Softball in crisis
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday September 6, 2019 11:20
Two members of the executive committee have quit citing unbearable conditions within the association.
Mmegi Sport’s investigations reveal that BSA’s subvention, issued out at the start of the financial year in April, was exhausted inside two months. The BSA’s books now stand at a negative P88,000. The association owes some members of the executive, who had to rescue the softball body on different occasions.
Former public relations officer, Kelebogile Seitei is owed P20,000 while president, Thabo Thamane’s amount is P26,000 while P6,000 is due to secretary general, Anastasia Tsuna Makwa. General manager south is owed P3,600 and general manager north’s amount is P4,500.
The money was contributed to complete the second round of the league. BSA vice president, Batsetswe Gontlafetse said they were shocked to learn that the grant had been depleted.
He said they are going to launch an investigation to establish the cause. It is reported that the executive committee overlooked certain issues, during the budget process for the senior women, men and Under-19 girls national teams. Former treasurer, Rijn Shagwa, who quit together with Seitei last month, said there was no financial discipline at BSA.
“I believe I have ploughed enough time and energy into this futile exercise, so before I create enemies, let us part ways. I cannot continue with the disorder and fights. Let me channel my energy elsewhere,” said Shagwa during a heated argument with executive committee members on their WhatsApp group.
He accused his former colleagues of reckless spending, conniving and lying to get their way, especially for external travel.
“It turned out when I refused to authorise something, NEC members sign for each other and claim that I am not around,” he said. Shagwa said he had declined the expenditure on the Under-19 team from BSA subvention, but one of the officials presented a letter to Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) signed by the secretary general, Makwa to authorise to spend on the subvention.
“Heads of delegations refused to submit the expenditure plans for the three teams to BNSC choosing to submit sporadic quotations and invoices,” he continued. In a letter to Makwa, Shagwa said after directing that the national teams should not disburse anything from the BSA subvention, which was P800,000, somebody went and convinced BNSC to pay for the officials’ travel expenses.
“We have now used up to P2.7 million for the three national teams and the P800,000 subvention for the 2019-2020 season,” said Shagwa. Reports are that when the BSA held its annual general meeting in Mahalapye in April, some members decided to spend two nights there when it was supposed to be a return trip.
Contacted for comment, Makwa said the treasurer approved the funds but when he was not there, either the secretary general or Thamane were authorised to sign.
“There was a budget that was followed whenever the funds were authorised towards national teams. I followed it during his absence,” she said.
When asked about the e-mail that was sent to her by Shagwa, Makwa said she could not comment on the correspondence, as she was not the author. She directed Mmegi Sport to Shagwa.