TLOTLO KEBINAKGABO
The Botswana government spent approximately P1.3 million on last year’s Clash of Legends football match, a game that saw Zebras legends face off against their South African counterparts on Independence Day.
The expenditure, recently revealed in Parliament, has sparked debate, particularly as the event replaced the traditional national team (s) fixture. Critics also argued that the government-funded match closely resembled another Clash of Legends tournament, organized annually by former Zebras player Sekhana Koko and others.
Responding to a question posed by Arafat Khan, the Member of Parliament for Molepolole North, Minister of Sports and Arts Jacob Kelebeng disclosed that the total expenditure for the event was P1,283,897 (approximately P1.3 million). The funds covered transportation, accommodation, press conference arrangements, and match facilitation.
Player payouts
Kelebeng noted that each of the two teams was allocated P570,000, with individual payments made to players. Botswana’s squad, consisting of 24 players, received P11,250 each, while the 18-member South African team earned R15,000 per player.
With the government spending such a significant amount, critics have argued that the funds could have been better utilized, particularly for grassroots football development or other struggling sports.
“We cannot be spending this much money on an exhibition match when local teams and other sporting codes are seriously struggling for funding,” said a sports analyst who requested anonymity. “It was really unnecessary for the government to spend such an amount on a one-day exhibition game. Some sporting codes missed international competitions last year due to a lack of funds, yet this much was spent on a single exhibition match.”
The controversy over the event underscores broader concerns about government spending priorities in Botswana’s sports sector.