- Sports ministry, BNSC want Dube to account for specific funds
- Dube cries foul and accuses BNSC and its CEO of harassment
- Over P900K was allegedly used sans BNSC authority
LETLHOGILE MPUANG
Millions are at stake in the ongoing feud between the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) and Golden Door Sports Agency (GDSA) that is owned by Olympic finalist Glody Dube.
A war of words erupted between Dube and BNSC last month after it emerged that Golden Door had been dispossessed of rights to host the second edition of the Botswana Golden Grand Prix.
Dube launched a media onslaught against the BNSC and its CEO, Tuelo Serufho, accusing them of harassment and stealing his project.
Public resentment
The BNSC denied the allegations but faced mounting resentment from members of the public who accused it of victimising Dube and attempting to steal a brand that he had worked hard to build.
However, the tables seem to have turned on Dube last week after the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sports, and Culture (MYSC) shed new light on the issue. It demanded a comprehensive report on how P1,25 million that the government had injected into the event was spent.
Former Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Kitso Kemoeng, recently told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that Dube ought to account for the funds.
Unauthorised
“We funded the event as government and we have been asking for a report on how the money was spent, but to no avail,” he said.
Further investigations by The Botswana Gazette have established that the BNSC is demanding an “unaccounted (for) and unauthorised” P906,255 from Dube and a breakdown of the funds that were to be deposited back into the BNSC account.
The sports ministry pumped P1, 25 million into the first edition of the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, P250,000 of which paid off debts accrued from past events while P1million was in government sponsorship.
In addition to the ministry’s P1,25 million, First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) paid P2million for naming rights while Botswana Television paid P450,000 for broadcasting rights.
Royalties
Orange Botswana sponsored the event with P100,000 while ticket sales generated P601,705. Glody Dube’s Golden Door would be paid P894,000 in royalties from the grand prix.
After the event was successfully hosted, the BNSC sought clarification from Golden Door regarding some transactions and a breakdown of the funds that were to be submitted back to the BNSC account.
In response, Golden Door wrote to the BNSC proposing a payment plan for unaccounted for and unauthorised P906,255.00.
Untruthful and misleading
At a recent press briefing, Dube’s attorney, Ishmael Matebele, bluntly told Serufho that he had no authority to ask Dube to account while Dube accused Serufho of harassment. The BNSC hit back with a press statement in which it dismissed Dube’s allegations as untruthful and misleading.
Botswana’s mother body of sports organisations also reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the event will take place, provided Golden Door settled its outstanding debt of P906,255.00 from the 2023 event.
Meanwhile, Dube has vowed that the next edition of Botswana Golden Grand Prix track and field event will take place, with or without the support of the BNSC or World Athletics’ gold status.