Moorosi Tsiane
Mafeteng
MAFETENG was painted black and yellow yesterday as newly-crowned Vodacom Premier League champions, Bantu, paraded the district with the two trophies they won this season and marking their most successful campaign in style.
The Mafeteng-based outfit clinched a double of League and Top 4 Independence titles to mark a successful spell that saw them lift the league trophy for the first time since its establishment in 1927.
The parade started-off at Golden Hotel, passing through the villages of Hospital area, Matšaneng, Matlapaneng, Phameng, Ha Ra Mokhele and then to Likhoele to present the trophies to the head chief of Mafeteng. From there the carnival went to Motsekuoa and then back to Golden Hotel where celebrations continued until the late hours.
In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Express, Bantu president, Leuta John Leuta said the parade was history in the making for the people of Mafeteng since it was the first time the team won the premier League title in over eight decades.
The tour, he said, was meant to showcase the silverware to the Mafeteng community and celebrate their successful year together.
“It just feels great to see the people of Mafeteng enjoying themselves after a very long and tough season, this event is one of a kind because this is the first time we have won the league after 87 years since the team’s founding and also winning the Independence cup for the third successive year,” Leuta said.
“It feels great to see this team achieving so much under my leadership, but I cannot really say much about the future because our term has ended and will hold elections next month,” said Leuta.
Also celebrating Bantu’s success was former defender, Lehlohonolo Seema who is now assistant coach at South African premier league side, Bloemfontein Celtic.
The former Likuena defender told the Sunday Express he was very proud of the team, supporters and executive committee for bringing so much joy to his former club after years struggling to win the league title.
“I am proud of this team,” Seema said. “They have managed to bring happiness to this community after a very long time,”
The former Likuena skipper who had a stint in the team as technical director before leaving for Celtic, said rewards have come after a lot of hard work from all the stakeholders of the Mafeteng-based side.
“This a job well done for the whole team and I hope they can continue with the good work they have done next season; I also hope this executive committee will come back unchanged after their elections next month,” Seeiso said.