Sparks expected to fly at BSSA meeting
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday September 23, 2016 15:24
BSSA president, Ruth van der Merwe told Mmegi Sport yesterday that preparations for the meeting are on track. She said they are not expecting much to be discussed at the meeting.
Despite that, there have been complaints heaped against BSSA. Some affiliates have complained that the executive committee has failed to provide them with the financial report, chairman’s report and the secretary’s report, which should be provided 21 days before the AGM.
The affiliates are going to elect a committee that will be in office for the next two years. The animosity in the association has reached the office of the minister of youth, sport and culture, Thapelo Olopeng.
One of the parents, Neo Ebineng said there is no governance at BSSA hence the way things are done unlawfully. She said parents are worried by the manner in which both the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC), Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) and Registrar of Societies have handled issues regarding the breaches of BSSA constitution.
She said BSSA lacks sponsorship due to failure to operate the association professionally.
“Some of the issues we raised regard the poor selection criteria of swimmers and lack of transparency that has led to BSSA to do as they please at the expense of the swimmers. There is no nurturing of talent,” she said.
Parents expressed concern about a number of excellent swimmers who are now in the streets including the likes of Kgosi Molifenyane, Thato Gaborone and Lungile Mboleli. Ebineng said the swimmers are interested in coming back to swimming once the conditions have improved.
“The upcoming elections are chaotic from the start as it is clear that nominees have not even circulated their manifestos which leads one to wonder what the candidates are bringing to the table,” she said. For her part, van der Merwe said it is not true that the BSSA was using two constitutions.
“The BSSA does not have two constitutions. We are using the 2004 constitution which had some articles amended in 2009. Those amendments were not stamped because the 2008 financials had not been submitted. All other financials from that year are in order,” she said.
Van der Merwe said the current committee was formally and constitutionally elected in to office at an AGM in 2015. She said the Registrar of Societies has never asked her committee to stop running the affairs of the association. She stated that although other codes may elect people to run elections, their constitution does not stipulate that, adding that the BSSA follows internal policies. Positions that will be available at the election are: chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary general, assistant secretary and treasurer.