo have quit the club. In one of their letters to the Gunners, the players said they couldn’t continue playing for the team because they are financially constrained yet they have families to feed.
On a different matter, Kebopetswe has come out to explain that contrary to what was reported recently on Botswana Guardian that independent accountants are still ‘cooking’ Gunners financial reports may have been taken out of context. Kebopetswe said he was merely explaining that accountants are still preparing the books pertaining to the recent separation between Tsa Gae and Gunners.
The development comes after Tsa Gae handed Gunners full control of the team on June 5, 2018. He further explained that even though Gunners parted ways with partner Tsa Gae, they still have a working relationship. Tsa Gae is reported to have promised Gunners that they will assist them with the smooth transitioning of power by assisting with other operations for a month.