Africa-Press – Botswana. The General Manager of Jwaneng Mine envisions sports development beyond football as part of community engagement.
Jwaneng Mine has ambitions of transforming the diamond mining town into a sports development hub.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Jwaneng Mine GM’s Soccer Fiesta held over the weekend, the general manager of Jwaneng Mine, Goitseone Gadifele, said the initiative goes beyond football and seeks to develop multiple sporting codes.
“We are not only looking at football but other sporting codes as well,” he said. “We want to use these activities to benefit the surrounding communities.”
Charitable outreach
Gadifele explained that events like the Jwaneng Mine GM’s Soccer Fiesta are part of the mine’s charitable outreach. “A good example is this tournament,” he said.
“We started it four years ago. Every year we do it to make an impact on the surrounding communities.”
He noted that Jwaneng Mine is working with nearby communities to improve sports training and access.
“We want to export sports stars”
“We are partnering with surrounding communities to ensure that they are well trained in sports because eventually we want to export sports stars – not only nationally but internationally,” he said. “We want people to make a living out of sports.”
Gadifele said they were pleased with this year’s turnout and announced that proceeds from the event will go towards building a health post in Betesankwe, a village that lies between Jwaneng and Kanye.
Uncertainties in diamond industry
Tournament spokesperson Keletso Thekiso acknowledged that organising this year’s event was not without challenges, particularly due to the economic uncertainty in the diamond industry.
“There was that conversation about whether we should pause and continue when the dust has settled,” she said. “But because we are intentional with this tournament and use it as a tool for social transformation, we intend to continue with it due to the value it brings.”
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