Leemisa Thuseho

CHABELI Mohatlane will once again lead the Lesotho Table Tennis Association (LeTTA) for the next four years after winning the elections unchallenged at Setsoto Stadium yesterday.

He will be deputised by Malatola Phothane from Vodacom Table Tennis Club. Phothane, who was an ordinary committee member in the outgoing committee was also unchallenged for the post.

The elections also saw Tholang Tohlang also retaining his secretary general post while Thabo Tikoe also retained his treasurer post. Both were unopposed.

Kamohelo Seaka is the new vice secretary general while Themba Talane is the new players’ representatives. Thato Mothibeli is the new public relations officer.

The new ordinary committee members are Sello Lepeli, Khomo Joo and Reitumetse Maome.

Mohatlane while he was happy to retain his post, he understands that he and others are not in the position for personal gains but to develop the sport. He therefore urged the committee members to work hard.

He said he was happy that some members of the old committee have either retained their posts or elected for new ones as this was a sign of their good work in the previous term.

“We are here to take the sport to a better level and not for personal opportunities,” Mohatlane said.

One of the association’s achievements under his leadership is the hosting of the 2019 African Union Sports Council Region (AUSC) Region 5 Table Tennis Championship. This was the association’s biggest ever feat.

Hosting the tournament also enabled the association to receive equipment from the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

Botswana is set to host 2021 AUSC Region 5 Championship in December 2021 while South Africa will host it in 2023. Therefore, the new committee must ensure that Lesotho is well represented in the next two editions of the championships.

“We see the AUSC Games as an opportunity for African countries, hence we must start our activities soon as possible and organise a team that will qualify for the world championships.

“Our players are hungry for competitions and this is the right time to get everyone back into competitive mode,” Mohatlane said.

Mohatlane said the committee has ambitious dreams to popularise tennis and was already engaging the Maseru City Council to give them space to construct concrete tables.

“LeTTA intends to partner with Kick4Life and the two parties are looking at ways in which a table tennis academy can be established,” Mohatlane said.

He wished the incoming committee all the best and advised the members to work hard and as a united front while striving to develop the sport, technical officials and coaches.