DCEC probes Khama Museum officers
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Thursday March 24, 2016 11:46
The Francistown DCEC officers last week Tuesday reportedly arrived unannounced at the said offices and demanded financial records. Different projects and archives have been funded by different companies since 2012.
But the query by some donors is that there is no progression on projects that were funded.
The officers were then given until four days by the DCEC to put their house in order and give well-detailed financial records and statements.
However the bosses are said to have requested for extension of three days to finish the financial reports and attachment of receipts of what they had done with the money.
Mmegi has learnt that some museum officers made some proposals for renovations and that some of those developments never took place while some were sub standard.
This however, led to some officers tipping off the DCEC about the goings-on at the museum.
“The office had made several proposals for renovations and developments on Khama III Memorial Museum but nothing has improved as yet.
The tender for renovation was not done properly. Again the board only meets when it has to endorse proposals.
The community is always in the dark about what is happening at the museum,” the sources said.
The sources said the community once complained about the running of the museum and that they are never called for briefings and there are no proper records.
“At first, we used to inform the community about the challenges, progress and developments we are undertaking at the museum.
And the board was active on the running of the museum but they were not interfering with the administration work,” another source said.
Another source said the museum is old and some donors recently complained about the museum’s look and some of the archives they fund.
The source said some donors keep on checking the archives they fund and its accountability. Recently, one donor (name withheld) lodged a complainant when it had gone to check its project.
“The issue was also the accountability of the funds. The project which was funded to the tune of P740,000 seems to be the one which has triggered the investigations.
Our museum makes money by fee entrance, which is P15 for Motswana and a foreigner, pays P30. But if one wants to be shown the interesting history of Serowe, the amount goes up to P150 so that we are able to pay utilities,” the source said.
The assistant curator at the museum, Gasenone Kediseng said: “I cannot say anything regarding this matter.
It is not proper for us to comment on any issue which is under investigations.”
DCEC spokesperson Phakamile Kraai requested a questionnaire but failed to respond at the time of going to press.