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02 Nov 2009 12:24
Edition 482 30 October - 5 November, 2009
Marching to get tested . . . Members of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) making their way to the venue where the annual BDF HIV/AIDS campaign was held at the Maun Camp this week. Under this voluntary operation, code named Operation Survive and Thrive, the soldiers were tested for HIV/AIDS. The operation, a partnership between BDF and the United States Army, tests 6 000 soldiers across the country.
Military HIV/AIDS campaign launched
The Botswana Defence Force (BDF) in partnership with the United States military has launched in Maun the annual HIV/AIDS campaign which is designed to make soldiers aware of their status. According to Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Wyatt, of the United States embassy Office of Security Cooperation in Gaborone, the campaign known as called Operation Survive & Thrive - is an annual, voluntary counseling and testing programme designed to make BDF soldiers aware of their HIV/AIDS status.
Its formal launch in Francistown was the first of several events scheduled to occur during a month-long campaign at all major BDF installations in Botswana, where the prevalence of HIV is among the highest worldwide, he said.
He also noted that the event, which has been running for the past three years, saw BDF surpassing its goal of testing 4 000 soldiers. This year they have raised the bar by increasing the target to 6 000 which equals half of the force's total strength. The US Defence Department has been supporting HIV/AIDS awareness programmes in Africa since 1999. These allow African nations to more effectively participate in regional peacekeeping, Wyatt said, adding that to help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, particularly among military members, the US Defence department and US. Africa Command (AFRICOM), through the U.S. Office of Security Cooperation at the embassy, contributes nearly US$2-million (about P16-million) annually in financial support to the BDF HIV/AIDS programme.
KIDS SEE DAD BEATEN BY COPS
Eye-witnesses are lying' Station Commander
Children watched in horror as their father was last week brutally assaulted by police officers while they were waiting with him for their mother to finish work at Choppies Supermarket in Maun's New Mall. The police claimed the man was waiting to rob Choppies. According to reliable sources and eye-witnesses, the victim was accompanied by a friend who was driving him, and children aged 5 and 14, and a neighbour's child also aged 14. The car was parked near the store.
His friend had gone to the nearby Engen filling station shop when two policemen, not in uniform, parked next to the car and started questioning the victim - who does not wanted to be identified until a court case takes place - about the owner and driver of the car.
He then told them that the driver had gone to the shop and the officers, of which one was identified as an Inspector (name withheld), told the victim that they suspected he wanted to rob the supermarket.
It is further alleged that the victim was surprised by what the police were saying and they immediately handcuffed him, and slapped him in the face and assaulted him.
He struggled with the police as they continued assaulting him. The man called for help as the two officers shouted to security guards at bank ATM machines to assist them.
The man's wife then emerged from the supermarket with other staff members and a crowd quickly gathered. She told the police the man was her husband and not a robber and also that he was waiting for her to finish work but they wouldn't listen and said the man was not cooperating and was resisting arrest.
At that point the crowd threatened to mob the police as the officers did not want to listen and also shouted there was no reason to arrest him.
All this time the children were watching and crying. They are currently receiving trauma counselling.
The arrested man was placed into the car the two officers were using and taken to the police station where he was told to wait for officers who were on night shift. One special constable is said to have made a remark, saying why can't we just take the man to Sehithwa cells (where suspects are jailed as Maun police station holding cells have been declared unfit for occupation).
Nine people who had witnessed the incident went to the police station to give statements about the man's innocence. They were all denied the opportunity to give statements.
He was later released and told to come back the following day to make a statement. The next day, he came with eyewitnesses who testified before Maun police station commander Robson Maleka that the man was innocent and had been assaulted while he was waiting for his wife. According to the witnesses, Maleka told them that they were lying and further said that people hate his officers.''
The victim was then charged with common nuisance and resisting arrest and released without counselling being offered to his children and not taking him for medication.
He was taken to the Delta Medical Clinic by his wife and is now on sick leave. The children are receiving trauma counselling at the offices of Women Against Rape.
