11 Apr 2018

Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Mr Thapelo Olopeng says the decision to suspend hosting of music festivals in sports stadia was taken after the realisation that safety and security was compromised in many of the events.

Mr Olopeng said in addition, the stadia were located in close proximity to facilities such as learning institutions, hospitals and hotels which required minimal disruptions to their services.

He said “promoters are to look for alternative venues in the meantime.”

The minister further said the need for state theare could not be emphasised, but that the facility could not be included in National Development Plan 11 due to financial constraints.

In addition, he stated that the ministry had no regulatory powers on the operational hours of the entertainment industry as the honour lied with council bye law offices and the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry.

“However, the ministry does intervene as and when there are issues around trading hours or bye laws,” he added.

Gaborone North MP, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa had asked the minister why artists and promoters were denied the use of stadiums for festivals and how they were expected to operate.

He also enquired on what plans were in place to build state theatres, and if there were any plans to allow businesses to operate all night so as to allow normal work for artists. Ends