Among many things the talented singer accuses BOMU of in a letter addressed to the BOMU president, Phemelo ‘Fresh Les’ Lesokwane this week, is the organisation’s consistent misleading of the government that the creative environment is thriving when in reality, many artists live in abject poverty.
Garogwe says this is a reality that can no longer be ignored. “Despite our collective aspirations for growth and innovation, we continue to face profound challenges with little progress to show. As both a president and a fellow musician, I expected that you would lead with an unwavering commitment to enhancing our sector. Instead, your focus seems limited to hosting awards, overlooking the pressing issues artists endure daily. The plight of our community is not merely a secret; it is a burden we carry together,” Garogwe said in the letter. Garogwe said BOMU has for the past five years adopted a passive approach, merely awaiting government funding to host awards instead of fulfilling its foundational purpose of advocating for artists and fostering an environment conducive to creative excellence.
He said the BOMU leadership has allowed themselves to be co-opted, presenting a façade of support for creatives while failing to address the systemic issues plaguing the industry. He indicated that their inaction exemplifies a dismal failure in leadership and responsibility. Furthermore, he questioned the justification for the government funding allocated to the BOMU over the past years, particularly as the community faces escalating poverty that marginalises artists. “The continued emphasis on awards appears to be a superficial scheme, diverting attention from real advocacy. Your tenure, thus far, seems less about representation and more about damage control, fostering a misleading narrative that all is well when, in truth, we remain stagnant. I refuse to stay silent while these injustices persist. My commitment to advocating for artists’ rights remains steadfast, and I plan to rally our community to confront these harsh realities. I urge you to reflect on the necessity of prioritising the needs of the people you serve. Failure to do so risks igniting conflict, an outcome I trust you wish to avoid. I await your candid response and hope for a renewed focus on what truly matters to our creative industry,” he added.
However, Lesokwane has rebuffed Garogwe’s accusations. He described Garogwe as a self-centred and manipulative individual. He said to Garogwe, BOMU can be said to be executing its mandate only when he benefits. “Thabang is a manipulative artist who only applauds our efforts when he benefits. If he is not benefitting anything, then he says BOMU is not doing its mandate. "There are so many programmes that we came up with since coming into office but he is talking about the awards. He is not talking about others such as the BDS Road Show. We are partners and we are the ones who came up with such an initiative. BOMU is a non-profit making organisation. We depend on government funds and sponsorships. Our plan from the onset since we came into office was to do capacity-building workshops for the music industry about things such as financial literacy. MYSC has failed us on that one hence why we have partnered with COSBOTS on Mental health workshops,” said Lesokwane.
Lesokwane also said BOMU has been focused on assisting upcoming artists; something which he says has rubbed established artists like Garogwe the wrong way. “He is trying to tarnish our name because he has not been engaged in BOMU activities. I’m disappointed that a well-established artist like Thabang expects us to handle him with kids gloves. He should be clear on what he is talking about. I have told him that there is no how I can respond to him because he is not a fully paid-up member. Another thing is that we have district chapters where members should channel their grievances through,” Lesokwane added.