When asked about the incident, Maleka told The Ngami Times that the victim was not cooperative with police. He added that the man refused to give the police officers his identity and was suspected to be a robber. When asked about the injuries which the victim sustained, Maleka said every suspect who resisted arrest suffered the consequences of the handcuffs. He denied his juniors assaulted the man.
Maleka said all the statements by eyewitnesses were not true and stood by his claim that his police officers did nothing wrong.
These guys are cruel and if they continue conducting themselves like this, they will end up killing someone, said one eye witness. Another said he wondered whether the Commissioner of Police was aware of what his juniors can unleash on the public.
Recently a Maun magistrate warned police not to brutalise suspects.
It's away with the old and in with the new
The North West, Ngamiland and Okavango constituencies have seen a dramatic change in the voting of councillors and members of parliament.
The new council's first session will introduce many new faces - and some of the more familiar faces will not be in evidence.
The new crop of councillors will also be faced with a mammoth task of electing the new council chairman and his deputy. At the moment it is the duty of the council secretary to act in his capacity to lead the house and at the full council sitting soon, he will be charged with the responsibility of leading the proceedings as well as maintaining order.
Councillors are holding party caucus meetings where they will nominate members for particular positions.
The departure of former NWD council chairman John Benn will also have a negative impact because besides being a respected member of society, he knew his job.
Nothing stopped him from facing reality and sticking by principles, and he was well known for not taking sides.
The Council has also lost a number of capable men such as Phillip Wright, Mbathera Ngundura, Kebalepile Nkwane and Gaditshwane Mmutle.
Mmutle, popularly referred by fellow councillors as senior councillor had all that it took to be a leader. Despite the fact that he had been a councillor since 1966, Mmutle was known for his brilliant thinking and the fact that he was a good philosopher gained him recognition both in the district and outside.
He stood his ground at council meetings and always had the last word whenever there was confusion or disagreements.
He will be sorely missed in the new council.
Mbathera Ngundura is also going to be missed. He lost at primary elections and has not been a very happy man ever since.
He was vocal at council meetings and did not mince words when criticising officials, including government ministers.
Phillip Wright decided to quit politics and concentrate on farming. His time at council was also well spent and he also did not take sides.
Wright was noted for his careful study of the facts and faced reality whenever there was need.
Kebalepile Nkwane always brought laughter to the House whenever he stood up to comment.
This man liked converting his statements into parables. Unlike Wright, he was forced into retirement by old age.
The House will over the next five years not be the same without some councillors . . .
Members of Maun's Nhabe fitness club held a 12 kilometre sponsored walk over the weekend in preparation for the club's official launch which is scheduled for November 28 in Maun. The club, which comprises over 50 members came into existence in 2007 and is fully registered with the Registrar of Societies.
According to the club chairman Captain Ishmael Dibebe, of the Botswana Defence Force, they are expecting groups of other fitness clubs from neighbouring countries to grace the occasion and share their expertise with members of his club. Dibebe also called on members of the public, both young and old to join the club in large numbers so as to keep their bodies fit. The walk was sponsored by Delta Stores, Midas and A-Z Hardware who donated refreshments
Schoolgirl found dead, 3 others alive
XHAKAO A 7 year old girl who stays at the Remote Area Dwellers hostels in Xhakao and went missing on Friday October 23, has been found dead more than 20km away.
The child was found dead on Wednesday after she had been missing for five days. According to Assistant Superintendent Size Malibala, of Shakawe Police, she decided to walk to her home village of Tobera, which is about 18km from the hostel.
On the way she is suspected to have got lost and started moving away from her route.
According to Malibala, search parties could not find the girl until on Wednesday when they found her body under a tree. He said it was suspected that she died on Monday from hunger, thirst and exhaustion.
Meanwhile, three others also went missing this week from the same hostels.
Malibala said that luckily the three were found alive at their respective home villages. He said police will tell hostel staff to take more care of the children and make sure they do not leave without the company of their parents.
