Register with CIPA or no gigs, bouncers warned

Larona Makhaiza | Sunday January 29, 2023 06:00

The ultimatum to chuckers-out came to the fore at a press conference addressed by Botswana Entertainment Promoters Association (BEPA) on Tuesday.

The media briefing was meant to deliberate on the thorny issue of bouncers who are said to be engaged in dodgy dealings including cheating promoters by selling fake tickets during music festivals.

Since last year, promoters and bouncers have been involved in a spat with the two parties accusing each other of sabotage, cheating, stealing and lack of cooperation. Many promoters have been crying foul and accusing bouncers of pushing their own sales during festivals by selling fake tickets, fake tags and keeping the entrance fee to themselves.

On the one hand, bouncers have accused promoters of failing to pay them and instead opting for untrained individuals as bouncers. As a result, BEPA president, Gilbert Seagile said they have come up with a solution to simmer the damage done by the bouncers.

“We have noted with concern what has been happening in the entertainment industry and for this we have requested the bouncers to go register their associations,” he told journalists. Seagile added that all the associations that provide security are expected to be registered within 90 days.

The BEPA president is of the view that working with registered associations would make it easier for them to know who they are dealing with as this will make the relationship more professional.

Seagile said once registered, they will then engage with BEPA through a Memorandum of Agreement. Equally, he said this will help them to know who to hold accountable whenever there are issues regarding bouncers engaged for a particular event. In their response, Botswana Bouncers Association (BBA) said promoters are to blame for the whole fiasco.

The bouncers’ representative at the media briefing, Trust Serumola pointed an accusing finger at promoters saying BEPA should keep their house in order. “The promoters are to blame for this problem as they fail to pay the fees we ask for, and when they do it’s in instances when they have opted for cheap labour or used ordinary citizens who would be looking to make some extra money,” Serumola said.

However, he promised that they will adhere to the set deadline and register their companies with CIPA as they all want to make their graft more professional. Serumola added that upon registering, they will introduce the issue of licences so that those who are found to be involved in compromising situations are called to book and their licenses revoked.