11 Feb 2024

Batswana are blessed with amazing diverse talent that need to be unearthed, resuscitated and nurtured for the creatives to realise their full potential.

Minister for State President, Kabo Morwaeng said when launching Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS) second term road show in Mahalapye on Thursday.

In an effort to continue its commitment to advancing such a move, he noted the government had consistently maintained enabling environment for creatives to realise their full potential, pointing that it was an investment in the transformational progress for its citizens.

Morwaeng said the road show exercise presented an opportunity for budding artistes to showcase their talent and transform into celebrated artistes.

He said the first term of the road show had produced tangible results, thus he remained optimistic that the second edition would produce results in three folds.

Urging creatives to recognise arts as a source of living, Morwaeng shared that the creative industry created employment for artistes and fellow citizens, hence needed to be supported to hit optimum levels of output.

Therefore, the National Arts Council of Botswana (NACB) was formed with a mandate to promote, develop and protect the arts and culture sector of Botswana, both in the local and international domain.

He is of the view that the creative industry had potential to diversify the country’s economy and consequently reduce dependence on mineral resources.

“The 2024/2025 budget proposals for the 2024/2025 financial year availed substantial sums of money to be injected into the creative industry given the significant role it plays in the economy,” he said.

He noted that if the creative industry could be fully utilised in the employment creation space, unemployment would be a thing of the past.

Morwaeng shared that creatives and Department of Broadcasting Services were inseparable, citing that his ministry had two radio stations; RB1 and RB2 as well as Botswana Television with three channels and therefore needed creatives for appealing content.

Imploring artistes to double their efforts to ensure quality of their products, Morwaeng said Btv had a demand quota of 80 per cent for local content, adding that only 20 per cent was apportioned for foreign content.

Screening of local content, according to Morwaeng, meant creatives would receive royalties for their work, pointing that even after the passing on of artistes their dependents or next of kin would still continue to receive remuneration in the form of royalties.

He said those registered with Copyright Society of Botswana (COSBOTS) were eligible for such royalties as COSBOTS was mandated by the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act CAP 68:02 to, among others, license and collect royalties from users of copyright, thus imploring artistes to register with the organisation.  

Over 460 creatives were identified last year through the road show exercise, he said, 30 of which had performed in front of President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi at a DBS National roadshow boot camp in Gaborone.

This was a platform aimed at empowering 30 fledgling artistes who left an impressive mark at the DBS National roadshow, which took place in 50 places across the country.

Morwaeng said as long as the current government was in power Botswana would continue to cherish talent, noting that the future of the entertainment industry depended on skills that needed to be polished.

He said creatives had potential to market the country in the international domain.

The minister said concerted efforts remained paramount for the growth of the creative industry.

However, additional research illustrates that the economic contribution of the creative industry stood at over 6.1 per cent to global gross domestic product (GDP), averaging between two and seven per cent of national GDPs around the world.

According to UN estimates, the creative industries generated annual revenues of over US$2 trillion and accounted for nearly 50 million jobs worldwide.

For his part, Member of Parliament for Mahalapye West David Tshere said Mahalapye was the hub of creative talent and therefore it was befitting to launch a project of such a magnitude in the village.

He thus implored the creative fraternity to shun mixing entertainment with negative effects that could tarnish the reputation of the industry.

Tshere said Mahalapye had over the years excelled in the creative space despite working in the rough terrain back then and remained adamant that with a polished platform they would now excel ‘beyond the limits’ making their creativity to be unique and inspiring. ENDS