Bots50 bows to BEPA pressure
Sharon Mathala | Thursday June 23, 2016 14:40
BEPA spokesperson, Gilbert Seagile said BEPA has had several meetings with Bot50 aimed at ironing out their differences.
Last month local media was awash with reports of corruption and secrecy within Bot50. BEPA then reported the matter to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC).
The Public Account Committee (PAC) also picked the matter and punched more holes. This week Showbiz can report that local promoters and other artists will also have a share of the pie.
“We have been meeting with the Bot50 leadership. There is progress and we can safely say they have finally listened to our cries,” Seagile confirmed.
Seagile however said they are yet to be given a roadmap of events that Bot50 has planned but the agreement during their meetings was that BEPA will give advice and offer consultancy services when it comes to the build up events.
“We are yet to be given the plan. But we will be assisting with events in terms of consultations and hyping up the events. This is what we have been doing most of our lives. It is what we know best,” said Seagile despite failing to disclose the budget set to be used in their new role.
One of the coming projects that Bot50 will undertake is a roadshow across the country. Seagile confirmed that although the roving touch is one way of creating hype, the younger generation does not relate.
Apart from the roadshow, Bot50 will also have 50 days to 50 years countdown activations around the country.
When quizzed if BEPA has now backed off from the corruption investigation, Seagile said: “This doesn’t at all imply we have backed down from any investigations. In fact as BEPA we are not investigating anything, we simply reported the matter and the relevant bodies have taken it up. We will assist DCEC where we can.”
Efforts to get a comment from Bot50 coordinator, Charity Kgotlafela proved futile as her telephone rang unanswered.