It has been revealed that following this incident, some parents are beginning to doubt the safety of the children at the hostels. Some are also said to be contemplating withdrawing their children.
Xhakao hostels are under the RADs programme of the North West District Council (NWDC). These were built to accommodate children from very remote areas so they can be able to attend school and the council takes care of the children as in most cases their parents are not able to provide for them. While at the hostels, the children are supposed to be looked after by the matron, staff and security guards.
NWDC public relations officer Wada Motsamai confirmed to The Ngami Times that a child was found dead after she went missing last week. Motsamai said they only received the information from the sub district on Thursday, adding we really do not know what happened and we have sent a team of our officers to investigate.
Motsamai said it was sad that such an incident occurred while they have staff members at the hostels, adding that they have a security guard, a matron and a Boarding Master at the hostels who she said are supposed to take care of the children
Get loans from us', say CEDA
By Molefi Manyepedza
The chief executive officer of the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA), Dr Thapelo Matsheka has called on entrepreneurs to apply for business loans from them, saying CEDA has the lowest interests compared to commercial banks. Speaking at a customer service forum in Maun, Matsheka said people take loans from banks which charge them high interest rates whereas CEDA charges low interest with the repayment period longer than that of banks. It is very easy to take a loan from CEDA and is not quite often that we need security, he said. Matsheka added that with the current structure, his office will be monitoring businesses that were financed by CEDA and there will be no money that will be used in wrong areas instead of the business the money was applied for as many people did in the past structure. He said there are many different types of business ideas that can be explored by Batswana as to produce local goods and reduce imports, adding that CEDA has been restructured so as to include all businesses that individuals explore provided they will be able to pay back to the owner.
Producing goods for the country and even supplying across the boarder is a challenge for the producer to produce good quality, time of delivery and pricing of products have to be recognised, he said. The deputy chief executive officer (Operations), Lorato Morapedi, said the main aim of the forums is to enable CEDA staff to interact with their customers and stakeholders, inform them about the improvements to the organisation and at the same time get feedback.
She said CEDA is trying to satisfy its customers and also provide public satisfaction. She said CEDA with its current structure, has turned its customers into friends as CEDA staff often visit their businesses to see improvements that are carried out.
Meanwhile, the managing director of Mosu Safari Tours, Oliver Madibela, said getting a loan from CEDA had never been easy and that he felt the reason many people go to commercial banks is because they are not happy with the service they get from CEDA.
Owning and running a safari company has never been an easy thing looking at the fact that most of local people do not travel, he added.
Moemedi Marks Maphane, of Delta Kanvas and Shoe Repair, said he has never seen CEDA staff visiting his business to see if there are any improvements taking place.
Editor: Norman Chandler
Editorial Comment: Bright Kholi
Police must not be public enemies
During the past two weeks Maun police have found themselves embroiled in two incidents which have left the public scared of the men and women who are supposed to protect lives and property.
In the first incident, which we reported on in last week's edition, a man - stabbed with a knife by his former girlfriend - was neglected by officers when he was taken to the police station to report the matter. He was even told by a police sergeant that his wound was not a serious one.
The police failed to arrest the culprit, failed to visit the scene of crime, and even failed to open a case against the culprit on the same day that the incident occurred. It was only after family members intervened that police took action - more than 24 hours later.
In the second incident, which we carry in this edition, police officers on duty near a supermarket are alleged to have assaulted a man who was waiting to pick up his wife who was leaving her workplace.
The man is said to have been in the company of his two children who witnessed how their father was beaten by the police. His sin: To wait for his wife who was knocking off work, and therefore it was suspected that he wanted to rob the supermarket.
Most disturbing is the tendency by police to deny everything, even what they do in public.
In both the two incidents, the senior police officers in Maun have denied any of these incidents took place. This has opened a debate as to whether the service is credible, transparent and honest.
We call upon those responsible to seriously look into these incidents and do the honourable thing in order to save the good image of this organisation.
