BOMU suspends members in a cleaning house exercise

49270,Mompati Tlhankane,php2FDF.tmp.jpg,54598,Goitsemodimo Kaelo,php4B2C.tmp.jpg, | Wednesday May 26, 2021 00:00

BOMU suspended duo, Trinity Mpho and Mmapula Charity Moatswi for allegedly condemning the union’s decision to appoint Total Music Group (Pty) Ltd as the union’s Music Awards Consulting Firm.

“BOMU Executive Committee, after consulting thoroughly on the comments you made last week in the B.O.M.U. Updates WhatsApp group, has come to a conclusion to suspend you and give you time to furnish it with evidence that B.O.M.U. Executive Committee has corruptly awarded a Tender to Total Music,” read the suspension letter from BOMU president, Phemelo Fresh Lesokwane.

Amongst the reasons for the duo’s suspension, are that they are accused of leaking BOMU Updates WhatsApp Group posts and speaking to Arts & Culture for a previous article.

“True to your words, on Friday BOMU appeared in the Mmegi Newspaper Verbatim on your words posted in the BOMU Updates WhatsApp group appeared, especially the accusation  that Total Music Group was formed seven months ago for the sole purpose of winning the Awards Tender,” further read the letters which are similar.

According to Lesokwane, Trinity Mpho, real name Moletlanye Mphoeng and Moatswi were asked to produce proof that the union is corrupt or else the union will take the matter to law enforcement authorities. “Should you fail within stipulated time to bring evidence as requested, this matter will be taken to the organisation’s Disciplinary Committee for redress,” he said.

Before the duo was suspended, another member who was on the suspension list was Ayanda Letsholo having been suspended earlier this month.

According to the letter from BOMU Secretary General, Rasina Winfred Rasina, in the period between February 2020 and March 2021, Letsholo used official BOMU platforms, in particular the BOMU Updates Group (Whatsapp), to attack, and be malicious to other members of BOMU and used the same mentioned official platform to attack and disregard the National Executive Committee of BOMU. “The National Executive Committee has also at its official meeting resolved that, Lesokwane is the official complainant against you,” read part of the letter. 

Contacted for comment on the spate of members’ suspensions, Rasina said he couldn’t disclose suspended members’ names but admitted that they did have members who have already appeared before the Disciplinary Committee (DC) on various charges and the latter is yet to pronounce decisions on the matters. He said they pledged when the new administration took over that it should begin with cleaning their own house hence the suspensions.

“We also have members who are yet to appear before the Disciplinary Committee for various complaints levelled against them and the DC is the only body that give light on that matter. We have built structures as we had promised and we are glad that they are fully functional. One of those is the DC which is chaired by Phempheretlhe Pheto. As I mentioned, current suspensions are related to various complaints and offences.

All these suspensions are with a condition of pending hearing. They have been forwarded to the DC by either Chapter Commitees, individual members and in some instances some sectors of the leadership,” he further revealed.

Rasina added that BOMU has for a long time appeared to be lacking in discipline and proper laid down procedures.

He said this has led to the organisation losing out big in its endeavor to serve its members and the entire music fraternity. “The National Executive Committee, Chapter Committees and Sub Committees have committed to ensuring that not proper governance and accountability shall take centre stage and this is all that is happening.

It is not an easy task of rebuilding and rebranding BOMU due to its natural past. We thank our sponsors and donors for their outmost patience during this exercise. We know they would not want to be associated with bad reputations and hence we shall without fail continue to instil discipline,” he highlighted.

He concluded that their Research and Policy Committee is busy finalising a new Code of Conduct which shall contribute significantly to how members and leadership conduct themselves and relate for the furtherance of BOMU aims and objectives.