MYSC accused of sabotage
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Monday April 3, 2023 06:00
The organisers of the annual horse racing event recently told the media that MYSC, which has supported the event in the past, has pulled the plug on it. This, they alleged came after the mobile network provider, Mascom was interdicted by the High Court from hosting this year's edition.
Chalegwa Mabua of Ngami Horse Racing, the organisers of the event and Mascom were recently entangled in a bitter court battle over the rights for the race following a fallout.
Mascom had dumped Mabua and his Shashe Race track for a different venue and technical sponsor. However, Mascom was left with an egg on the face as High Court Judge, Justice Zein Kebonang interdicted the company from hosting the horse racing event dubbed Mascom Derby in a court duel that attracted huge public attention.
Following the court case, Mabua announced DC Tours and Lounge as new partners and changed the event's name to Maun Polo Affair Easter Weekend Horse Race but they were shocked when the ministry said it would not be participating this year. When addressing a press conference on the preparations for the event, the organisers took a swipe at MYSC and accused the ministry of sabotage.
Mabua said it was unbelievable that the ministry is citing lack of funds as the reason for not participating while he is aware that the money was already authorised for disbursement. “We don’t know if they were sponsoring our previous partners or what, but it seems that way because I can confidently tell you that the money was authorised for release but since withheld following the court case. Someone is pulling strings to sabotage us because we are no longer with those they loved.
The money was ready to be released to the fake association before the court interdiction,” said Mabua. Meanwhile, Lepsy Molemele, whose company has replaced Mascom as event partners, said it seems some officials at the ministry have taken sides with the event’s previous partners.
He said it was surprising that suddenly there are no funds to sponsor the event this year while it has never been the case before. Molemele, whose company put P360, 000 into the event, indicated that they have been forced to do more with less in order for this year’s edition to proceed.
He said while they have committed to stage a successful event, some activities could be affected because of the limited support from other stakeholders such as the ministry. Molemele said the fashion show is one of those that might not happen because they are yet to secure sponsorship for the event. He said it was amiss that the ministry could not be part of what he says is arguably the second biggest event in the country. “We have lined up fashion designers from across the region in countries such as Zimbabwe, Lesotho and South Africa.
We want them to show our local designers how it is done and exchange ideas on how to conduct business, but it might not happen because the ministry has decided that they will not sponsor. I don’t know why, but that is what they said which is surprising considering that they have always been part and parcel of this event.
As a ministry of Sport and Culture, they are responsible for supporting events such as this one,” he said. However, Public Relations Officer at MYSC, Thobo Tlhasana dismissed the accusations that the ministry wants to sabotage the event as baseless. He explained that the decision not to participate this year was due to lack of funds, which he said was also communicated to the previous horse racing partners, Mascom before the court interdiction. “The issue here is not sabotage, there are no funds available as we are wrapping up the financial year. Even Mascom were told the same thing that there is no money this year to participate.
Kana the biggest challenge is that this event comes at the end of the financial year, when we are wrapping up. We have communicated that as of now we cannot sponsor. We don’t do things because so and so is involved as they say. We are responsible for the jockeys but due to the financial constraints, we are not sponsoring.
The event came at a bad time, but we can’t sabotage anyone because our role at the ministry is to support, in this case take care of the jockeys. Just like other events such as Khawa, they submit their proposals for assessment before we decide to sponsor them,” Tlhasana said. The Maun Polo Affair Easter Weekend Horse Race will be held on April 7 at Shashe Horse race track in Maun.