Mascom Boosta Bash organisers adopt 2010 World Cup strategy

LAWRENCE SERETSE
Correspondent | Wednesday December 14, 2011 00:00

Promoter Seabelo Modibe told the media that they have devised strategies that will ensure people attending the festival are well protected. He said they have also come up with strategies to curb drunken driving.

He said firstly, they have secured a fleet of buses to transport people from Gaborone to Lion Park at affordable rates.

The bus fare will be P20 return because they have realised that people feel that in order to enjoy the festival one has to have a deep pocket especially in terms of transport costs.

He noted that taxi drivers overcharge on the pretext that it is either late or too far to the venue. He said the bus tickets along with entrance tickets would be sold in outlets such as every Liquarama Store, Main Mall and the Gaborone Bus Rank.

'Another reason why we have to organise this type of transportation is to combat the spectre of drunken driving,' said Modibe.

He said it has been said that people often prefer to get drunk, while in Gaborone first so that they do not have to spend much money once they get at the Boosta Bash, which always ends in disaster.

'But by using our buses revellers can be assured of arriving safely at the festival,' he said.

'The other important thing is that we have negotiated with Kagalagadi Breweries Limited (KBL) to set up a stall where beverages will be sold at reasonable prices so that people can only come to the venue with empty cooler boxes, knowing they will get beer at a cheaper price there,' he said.

He added that KBL would even provide free ice blocks for those buying at their stall.

Mankalenkaleng Transport Services Managing Director B.P. Pheto also informed the press that buses would be picking people from the Bus Rank, Nokia Warehouse bus stop and at Game City.

He said another advantage with this year's festival is that security will be tight. Even after the festival ends, the same transport will be operating all night to ferry people from Lion Park. He said no people would be allowed to hike at the Lobatse road, risking being hit by speeding vehicles.

'We have adopted the strategy that was implemented at the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa, and we hope it will work for us too.

We are trying by all means to provide secure transport and keep people from driving when drunk, but at the same time still give them a time of their life at the festival,' said Pheto.

The fleet includes five 65-passenger buses and four 25-passenger mini buses. 'Although the fleet will increase depending on the number of tickets sold, we anticipate around 250 people per load,' he said.

The most popular Mascom Boosta Bash Festival, which is organised by Lekoko Promotions, will be bringing artists such as The Layabouts, singer/DJ Reel People, Incognito and Spiritchaser all the way from the United Kingdom (UK).

Although Modibe emphasised that 85 percent of the artists are local, The Dogg from Namibia will also feature so will Zambia's pop star 'JK' of the hit track, Unamami.

'JK' is regarded as the biggest artist in his home country.

Twenty-eight local artists will feature in the bash and some of them include jazz songbird Nono Siile, Trinity Mphoeng, Banjo Mosele, Alfredo Mos, Dr Vom and Kgalagadi-based folklore singer Andries Bok.

Meanwhile, Salewapi Gaboutlwele, a University of Botswana (UB) student has also seized the opportunity at the festival to go and collect used cans for recycling, a move which she says will enable her to raise funds for the disabled Karabo Sello's trust fund.

She said she was touched by Sello's way living and inspired by Otukile Entertainment for stepping up and assisting to get him funds and a house built.

' What I am trying to do is collect the cans and sell them to get money to buy him food and clothes since others will be helping with building him a house.

I invite any interested people to join me on this campaign and I also urge people to buy mostly cans rather than bottled drinks,' Gaboutlwele said.