Botswana FA Apologise to Former Kaizer Chiefs Star Over Captaincy Controversy

• Botswana Football Association have begged former Kaizer Chiefs star Thatayaone Ditlhokwe after the recent captaincy controversy in the national team
• The ex-Amakhosi defender has been one of the key players for the Botswana national team for some time now and has been captianing the side in few years
• There were controversy between the defender and one of the members of the football association which made him missed Algeria's clash
• Briefly News spoke with reputation strategist Marilize Jacobs to unpack the power of a public apology

The Botswana Football Association has apologized to former Kaizer Chiefs defender Thatayaone Ditlhokwe in response to the recent controversy regarding the national team’s captaincy.

Ditlhokwe has been impressive for the Botswana national team, making 26 appearances and captaining them in some matches.

He recently had issues with his recent call-up into Morena Ramoreboli-coached side which made his miss their 3-1 loss to Algeria on Friday.

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Botswana FA issues apology to Ditlhokwe

According to FARPost, Ditlhokwe was reportedly threatened to be chased out of the Botswana national team by the vice president of the association, Tebogo Tico Kamati.

Kamati believes the former Kaizer Chiefs defender is not fit enough to captain the national team and should be removed.

The CEO of the Botswana Football Association, Mfolo Edwin Mfolo, has released an official statement to apologise to TT and promised that such unfortunate situation will not happen again.

"We have taken note of the conversation between 'Dindi' and BFA Vice President 2. As the BFA, we want to clearly state that this conversation did not reflect the official stance of the BFA," the association said in a statement.

"We deeply regret that this unfortunate conversation took place. It was never our intention to be involved in such a situation, and it certainly does not align with the values that the BFA is known for. We also want to inform you that, as a valued member of the national team, we were unaware of this conversation.

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"We understand why you felt upset and why it impacted your claim. We fully recognize your frustration, and we offer our sincere apologies for the actions that took place. We know these actions could damage the positive relationship we've built.

"However, we are committed to resolving this issue and fostering a strong working relationship to ensure the success of our project. Please accept our heartfelt apologies, and we assure you that this will not happen again."

Briefly News spoke with reputation strategist Marilize Jacobs to examine whether public apologies can truly mend a damaged reputation. She said:

"Public apologies have become a near-daily occurrence, with politicians, outspoken executives and even private individuals forced to respond after going viral for all the wrong reasons.

Social media algorithms amplify backlash, increasing the pressure for immediate, transparent apologies or explanations."

As of this writing, it is yet to be reported if the former SuperSport United player has responded to the Botswana Football Association's apology.

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Botswana will face Somalia in their next 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Francistown Stadium on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

Chiefs interested in signing ex-player as Ditlhokwe's replacement

Briefly News also reported that Kaizer Chiefs are considering signing one of the former players as a replacement for Ditlhokwe who left the club in January.

The Botswana defender left the Soweto giants without them getting a replacement as the South African transfer window had already closed at that point.

Source: Briefly News