Dlamini quits
There was a jubilant move this week in Lobatse and other areas of the country as Extension Gunners’ supporters celebrated the news of Chairman Kitso Dlamini’s resignation. Dlamini reportedly resigned over the weekend after a band of supporters threatened violence against him while others allegedly insulted his wife. For fear of his life and that of his family, he is said to have taken the decision to step down.
For over a month now, supporters of the well-followed club demanded the resignation of the entire Gunners’ management committee with the team having become the laughing stock of their rivals because of a string of poor results. Supporters blamed their woes on the management rather than the technical teams and players, saying poor running of the club was the source of their problems.
Incidentally, the club started the season on a high note, recording 12 points from their first four games under the tutelage of Keitumetse Paul and thereby leading the league log standings for the first time after many years. Paul has since moved to Mochudi Centre Chiefs as Assistant Coach after a fall out with the Gunners’ management. Information reaching this publication already indicates that the club’s former Public Relations Officer Cassim Dada is being favored to take over the leadership of the club.
The last straw for the Gunners’ faithful was their Friday 1-3 loss to Orapa United in a Mascom Top 8 quarter final match that saw the club tumble out of the cup on 4-2 aggregate after the first leg 1-1 draw in Orapa three weeks ago. The committee has also been blamed for failure to bring on board business partners to relieve or cushion supporters from contributing for every club activity, including daily expenses of the club.
In voting for the Dlamini-led committee, Gunners’ supporters entrusted their leadership with the responsibilities among others, identifying a business model which can move the club forward and also secure an investor to take care of the welfare of the players. Now it is their take that the management has failed, and now want people with fresh ideas who should be able to support their technical teams rather than fire them.
One of the club’s long serving players Monageng Thaele admitted in a recent interview that the current standoff between management and supporters was affecting their welfares as players. The player added that the team paid their salaries even though the payments are not consistent. The club’s Public Relations Officer Keorapetse Kgasa confirmed that the chairman has tendered his resignation. The deputy Chairman Oduetse Langwane has been elevated to the chairmanship.
According to Kgasa, the committee is empowered by the club’s constitution to co-opt members to fill the vacant post. Gunners will have an elective annual general assembly next year around June or July. Kgasa said negotiations with investors are at an advanced stage although he did not divulge much information. He pleaded: “I would like to ask our supporters to be patient, this team is self-sponsored. We do not have regular sources of income; we have not played at home for some time, which affects our income in a way.”
As of Tuesday evening, the Botswana Premier League had not received official information on Dlamini’s resignation. “We are aware of the news of his resignation, but my office is yet to receive official communication,” BPL CEO Bennett Mamelodi told Sun Sport. As club chairman, Dlamini also served in the premier league board.