We believe that the police are not above the law and therefore a few individuals cannot be allowed to drag the service into the mud.
Trying to protect such perpetrators can only spell mistrust and fear of the police by the public which the police are meant to protect.
It is common cause that the whole idea of missionaries was, and still is, to convert non-believers to, usually, the Christian faith. That's the way it has been in old Bechuanaland and new Botswana for more than 100 years. Moffat, Livingstone, Campbell, Mackenzie et al all spread the Word of God in this country without much hindrance as they went about their work in remote villages. Botswana has had legislation in place for many years that gave foreign church ministers the right to preach in our Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Dutch Reformed, Zionist and other churches. These people did not have to apply for work permits in order to do so as they were given exemptions. Now, however, an earthly being seems to be busy interfering in God's work telling His messengers they have to have a work permit if they wished to continue preaching the Lord's Message in Botswana. Don't for one minute think this is not true foreign-born church ministers are receiving letters from the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs that they have to obtain work permits. The ruling is, apparently, according to Government Notice No. 70 of 2009. All organizations, including religious groups, must register with the government, a process that takes 4 to 6 months to complete. Sixty-nine religious groups registered from July 2006 to May 2007 and during this same period 256 religious groups began the process of registration but had their applications terminated after a failure to submit required forms, fees, or a constitution within 90 days, as the law mandates. No existing religious organisation was deregistered It is interesting that Labour and Home Affairs minister Peter Siele says the government is moving with speed to contain the soaring incident of infighting currently engulfing churches across the country and some churches are not sacred places of worship anymore as some greedy people have turned them into money spinning entities, hence instability. We have seen a few of these so-called church ministers at work in Ngamiland over the past few years so it does not come as a surprise to find work permits are being thoroughly screened to ensure that they operate within the confines of the permits.
More than a decade ago Shuffle spent days in the middle of the Congo Republic watching South African farmers put down their roots in an alien land which they hoped to tame in order to raise crops far from their homeland. Now more than 2 000 South African farmers are getting ready to do so again, fearing a Zimbabwe-style land grab in their homeland, an action which will surely spill over into neighbouring territories. The 1990s effort was made possible by the Brazzaville government which invited the farmers to a little place called Dolisie a one-time shining example of French colonial grandeur but by the time Shuffle reached there, much of the glitter had disappeared in the dirt and squalor of a land unable to see light at the end of the tunnel. The French colonialists had long fled most will remember the upheavals in the old Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) and across the river in what was called French Congo. Dolisie was chosen as the starting off point because it was ideally situated for the farmers to cross the mountains to fertile land that had once been farmed by the French. The roads were, and still are, increasingly bumpy until they disintegrate into sloshing mud lakes in the rain, and hard-set ridges with potholes of several metres deep feet after the rain (and we are concerned about the Nata-Pandamatenga road!!). Getting to Dolisie was an adventure in itself. A flight to Brazzaville, then to Point Noire on the Atlantic coast and then back into the hinterland aboard a rickety and very old Russian Antonov. Coming into land at the airport, the pilot buzzed the strip to get stray cattle of it and landed reasonably well. A very old taxi was waiting to pick up passengers to be taken to the only hotel in town a truly French-style building with the biggest bedrooms (chambers) one can imagine.
The end of the world is nigh. Heard that one before? This time it seems that the Maya calendar, long regarded for its accuracy, is saying that doomsday is December 21, 2012. Jeepers, that's two years away and people are getting nervous. A significant time period for the Mayas does end on the date, and enthusiasts have found a series of astronomical alignments they say coincide in 2012, including one that happens roughly only once every 25 800 years. But most archaeologists, astronomers and the remaining Maya say the only thing likely to hit earth is a meteor shower of New Age philosophy, pop astronomy, Internet doomsday rumours and TV specials. It may sound all too much like other doomsday scenarios of recent decades but this one has some grain of archaeological basis. One of them is Monument Six. Found at an obscure ruin in southern Mexico during road construction in the 1960s, the stone tablet [is] unique in that it contains the equivalent of the date 2012. The inscription describes something that is supposed to occur in 2012 but archaeologist Guillermo Bernal, of Mexico's National Autonomous University, notes there are other inscriptions at Mayan sites for dates far beyond 2012 including one that roughly translates into the year 4772. Whatever the case, the Makgadikgadi pans seem a good place in which to cower as fire and brimstone engulf us in 2012.
