Letšeng Golf Day raises over M300 000

NTHAKO MAJORO

MASERU – More than M300 000 was raised during the 2022 Letšeng Golf Day tournament at the Maseru Golf Club last Friday. In total, the money raised at the golfing event was M312 000. The amount excluded late pledges made after the tournament by some of golfers and individuals from local companies to the tune of M29 500. The Letšeng Golf Day managed to raise this amount in its return to action after two years break in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Letšeng Diamonds’ Communications Officer, Lebohang Chefa, said they did not expect to raise such amount after that break. “The tournament was very successful with a big turn up, and truly speaking we were not expecting to raise such amount after we paused for almost two years and also because the Covid-19 pandemic is still there.” Chefa said Letšeng Golf Day was launched in 2010 with the main purpose being to lend a hand to the Mokhotlong community since his company is mining diamonds from the same district.

“We started the tournament way back around 2010 as an annual event but it had to pause in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Chefa in an interview with Public Eye. Chefa said Letšeng Diamonds got support from other companies in order to host a successful tournament and raise enough money. “We are getting support from other businesses and as a result we could not ask for the sponsorship money from any of them since the Covid-19 pandemic had affected every business.”

Chefa further said: “When we are organising this event we invite companies to pledge money and that’s the same money which at the end of the day is used for the charity.” The supporting companies, Chefa said, always kept their promises. “After we wrote them and agreed to pledge we then hold them to it because that’s the commitment they made and most of the time you would find that they pay it.” Chefa said Letšeng Diamonds normally supports schools with sanitation. He said they also used to talk to the Ministry of Education concerning the challenges the schools had before his company could decide which school needed an urgent assistance.

“You would also find that we already had projects lining up in the villages but we ended up putting them off because of not having money for them.” Chefa said the money raised during this year’s tournament would probably be distributed in May this year when Letšeng’s board sit to decide on which project the money it could be used for. “This money goes straight to a project to be identified by the committee and without any condition. The board will sit in May to decide which project the money should go to.”

The tournament attracted 67 golfers, with Tlotliso Khabo, Joshua Leballo and ’Malehloa Lekhooa with a 112 net score. The February Monthly Mug winner, Mosuhla Leteka, became the runner up with Sam Mokoena, Matlali Makhetha and Puleng Mokoailane as a fourball team, also with a 122 net score. Third place position went to Malefetsane Mahafa, Rethabile Liphalana, Teboho Makoetlane and Daniel Lekoetje with a 111 net score.