Rampholo Molefhe
17 March 2008
column
Last week I threatened to publish a constitution that will be handed to the Registrar of Societies for registration under the law of the Trade Unions and Employers' law. The constitution is written. However it must be subjected to the scrutiny of the people who will be members of the union.
A few years ago, I visited the offices of the Frederich Ebert Foundation (FEF) who sponsored the first ever workshop on 'Press Freedom in Botswana' in 1990.
I believed that they would understand, since they always announce that the organisation is committed to the principles of 'social democracy'.
Democratic acceptance of the constitution of the Botswana Journalists and Allied Workers Union is necessary. They did not believe so.
They did host a meeting to discuss the general idea of forming a union. But they would not sponsor the more important event where stakeholders in the journalists fraternity would discuss and approve a constitution of press workers.
I now suspect that they had an agenda with the government for instituting laws that would favour employers in the press, government and the foreign affairs policies of Germany. Democratic adoption of a constitution of a press union was not their priority. So we stalled.
With or without sponsorship of the the FEF, we will adopt a constitution of the musicians' union.
I will talk to Socca Moruakgomo. If I have to, I will talk to Ian Khama. I know that he loves sport and culture. Before that, I will talk to Rre Moeng Pheto, who will understand what I am talking about. My brother, Gaotlhaetse Matlhaphiri must also understand.
I will talk to the Director of the University of Botswana institute of development research, Dr Mazonde. And I will also speak to the secretary general of the Botswana Federation of Trade Unions, who wants unionisation of the musicians and the journalists.
There must be a meeting of the general body of the musicians who will approve the constitution of their union. That is what democracy demands.
I have already talked to Kopano of Steppin Razor. For many years, people in the Reggae sector of the music industry have believed that they are isolated.
I know that people in choral music have also been isolated. When we met to discuss registration of the Botswana Association of Musicians in Serowe at Maphatshwa, when my band played for Kooler, George Swabi was the only folk artist who paid a part of his earnings for membership of the association. He probably knew more about the urgency of the formation of a musicians' organisation than we did.
Where in the organisations of musicians are the folk musicians represented. These people are the foundation of Botswana music. Do you ever see them at these music awards? Never! They are the foundation.
The union about which I speak must include - not just by payment of a membership tax of P50 - musicians in Francistown, Maun, Gantsi, Lobatse, Jwaneng, Kanye, Mahalapye, Serowe and other territories.
It must include teaching institutions like the Botswana Defence Force, Prisons and the Botswana Police Force.
It must promote respect for women artists and provide for them in the leadership structures of union.
The union must make friends with the journalists, who are also artists. But they must play instruments.
The union must make friends with the architects who design houses in the same manner that artists design cars.
When the musicians have, together with other artists, established a Botswana Federation of the Arts, it must register membership with the Botswana Federation of Trade Unions which will help to link it with international organisations of artists.
That is my vision for the musicians of Botswana, and it is worth much more than the P50 that they charge at BOMU to stand for funny elections.
I should take this opportunity to comgratulate Elliot who is beginning to play a mean keyboard. You are the future of the keyboard in Botswana Mfowethu.
I was also lucky to bump into Lekofi 'Cuff-Cuff' Sejeso at the Grand Palm. And he is, as always, ever so concerned about musicians' rights.
At Eros, I put in a little comment for Banjo Mosele who never invites me for his brilliant musical sessions wherever he plays. It was a hell of a good week, at the end of which I also reaffirmed my love for Morolo and Thuts. But we must have a proper union, Kopano.
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