Schoolboy held for catching tortoise
Wildlife scouts and police took a 15-year-old Maun schoolboy into custody on Sunday for catching a tortoise in the Thamalakane River. He was fishing downstream at the time. The boy told police he was from a poor family and was hungry.
He said that he had gone to the river to check fishing nets but found that only a tortoise had been caught in the nets I decided to take it home to show my sisters and then kill it so that we could having something to eat, he said.
Police cautioned the boy for unlawful capture of protected species of wildlife.
Police returned the tortoise to the river.
All-out effort to stop damage by elephants
With increases in both human and elephant populations and consequent range expansion, escalating reports of HumanElephant Conflict (HEC) and negative attitudes towards elephants, as a result, are apparent.
Many local communities are suffering from crop loss, property damage, fear of walking to work/school, and even human deaths due to living in close proximity with elephants. While elephants are afflicted with habitat destruction and/or fragmentation, reduction in home range, loss of natural resources (food, water & shelter) and threat to their lives through hunting and problem animal control. HEC poses one of the most serious challenges to wildlife management throughout Botswana and there is a pressing need to establish effective mitigation strategies to help reduce this conflict.
In light of this, Conservation International (CI) recently funded two training workshops for farmers in the eastern Okavango Panhandle and Chobe Enclave. The purpose was to discuss current methods and teach new methods of community based human-elephant conflict mitigation and the use of chilli pepper to deter elephants from agricultural fields. The first at Gunotsoga attracted farmers from Beetsha, Eretsha and Gunotsoga as well as human-elephant conflict enumerators from 10 different villages employed by the Okavango Elephants and People Research Project (OEPRP).
The second workshop was held at Parakarungu with Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC) representatives from Namibia attending. Officers from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) were present at both workshops. Elephant Pepper Development Trust (EPDT), from Zambia, carried out the training and OEPRP facilitated the workshops.
The DWNP were influential in organizing and facilitating these workshops and assisting in supplying farmers with equipment starter packs.
The workshops initiated the training and chilli pepper trials that the DWNP is encouraging on a countrywide scale to try and reduce the amount of damage afflicted by elephants to crops.
The chilli pepper methods taught rely on the fact that elephants have a highly sensitive olfactory system and therefore chilli peppers can cause them considerable discomfort. Dry chilli pepper can be ground to a fine powder and mixed with old engine oil. The mixture is then smeared on bits of cloth and hung on fences, and also smeared on the string itself. The cloth deters the elephants from touching the fence. Chilli seeds can also be crushed and mixed with elephant dung to make bricks, which are then burnt outside the field to produce a strong smelling cloud of chilli smoke, which again acts as a deterrent.
Farmers were also taught the necessary skills required to plant and propagate chilli pepper plants in their fields and act as a buffer crop to help reduce damage to subsistence crops.
Straight talking to get things moving
The Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Carter Morupisi, has lost no time in telling staff to get on with the job at hand.
He was addressing staff on President Ian Khama's decision to add an extra D for Delivery to the initial 4 Ds of Democracy, Dignity, Discipline and Development.
This means that there is now more emphasis on service delivery than ever before, reminding them of their duty to serve as civil servants.
Morupisi said all public servants should embrace and abide by quality public service delivery.
He highlighted issues that contribute to the Ministry's poor performance such as public accounts committee matters, late responses to queries, poor recruitment ethics, lack of information sharing, corruption and usage of government resources, including time, for personal gains. He urged the staff to start pulling together in the same direction in order to improve performance above the stipulated minimum performance level.
Staff members replied by saying problem areas included lack of progression and equipment.
