Leadership fallout hits BOTESSA
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday July 10, 2020 12:32
Three committee members have quit since 2017, and recently, communications and marketing manager, Duncan Segabo called it a day.
From the Herbert Letsebe led committee voted in, in 2017, only secretary general Moreetsi Kediseng remains.
Segabo said he had decided to quit due to strained relations with other executive members.
The majority were co-opted following the departure of elected members.
“I had requested for a 12-month study leave and I was to return to my position in December when I complete my studies. Unfortunately, the executive committee went behind my back and told the members about my issue. I was then forced to choose between being in office and my studies, of course I could not give up on my studies,” he said.
He said there was no response to his resignation letter. Segabo said the committee cannot form a quorum as the vice president-technical, vice president-administration and treasurer were co-opted. Their term in office ends in December 2021.
BOTESSA president, Keorapetse Setlhare said they tried to support Segabo and his academic ambitions.
“We felt that the 12 months leave was too much and our constitution was silent on that. We then approached the members to seek guidance and they agreed that his leave was too long. We then went back to him and told him about the outcome and that is when he decided to resign,” he said.
Kediseng, secretary general, said he had difficulties understanding the reasoning behind Segabo’s decision.
“After submitting the letter, he exited the official WhatsApp groups, so I asked him if he was resigning. Segabo then asked me if I wanted him to resign. He then did not attend our next meeting. I then asked him why he did not pitch up, he told me that he would only attend meetings with special agenda,” Kediseng explained.
He added they tried to continue to engage on the matter, but failed to find a solution.
Kediseng said the matter was brought before BOTESSA ordinary general assembly in March, which Segabo did not attend.
“The general assembly requested that Segabo reduce his leave days or else vacate his position. After that meeting, I engaged him on the outcome of the OGM. I advised him to reconsider his leave days because we do not have physical activities due to COVID-19,” Kediseng said.
He said after their discussion, Segabo promised to think the matter over. Kediseng said instead of a response, Segabo submitted his resignation.
Kediseng said when they were voted into office, vice president-administration, Melusi Rampart resigned citing personal commitments. He said the executive committee used its powers to co-opt Monkagedi Keakile. The position was also left vacant after Keakile left the position to study abroad. Mopati Molefhe replaced him.
Letsebe was also forced to vacate his position on medical grounds, and Setlhare took charge, with Tebogo Kgari coming in as vice president-technical. Thokgamo Nyathi was voted as treasurer after the previous one was fired.
“Nyathi had served in the past three previous committees so we could not co-opt him. The constitution says you cannot be voted into office three times, but the general assembly is more powerful,” Kediseng said.
He explained that the two vice presidents were endorsed by the general assembly.
The committee faces accusations over a trip to Italy for the International University Sports Federation (FISU) meeting. BOTESSA became a FISU member during the meeting.
“The entire executive committee attended the meeting when the FISU issue was on the agenda. During the discussion some people started disrupting proceedings and I felt that it was a staged coup. We actually had two meetings and the first meeting went smoothly,” he said.
Kediseng said there were questions over the funding of the trip, but clarified that FISU had sponsored the president with flight and accommodation. A sponsor was found to fund travel for an additional member.
“We also found a sponsor, but I cannot disclose the name. Some members of the executive felt that we should not be associated with the said company because it owed BOTESSA,” Kediseng said.
“The ticket was returned and a decision was taken for the association to buy me a ticket. Setlhare and myself were given P5,000 as per diem. We cannot talk about costs because that meeting was important.”
He said during the second meeting, there were heated exchanges.
“Segabo and (spokesperson) Botho Thobega walked out of that meeting. It was a staged protest. They felt that Setlhare did not talk to them in a proper manner. We have always had misunderstandings during our meetings and it was the first time we had members walking out. To me it was a plan to collapse the quorum,” Kediseng added.
For his part, Segabo said he walked out in protest. “They were insisting that they travel to Italy and I did not see the need. We had no money to spend on such,” Segabo said.
He said overall the trip was not necessary because BOTESSA could not afford to spend anything outside what they budgeted for.
“The association has no money. What we had was for students’ activities being sponsors’ money. Besides, by then we had debts to focus on. Even for Setlhare, although FISU bought a ticket for him, BOTESSA was to give him a per diem, which we could not afford without taking from what was not ours,” Segabo said.
“That person (Segabo) is the reason behind the division in the association. People cannot agree all the time, even in a relationship. Our committee has normal disagreements and I would not call it tensions. The truth is that there are no tensions, but [it is a] normal working environment,” Kediseng said.
Segabo said he tried to bring the committee members together and by all means he always protected the committee.
“I believe the media knew BOTESSA as a clean association with capable leadership. I doubt Kediseng means what he is saying. We are still trusted by so many people including the sponsor because of how I handled their issues,” Segabo said.
Kediseng, however, denied there ever was a meeting where the sponsor threatened to pull out.
On debts, Kediseng added they mounted as a result of hosting the 2018 CUCSA Games.
“We owed more than P2 million to different service providers. However, we cleared the majority of them and we are only left with University of Botswana, which we owe P600,000,” he said.
Kediseng said in their annual subvention of around P400,000, Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) holds back 70% to pay off debts. He said BOTESSA is then left with funds to pay its office administrators, international meetings and general assembly. He said during the current financial year, they have submitted a proposal of over P2 million.