Born and raised in the dusty, quiet village of Digawana over four decades ago, Tshepo “Talk Talk” Motlhabankwe rose to become a household name in Botswana football.
Like many boys of his generation, in the absence of structured academies, Motlhabankwe honed his skills on makeshift grounds, kicking a plastic ball with friends. Few could have predicted that the shy youngster would mature into one of the country’s most respected footballers.
According to his former teacher and coach at Lobatse Secondary School, Boniface Lekaba, Motlhabankwe’s talent became evident as early as 1998 when boarding students were just passing time over the weekend soccer game.
“He was reluctant to play for the school team at first,” Lekaba recalled. “I think he was intimidated by older, more established players, some of whom were already registered with clubs like Lobatse Stars and Extension Gunners.”
With encouragement, Motlhabankwe eventually joined the school team, playing primarily at right back, though he occasionally featured in midfield.
Lekaba revealed that he had earmarked him for Botswana Meat Commission (BMC), where he was coaching at the time, but the problem was from Motlhabankwe’s father, a staunch Extension Gunners supporter.
After leaving school, Motlhabankwe briefly joined Kanye-based Southern Pirates before making a pivotal move to Extension Gunners.
Patrick Phale, a close family friend and mentor, shared how they facilitated the move.
“We took him for trials at Gunners without management knowing,” he said. “When coach Daniel ‘Chico Dance’ Nare accepted him, we then negotiated his release. Back then, transfers were not as complicated as they are today.”
It was at Extension Gunners, around the year 2000, that Motlhabankwe’s raw talent was refined under Nare’s guidance. He went on to establish himself as a key figure for the Peleng side, even captaining established players such as Itumeleng “Tumi” Duicker and Nephtally “Scara” Kebalepile.
His performances eventually earned him a move to Mochudi Centre Chiefs, much to the disappointment of Gunners supporters.
At Chiefs, Motlhabankwe enjoyed tremendous success, winning three league titles in the 2007–08, 2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons. He was part of a formidable squad that included Pontsho Moloi, Oteng “OT” Moalosi, Jerome Ramatlhakwana, Mpho “Jomo” Mabogo and Noah Maposa.
He later returned to Lobatse for a brief stint with BMC before joining Township Rollers in 2015. Despite being in his 30s, Motlhabankwe enjoyed a remarkable late-career resurgence, winning four consecutive league titles from 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19..
During his time with Rollers, he was part of the historic squad that won the 2018 Mascom Top 8 and reached the group stages of the CAF Champions League, competing against continental heavyweights such as Al Ahly (Egypt), Espérance (Tunisia) and KCCA (Uganda).
Motlhabankwe concluded his playing career at Gilport Lions before transitioning into coaching.
Widely regarded as one of the finest right backs of his generation, he was also a key member of the Botswana national team, the Zebras. He played a pivotal role in the team that qualified for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), a historic achievement for the country.
Having been introduced to the national team setup by coach Veselin Jelusic in the early 2000s, Motlhabankwe remained a dependable figure for over a decade.
Following news of his passing this past Sunday, tributes have poured in from across the football fraternity, honouring a man who left an indelible mark on the domestic game.
He will be laid to rest tomorrow in his home village of Digawana.
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