The ministry of Works and Transport has been changed to that of Infrastructure, Science and Technology comprising of Buildings and Engineering Services, Radiation, and Research departments while the bulk of the former departments like such as Roads, Road Transport and Safety and Central Transport Organization are now part of the former Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, now known as the Ministry of Transport and Communications, which has other departments such as Telecommunications and Postal Services and that of Information and Technology under its wing.
Don't burn your fingers check out those policies'
By The Underwriter
The recent big fire in Maun has focused interest on insurance matters.
There are at least two major issues which should be taken into consideration when one has been unfortunate enough to have experienced a fire in ones premises - if we have been prudent enough to take out insurance in the first place. The questions to be asked are: Am I adequately insured is my sum insured correct?; Can my business continue to operate and thrive now that the premises and stock have been destroyed? We have all heard of the term underinsurance. It is a far too common scenario, which is nevertheless avoidable and a brief explanation of how insurance works will hopefully assist in determining your own situation. Most insurance policies covering assets contain what is known as the average clause.
This means, in effect, that the insurance company will pay out the same proportion of any claim that the sum insured under the policy represents to the total value at risk.
An example is a house valued at P1 000 000. You have insured it (the Sum Insured), however, for only P500, 000. So 50% of the value.
Should you have any claim, no matter how big or how small, the insurer will only pay you 50% of your loss accordingly.
You will therefore see it is false economy to insure for less than the value of your assets as although you will think you are saving money, when that loss occurs for which you have taken out insurance in the first place, the amount you may get back after the incident will be less than you have anticipated.
Let's take this further. The example gives a house value of P1 000 000. That may be the value on the renewal date of your policy. Property values appreciate. This time next year the property may be worth another, say 10%, so P1 100 000. If a claim occurs 11 months after renewal date and the sum insured has not changed then again Average may apply.
Always ensure the Sum Insured under the policy reflects the actual value, in 12 months time, not necessarily the value today. Instruct your insurance company or your broker, to include the escalation clause on your policy. This provides for an automatic increase in your sum insured, on a daily basis. At renewal date the new, increased, Sum Insured will be covered, taking care of the problem.
The premium will have increased, too, of course.
A Fire policy covers damage to assets. It does not cover any consequential loss, loss of profits or business interruption costs.
Only 30% of businesses worldwide effect Business Interruption policies. Significant numbers of businesses fail by not having a Business Interruption Policy. Depending upon the nature of your enterprise, you may not be able to operate: you may not be able to open for business: existing orders may be destroyed so you cannot deliver: You will have your normal overheads, staff costs, utilities: VAT costs and PAYE.
Customers may well have to seek alternative suppliers and it will take you a very long time to get back to the situation you were in before the unfortunate event occurred.
Without adequate Business Interruption insurance you may never recover! It is not expensive and provides real peace of mind should a loss occur. Even if you only run a small office, you will be incurring Increased Cost of Working expenses alternative temporary accommodation, hiring equipment to enable you to continue in business, to mitigate any losses, until you are operating at the same level as prior to the event. You may own a building in which there are/were tenants. Clearly you would lose this rental income if the premises are destroyed or damaged.
You may be a tenant yourself. You will be similarly affected. Don't underestimate the losses you could incur if you are not adequately insured. Don't wait until you have a fire or other loss! Dig out your policies now and make sure all is in order! Or contact your broker or insurer for immediate advice and assistance!
Land applicants take Board to task
By Keagisitswe Dioka and Gaolebogwe Moipei
About twenty local residents are accusing the Tawana Land Board of unfair allocation of land following a decision to allocate land to a certain individual even though people have been denied the same property under the pretext that it was a government plot.
According to the complainants, they want an explanation from the Sub Land board about the procedures which were followed when allocating a land to that particular person while they were turned down since 1998. Early this year, while complainants had given up hope that no one would be allocated the land, a land board employee, accompanied by other people, measured the land and gave it to someone.
