By Neo Kolane
The Disc Jockeys Association of Lesotho (DJALE) has shown its member Tseko ‘Mamonyane popularly known as DJ Tseko, the exit door for alleged breach of the association’s constitution with effect from June 20.
DJ Tseko is accused by the grouping of hiring the sound system from the ministry of communications, science and technology against the interest of the musicians’ body.
It is alleged that the music player borrowed the sound equipment from the ministry of communication which charges lower fees for hiring out. That, the association said, enables the ministry to compete against their members.
DJALE which currently has about 215 members, was formed in 2013 by the DJs with the aim of promoting solidarity among themselves.
The association’s constitution says: “Should the conduct of the member in the first instance have been so grossly improper and unseemly that the Executive Committee is of the opinion that he should not continue as a member of the association, it shall have full power to expel or otherwise deal with the offending member, unless he should resign.”
In a letter written to DJ Tsekoa signed by the association’s deputy secretary general Letuka Tjantji, it is said: “You left the executive committee with no choice but to terminate your membership from the association after you used sound system of the ministry of communication at your event at Maseru Club on June 6, 2021.”
He is also accused of refusing to accept the letter which he had suggested the association write to him to invite him to a disciplinary meeting.
“Your insubordination towards our president by addressing him ‘he uena monna’ (you man) and going further by hanging up on him in the middle of the conversation,” the letter said.
In an interview with theReporter, the public relations officer of DJALE, Bafokeng Ramoseeli said that the practice by the communication ministry to hire out its equipment to musicians came under limelight as it was being discussed between the ministry and the DJs.
He said DJ Tseko used the borrowed system at an event which was held on June 6 at the Maseru Club.
As falling under the ministry of tourism, sport, youth and recreation the association sought an intervention from its minister to advise the ministry of communication from lending the equipment to the association’s members.
Ramoseeli said as musicians they were bent on working together to assist each other in their trade.
“We are not in anyway supposed to compete with the government as it bids to render the same services of renting out the equipment to our members.
“The use of government-owned system hinders us from providing services to the government because that kills our market as the rate at which the equipment is rented out is far lower than ours.
The association is planning to continue negotiations with the ministry of tourism and sport to iron out some issues.
“As the executive committee, we attempted to get his (Tseko’s) side of the story as to why he hired such items from the ministry but we hit a wall,” Ramoseeli added, noting that the expelled member was still a DJ.
Tseko’s mobile phone went unanswered from Wednesday until we went for print yesterday.
