COSBOTS pays royalties for Batlokwa traditional song
staff writer | Monday June 15, 2026 06:00
In a written response to Arts&Culture's inquiry, COSBOTS explained that the payment arose from the use of a traditional Kgosi song, “Kgosi-e-kgolo-mmang,” by Ditlhaka Tsa Batlokwa, which forms part of the cultural heritage of the Batlokwa community. The organisation said the royalty payment followed a thorough verification process to establish the rightful beneficiaries of the work.
According to COSBOTS, the song is recognised as a traditional folkloric work, and rights associated with its making and use are protected under applicable copyright and ownership laws. Following an assessment of the relevant rights, the organisation identified the legitimate beneficiaries in line with its statutory mandate.
“The payment was made based on the recognition of those rights and the documented usage of the work,” COSBOTS said in its response.
COSBOTS further noted that royalty payments constitute confidential financial information belonging to members and rights holders. As a result, the organisation does not publicly disclose individual royalty amounts without the consent of the beneficiaries concerned.
Addressing questions about how royalties are calculated, COSBOTS explained that it employs a distribution methodology based on actual usage data. Under this system, the total distributable royalty pool for a specific period is divided by the total verified usage measured in seconds. A value per second is then determined and multiplied by the total number of seconds a particular work was used during the distribution period. The organisation said all royalty distributions undergo rigorous verification processes to ensure fairness, accuracy and compliance with established distribution rules and policies.
COSBOTS acknowledged that concerns relating to royalty payments may arise from time to time and indicated that each matter is treated on a case-by-case basis. The organisation reiterated its commitment to transparency, stakeholder engagement and continuous improvement of its royalty collection and distribution systems.
To enhance understanding among rights holders, COSBOTS regularly engages its members through consultations and support services to explain how royalties are earned, calculated, and distributed.
The organisation also encouraged creators, performers, publishers and other rights holders to register both their membership and their works. It said proper registration enables accurate identification, tracking and payment of royalties while strengthening the effectiveness of the collective management system.
Among the challenges affecting royalty distribution are non-compliance by users of copyrighted works, incomplete usage reporting, and situations in which works or rights holders have not been registered with COSBOTS.
As mandated by law, COSBOTS licenses users and collects royalties on behalf of rights holders. However, the organisation said the system's success depends on cooperation from both users and rights owners. To address these challenges, COSBOTS has introduced mechanisms such as member support services, data verification processes, rights-holder outreach programmes, claims investigations and ongoing stakeholder engagement initiatives.
The organisation also continues to monitor royalties that remain unmatched or undistributed due to incomplete ownership information, unregistered works or ongoing verification processes. COSBOTS said it remains committed to improving data accuracy, expanding membership registration and strengthening collaboration with stakeholders to maximise royalty payments to local rights holders and ensure Botswana’s creators receive fair value from the use of their works.