The residents then called police to assist and were advised to go to the Tawana Land Board for an explanation. They were also shown a map which also indicated that the land which was given to that particular person was reserved for government developments. Residents also wanted the person who had been allocated the land to tell who had done so.
Land Board officials replied negatively.
According to the complainants they were turned down by a senior officer at Maun Sub Land board, a person known as Mhapha, who said it would take five years to investigate the matter and also that the person who was allocated the land does not owe them any explanation.''
They became suspicious that the person who was allocated the land is being favoured and went to the main Land Board where they met Board secretary, Nickson Mogapi, who told them that he would investigate.
When the complainants returned to hear the outcome, they were surprised to hear Mogapi say preliminary investigations show that the land was transferred from another person. They also said the land certificate issued to the person showed that he was allocated two plots at Boseja and at Disaneng ward on the same day. This further raised their suspicions.
The residents said they are very disappointed on how things are done. They said they were told by the land board authorities that there is no way a plot can be transferred to someone without any developments.
During a meeting with Mogapi this week, residents said he told them that he had not visited the area since they had raised the complaint earlier this year. They told him that they suspected that only those who are rich are taken into consideration rather than the poor, and stressed that if there wasn't any discrimination, the board could have stopped the person from developing the land. Mogapi told them it will depend upon the circumstances on the plot when it is transferred, citing as an example that when someone cannot afford to develop the plot he can transfer it to someone without any developments. Residents told Mogapi they were not happy about how the matter was handled and said they would take the matter further.
Impressive Zebras rattle Zimbabwe
From Tirivhanu Mangwiro
- The senior national soccer team, the Zebras, gave had an impressive exhibition of football show but failed to hold on as they conceded a late strike from Zimbabwean midfielder Mthulisi Maphosa who scrambled his side into the semi-finals of the COSAFA Senior Challenge. It was a lucky goal in the 88th minute at Barbourfields Stadium on Monday.
The Zebras had come out the best in a pool which included the Comoros, Swaziland and the Seychelles. They drew against the Comoros before silencing Swaziland and Seychelles. Their three games without a loss and conceding a goal made them one of the shock sides of the regional tournament.
Monday's game was destined to a penalty shootout and they were two minutes away when they conceded a corner kick that resulted in a goal that broke the hearts of the nation. The stadium was filled to capacity, with more than 20 000 spectators to witness one of the crunch matches to be played in this tournament. The home team was favourites and they had the idea of easily beating Botswana, but in turned out to be a nightmare as the Zebras silenced the crowd with their attacking style of play. Zimbabwe started off at a high pace and regularly invaded the Zebras penalty area, but it was not easy to find the back of the net as South African-based goalkeeper Noah Maposa kept the Zebras in the game. In the 7 th minute, Botswana was denied a penalty by referee Martins de Carvlho Helder, of Angola, after match winner Pontsho Moloi was brought down in the penalty box by Zimbabwean defender Gilbert Mapemba. As the game turned into a seesaw, both sides created numerous chances which were squandered by the strikers. Botswana allowed the Zimbabweans to play around the ball, but they were shut down by the hardworking Michael Mogaladi and Ofentse Nato who combined well to pin down their opponents. A chance for the home side went begging in the 25th minute when presented with a chance to lob the ball over the drawn-out Botswana goalkeeper who was agile enough to collect it. Immediately Botswana went on a counter-attack with the troublesome Moloi firing a cracker from 30m and which Zimbabwean goal minder Edmore Sibanda did well to get his fingers to, forcing the ball to crash against the bar. Towards the end of the first half, Zimbabwe had another chance. Evans Gwekwerere had his effort missing the target from a tight angle in the 41st minute. After the break, Botswana were first to try their luck at goal through bulky Onaletha Tshekiso who had got the better of Daniel Veremu and Gilbert Mapemba but his hard shot missed the target. A minute later Moloi forced a good save off Zimbabwe's goalkeeper. In a rare incident in which the Botswana captain put his foot wrong, Thuma miscalculated a centre from the right, gifting Malajila with a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper in the 62nd minute but the striker scooped the ball over the goal. The heartbreaking moment for Botswana came as Zimbabwe won a corner in the 88th minute, and Tafadzwa Rusike took the responsibility, smashing his curling effort against the woodwork. From the ensuing commotion as the hosts battled to clear the line, Maphosa pushed the ball over the goal line to put Zimbabwe firmly on course for a semi-final tie against South Africa in Harare.
