Former Botswana Premier League (BPL) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Comfort “Big Fish” Ramatebele is alleged to be on the verge of swimming back to Lekidi.
Years after moving out of the Botswana Football Association (BFA) headquarters, ‘Big Fish’ is now set to return, this time as Personal Assistant (PA) to the BFA CEO Mfolo Mfolo.
As has been the case with most of the association’s recent appointments, the position Ramatebele will allegedly take has not been advertised with the association choosing to head hunt the best candidates for vacant posts.
It is understood that after a series of meetings between Ramatebele and the BFA President Maclean Letshwiti, the BFA top brass is convinced that Ramatebele is the right man for the PA position.
As part of his new job, Ramatebele’s will be tasked with implementing “strategic partnerships with potential stakeholders to promote youth structures countrywide.’
Given his experience in football administration with the BPL, Ramatebele is also expected to help the association’s search for sponsors.
However, with Ramatebele still in the employ of local radio station Gabz FM and the BFA determined to get him, the association is said to have made concessions to lure him back to Lekidi.
Among the concessions, the association is said to have assured him that his engagement at Gabz FM will not be interrupted by his appointment at BFA.
“Ramatebele’s engagements at Gabz Fm will still stand, it was agreed that his position at the BFA will not affect his radio career if he takes the job,” the source revealed.
Reached for comment, Ramatebele was cagey saying he has never been engaged by any BFA officials.
“I have never had any official meeting with the BFA President but all I can say is that I am a sport servant and if needed in any sport organisation I will always raise my hand,” he said.
For his part, BFA mouthpiece Tumo Mpatane said he could not comment on matters of staff recruitment and referred the Sunday Standard to the BFA CEO.
“Issues regarding the recruitment of association staff are handled by the CEO and I cannot comment on that one,” Mpatane told Sunday Standard.
Meanwhile, the association has started advertising some of its vacant positions as the reported restructuring process at the BFA still continues.
Among the positions advertised is that of the Technical Director (TD), which is currently occupied by Matshediso Kowa.
The TD position has been vacant since the departure of former Benny Kgomela, with Kowa roped in as a stop gap while the association was hunting for a suitable candidate.
Another position that has been advertised is that of referees’ manager while the Technical education officer post that was occupied by Phillemon Makhwengwe remains vacant.
