Money squabbles rock broke BONA

Some Botswana Netball Association (BONA) affiliates choked on their words this past weekend at the realization that the BONA bank account might be running completely dry. When former Botswana Netball Association (BONA) President Tebogo Lebotse-Sebego stepped down in 2017, she announced that she leaves BONA with a bank account worth P500 000. The information is retrieved from the captured 2017 BONA AGM minutes. Nevertheless, at the association Annual General Meeting held in Gaborone over the weekend, BONA Secretary General Kebatenne Hulela announced that when they assumed office, taking over from Sebego, BONA did not have the P500 000, but figures were way below the said amount. Hulela’s announcement was met with an uproar from the floor, affiliates up in arms and demanding that Hulela explain further. Others even questioned if Sebego sold them a fairy tale and if so, why the committee has been silent on the matter. In the heated moment of clear disappointment and displeasure that had evoked many emotions in the room, Hulela tried to calm the situation by explaining that the funds had been gobbled by debts coming from hosting the Netball World Youth Cup (NWYC). The NWYC was held in Botswana in July 2017, while the BONA elective AGM was held in October 2017. “It is possible that the previous committee might have checked the bank balance two days before coming for the AGM and within those two days, many invoices might have come through demanding payment,” she said. It seemed however that her explanation did not hit home for some as more murmuring continued to fill the room until one member of Flying Hawks club raised a concern that BONA sold them a dummy. “You gave us a wrong picture of what was on the ground, why is it that the current leadership never bothered to inform us at the realization that things were not as they had expected,” she questioned. Again, it was questioned whether it was really sincere for Sebego to have announced that the BONA bank account was healthy while she knew that they have overwhelming debts that needed to be paid. She argued that it had been only three months after the world cup event was held and if indeed there were steep debts to be paid, the former president should have been aware. It does not help that BONA has since 2017 not been able to fully discuss the association’s financial affairs, even the weekend meeting saw the compiled financial report deemed incomplete and deferred to a date to be communicated. Meanwhile, despite Hulela not mentioning figures at the AGM, one member of the current executive committee reliably informed Sun Sport that they found only P350 000 in the account. However, they still had to pay three more big companies with AT&T Monnakgotla Travel and Tours Office alleged to have been owed over P53 000. In addition, the AGM costs had not been deducted from that said P500 000 and the total expenses were over P100 000. “The AGM expenses were over P100 000 because of accommodation costs and all, remember the AGM was held at the Majestic Hotel in Palapye, by the end of the week, that P350 000 was all gone after paying just a few service providers,” said the source that spoke on condition of anonymity.