Road crashes, heart problems rob Botswana of talent
In the last decade, Botswana has lost some of its finest football players to road crashes. As the country prepares to bid farewell talented defender, Lesenya Ramoraka, Mmegi Sport Staff Writer, MQONDISI DUBE looks back at incidents that have cut short the
Most people were away immersing themselves in the festivities of the Christmas period when news broke that Gaborone United defender, Joseph Phetogo had lost his life in a car accident in 2010.
It was devastating news as ‘Big Joe’ was at the peak of his career having just captained the Reds to a league title the previous season.
His demise in the car crash represents the many sad moments that have seen football careers tragically end.
There was a period of ‘calm’ as tears dried with no major incidents until the dark cloud rolled over again in 2017.
Township Rollers and the whole football fraternity were thrown into mourning when winger, Gofaone Tiro collapsed and died during training in April 2017.
Mahalapye-based side, Santa Green also suffered a similar loss when youngster, Leatile Setabosigo suffered a suspected cardiac arrest.
On the boardroom, football lost Phenyo Gothaang, Extension Gunners’ chairperson, to a car accident in 2017. The following year was particularly devastating as Sua Flamingoes attacker, Lovemore Murirwa was killed in a road accident, and two days later, Morupule Wanderers was dealt a blow when Lesego ‘Ricalmer’ Matoteng also died in a car crash near Radisele. Seven players from Gumare United died when the vehicle they were travelling in overturned between Gumare and Sehithwa on their way to a Constituency League competition. Off the pitch, one of football’s charismatic characters, Clifford Mogomotsi lost his life during a car accident in Gaborone.
In 2019, TAFIC lost Molebatsi Kangangwani to a car crash before a quieter 2020. However, the incidents have been unrelenting as this year, Mexican Girls lost 15-year-old, Lebogang Pitso who collapsed and died at training. Before tears could dry, football was again mourning when Mochudi Centre Chiefs defender, Donald Rapulane was stabbed to death in Otse.
Last week, there was again the cruel reminder of the amount of talent road accidents have claimed when Lesenya Ramoraka, who had a stint with South Africa’s Highlands Park, died in a road mishap near Mmashoro.
Other than football, cardiac arrest also claimed the life of 400m athlete, Omphemetse Mokgadi who died while training at the University of Botswana Stadium in 2018.
As scores gather in Chadibe this weekend to pay their final respects to Ramoraka, the sombre occasion will be a sickening reminder of how much talent the roads and cardiac arrest have claimed in the recent past.