Africa-Press – Botswana. IHS Worriers emerged the star of the inaugural Bandleng Live Soccer Tournament Heritage Cup against Adiwele Dikakapa Social Club at Old Lobatse Stadium on Sunday after displaying a sterling performance smashing them 2-0 in a heated electrifying encounter.
Bandleng Live Soccer Tournament, which had attracted 16 social clubs vying for the converted Heritage Cup themed; Our Heritage our Pride, saw Lobatse-based IHS Lobatse Worriers become champions, winning a trophy, gold medals, soccer kit and P3 500 cash prize, while Adiwele Dikakapa won P2 500, football kit and silver medals followed by Ditsina Social Club, who scooped bronze medals taking home P1 500 and a kit after beating Mapalelwa Social Club 4-2 in an enthralling penalty shootout. Mapalelwa got P1 000 and a ball.
Karabo Molwantwa of IHS Lobatse Worriers was crowned Top Goal Scorer of the tournament after scoring five goals in the quarter finals on Saturday as well as semi-finals and final on Sunday, while Pontsho Motingwa of Adiwele Dikakapa was bestowed with Player of the Tournament accolade and Pako Motsumi of IHS Lobatse Worriers was awarded Goal keeper of the Tournament.
In an interview, the main sponsor of the tournament and MP for Lobatse, Kamal Jacobs, who sponsored the tournament with P20 000 under the Kamal Jacobs Foundation, said the event was organised as part of the initiatives of reviving Lobatse, which had been regressing economically.
He said the tournament was also meant to celebrate Lobatse heritage, boost local economy, keep young people engaged, fight drug and substance abuse, unearth football talent and improve social cohesion.
“This was our first activity. We will improve going forward and we hope that more sponsors come on board to grow this tournament.
I started off by sponsoring it from pocket, which was not enough,” he said.
Furthermore, Jacobs highlighted that Radio Botswana was first housed in Lobatse.
The town also accommodated the Old Legislative Council and it was where rich political history of other nations was founded such as Fish Keitseng and Samora Machel museums.
“So Lobatse should not be where it is today. We must do something about it to move it to another level and this tournament is one of such initiatives to drive the local economy,” he said.
He underscored that using sport, the creative industry and entertainment was pivotal to bringing about the much needed change in the oldest town.
In an interview, Mapalelwa PRO, Onalethata Motsamai said the Bandleng Live Soccer Tournament brought the youth together to take part in the Heritage Cup, buttressing that the activity would aid in boosting the local economy. The tournament, he said also served as a fitness and leisure part of the clubs’ social engagements.
For his part, Daniel Mkhize of Adiwele Dikakapa said the social clubs were driven by the social responsibility of giving back to the community, adding that playing for the Heritage Cup was in line with their mandate as some of the funds accrued from the tournament would be used to procure stationery for Lobatse schools. He said in the past social clubs were not taken seriously as they were seen as groups who peddled social ills such as drug and alcohol abuse, adding that playing for the Heritage Cup was crucial for the social and economic development of the local community.
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