Stanley Tshosane, the Botswana coach, said he was happy with the way his boys had performed. and we are now looking forward to maintain the same squad for the next competitions Zimbabwe coach Sunday Chidzambwa admitted Botswana had given them a torrid time all afternoon. It was a very tight game, Botswana surprised me, they put up a good show, said Chidzambwa. Teams: Zimbabwe: E Sibanda, M Maphosa, A Nhongo, M Mwanjali, D Veremu, C Semakweri, T Kamusoko, M Maphosa, E Gwekwerere (P Marufu 46th minute), G Mapemba, T Rusike, C Malajila. Botswana: N Maphosa, N Letsholathebe, Mmusa Ohilwe, M Thuma, P Moloi, O Nato, O Tshekiso (M Mosimanyana 86th minute), M Moatlhaping, M Bolelang (M Mokgathi 63rd minute), O Ntesa, M Mogaladi
Zimbabwe leading goal-scorers in COSAFA event
Zimbabwean Cuthbert Malajila heads the goal-scorers list at the 2009 COSAFA Senior Challenge going into the semifinals matches.
The Dynamos star netted a brace against Mauritius and one more in the 2-2 Group A draw with Lesotho to head the charts with three goals.
He is followed by Thabiso Maile (Lesotho) and Mathokoza Thwala (Swaziland) on two goals each.
There are 18 on one goal, with the likes of Josemar Machaisse (Mozambique), Lennox Bacala, Oupa Manyisa (both South Africa) and Stopilla Sunzu (Zambia) all looking to add to their tallies in the competition.
In total, there have been 25 goals scored in the 13 matches to date.
Rollers on a roll against Notwane
- In a pulsating Be Mobile league encounter played at the UB Stadium, Township Rollers breezed past a young Notwane outfit and in the process climbed to the top of the leader board via a 3-2 scoreline.
Rahman Gumbo's boys have played creative and supremely entertaining football with an overriding concern of scoring more than the opposition. However, it was not plain sailing as Notwane's Young Turks pushed the champions-elect all the way and in a furious first half Pako Moloi failed to give his team the lead when he broke through. Moloi was at it again when he dribbled past Kabelo Dambe in Rollers' goals and elected to shoot with two teammates screaming for the ball.
Rollers had fewer chances but, admittedly, more gilt-edged than those of Notwane. Tebogo Mothusi failed to put away a glorious chance as Botlhe Moralo parried his attempt for a corner. Rollers took the lead as the first half drew to a close through Terence Mandaza when he benefitted from a weak backpass to wrong foot Moralo for the first goal. Deep into injury time Moloi redeemed himself as Dambe failed to collect an aerial ball and the former headed past the bewildered keeper to restore parity.
The second half proved to be a totally different story as Rollers scored two quick goals from outside the area through Amos Shoes' Godirwang and Mandaza. Notwane lost the plot as they kept pumping high, hopeful balls to their attackers. It was an insult as Rollers has two of the tallest defenders in the league in Oscar Ncenga and Itayi Gwandu. A late rally resulted in a goal by substitute Michael Bulaya but it was too little, too late. In other games Uniao Flamengo Santos drew 4-4 with Boteti Young Fighters while Nico United disposed of Jwaneng Comets with a 4-2 scoreline. Ecco City Greens defeated BMC FC 3-0. Mochudi Centre Chiefs defeated Extension Gunners 2-1 while Tafic handed Motlakase Power Dynamos yet another defeat with a 2-0 scoreline. Police XI romped home 3-0 against Killer Giants.
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