By Moorosi Tsiane
MASERU — Minister of Gender and Youth, Sports and Recreation Thesele ’Maseribane (pictured right), is concerned with the lack of facilities and infrastructure that seem to be hindering progress as far as sport is concerned.
′Maseribane was speaking during a press briefing held on Monday after returning from a two-day African Union Sports Council for Sports Ministers from the SCSA zone VI held in Zimbabwe last week.
“Lack of facilities and equipment remains a big problem in our country and it also hinders the growth of sport in general,” ′Maseribane said.
He said there is a lot that the country needs to do to reach the level of their counterparts in the region.
“We are working hard to improve the facilities that we have in the country and I believe within the next three years everyone will see the progress.
The Minister pointed out that the lack of stadiums; high performance training centres as well as poor administration has hindered progress in sport.
“We have two stadiums in this country, but they still need to be improved as they can only accommodate small crowds,” said ′Maseribane.
“We are busy working on projects that we feel can help improve sport in our country,” he said.
′Maseribane singled out Mamoroallo Tjoka and 100 and 200-metre star sprinter, Mosito Lehata, who has been training in Mauritius to prepare for the 2016 Olympic Games, as exemplary athletes.
He said they are proud of the local athletes who have been doing well regionally and internationally, especially Tjoka who has dominated the Soweto Marathon over the years. “Our teams did well during the recent regional competitions with both Likuena and the national under-17 team reaching the later stages of the SCSA and Cosafa competitions respectively,” Maseribane said. Both competitions were held in Zambia in 2012 and 2013.
The Minister said there is also progress with the training facilities being developed at Ha Rapokolana in Thaba Putsoa.
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