19 Apr 2017

The Minister of Youth Sports and Culture, Thapelo Olopeng has implored modeling agencies and models to establish an association that could accreditate models .
Olopeng said this at the models and modeling agency consultative meeting which was held at Limkokwing University.

“In government we exercise consistency, fairness and transparency. If you do not have a structure, then we happen to work with individuals, then we will be driven to a platform which lacks consistency. You should come up with a structure which the government could consistently work with,” he said.

Olopeng explained that, last year, the government included fashion design, dress making and modeling on President's day competitions, with the aim to assess the level of talent that the country had concerning modeling.

“Because of that platform, indeed we have experienced great talent and great potential in our country,” he said.

He further said through participation in the President's Day Competitions, there were models who were winning competitions and signing contracts outside Botswana, which proved that there was talent and great potential in the country.

Olopeng went on to explain that his ministry was not going to continue financing same individuals in the modeling industry, adding that, those who had previously been funded needed to give other upcoming models a chance.

“We do not have enough resources to help you. We have little resources to get you from the ground and launch you into space where you can grow.

My Ministry will not be able to fund same individuals and agencies for many years without growth,” he said.

He said there was a misconception by some people that the government should do everything for people, explaining that this was misleading and challenged models to set up their goals and growth as soon as they were financed so that they did not go back to the ministry for help.

“There is need to come up with a commercial approach so that growth could be realised,” he said.

Olopeng however said there was need for the industry to be more organised as the private sector was also ready to come on board.

“We need to find ways of getting the industry out of the ministry so that it does not only rely on the government,” he said.BOPA