TRIBUTES FOR LEFA PRESIDENT THABO MAKAKOLE

The president of the Lesotho Football Association, Thabo Makakole, died tragically in a car accident in Maseru on Thursday.

The long-serving LEFA president was a popular figure in southern African football and one of the energetic backers of the Cosafa Castle Cup.

Tributes have been received from Cosafa president Ismail Bhamjee and Confederation of AF executive committee member Molefi Oliphant.

“This is tragic. He was always there for football, a very helpful and very co-operative man,” said Bhamjee on Friday.

“He never said no when he was asked to do anything to do with football. His life had been dedicated to the upliftment of the sport in his country.”
Oliphant, who is also the president of the South African Football Association, added: “It’s a great loss to soccer in the sub-region and on the continent. He was a fine administrator and had the potential of going the ranks in CAF.

“He was a big friend of South African football and served as a match commissioner in our country on many occasions. He initiated a lot of contact between our teams.

“I received with shock the news and, on behalf of football, our deep and heartfelt condolences go out to his family and the Lesotho Football Association.

“He was a prominent citizen in Lesotho and played a massive role in the development of soccer in that country.”