COSBOTS, irate artists on a collision course?

The COSBOTS constitution states that members of the board shall hold their respective offices concurrently for three years. COSBOTS board, which is chaired by Solomon Monyame, was appointed on May 22, 2008 for a three-year term. The term expired in 2011 and yet up to today there has never been any known meeting called to re-appoint or re-elect any of the sitting board members. This has incensed some artists, musicians and unsuccessful bidders.

Furthermore, investigations have uncovered the fact that according to the COSBOTS constitution, of the eight directors, one should be a representative of the government department concerned. Contrary to this proviso, at COSBOTS three board members are government employees. Government officers who sit on the board possess no voting powers, according to the constitution, so of the five members who sat on the board that issued the Monitoring Services Tender, Lilian Tlhanke had no voting powers. Which leaves only four members to cast votes to award the winning company the tender. However, the constitution underlines that "no business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum of five (5) directors are present".   Interviewed artists, who preferred anonymity, expressed their ire and disappointment at the society, saying that they have never been called to any meeting ever since they registered with the society last year. They wondered if COSBOTS is there to articulate their interests or to cater for some individuals with a vested interest.

The interviewees emphasised that they have never given COSBOTS any mandate to issue the Monitoring Services Tender and engage in other business for them. The complainants, most of whom are members of the Botswana Musicians Union (BOMU), stated that to their knowledge the union as such has never been involved in any of the discussions pertaining to the tender. "We feel betrayed by the same people who are supposed to be serving us," one said.