BFA crackdown opens can of worms

THATO KALA
Correspondent | Wednesday November 7, 2012 00:00

 

BFA's finance manager, Susan Monametsi, was recently suspended pending investigations over allegations of maladministration after recommendations by the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC).

Damning allegations around her suspension are making the rounds at Likidi Centre.Revelations are that Monametsi and some unnamed senior employees got their overtime claims approved. Managers at BFA are not entitled to overtime.

In fact, sources within the association revealed that at some point Monametsi's overtime amounted to P56,000 while her leave days were allegedly sold for close to P30,000, something she was not entitled to.

Acting BFA chief executive officer (CEO), Tariq Babitseng said they were rectifying the anomalies through the ongoing clean-up. He, however, would not confirm the figures saying he was not sure about them as the auditors were still examining the books.

'These are issues we hear every day, we want to fix that so that they can know that as managers you cannot sell your leave days,' Babitseng told Mmegi Sport.

He added that the tax issue had been cleared with Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS).

'It has been rectified, it's an abnormality we noticed and quickly rushed to fix that. When you owe, then pay BURS.'

'The abnormality has been a concern, we are trying to shape up BFA and put things in their proper places. The sickness has been everywhere in football,' he added.

BFA vice-president (administration) Boyce Sebetela, who was in office when the irregularities happened, said protocol did not allow him to comment in the media. Sebetela's office is in charge of administrative issues and seemed to be the right man to shed light on the issues.

'Only two people talk to the media and that's the CEO and president. I would talk if I was acting president in the absence of the president but he is currently in town and that is our protocol. As you know 'too many cooks spoil the broth',' said Sebetela.

A BFA senior employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was on the verge of dragging the association to court over some irregularities to do with his salary, but has since taken up the issue with the new leadership.

'Someone gave herself and a group called 'my employees' some overtime that we did not understand. They would come to the office on Saturdays for no reason and get overtime for that and buy themselves pizzas with the association's money when some of us were not getting monies that we deserved.

Most of us were about to quit because the NEC was failing to protect us,' said the source. Monametsi would not be drawn into commenting on the reports.

'I am not allowed to speak to the media about this issue so I can't comment,' she said.Babitseng confirmed that some employee welfare issues had been brought to his attention and the association was addressing them.