THE South African Music Industry Council (SAMIC) is shattered at the debilitating news that the KZN provincial government has pulled the plug on the South African Music Awards, due to skewed and irrational pressure from opportunists who do not have the best interest of the performing arts sector.
The SAMAs are an unrivalled legacy project at the epicentre of the Mzansi Golden Economy and have an indelible legacy and positive impact for the music industry and host city. We therefore, urgently, call on the government to resolve the impasse and mitigate the risk of reversing a well-established property that has delivered for the sector over the past two decades.
Yet, a harsh and rash decision was taken to pull out much-needed funding in support of the much-vaunted event. As SAMIC we believe that the starting point is to salvage the SAMAs and ensure that they are mounted as planned by engaging meaningfully with stakeholders, and with those affected or potentially affected on how this shocking precedent is an affront to the performing arts in particular and the creative industries in general.
We wish to strongly remind the ANC led government that from Miriam Makeba to Johnny Dyani (Jazz Against Apartheid), Dorothy Masuka and Jonas Gwangwa (Amandla Cultural Ensemble) to Mzwakhe Mbuli -The People’s poet and Johannes Kerkorrel (Volvry Movement), the musicians have been in the forefront of the liberation of this country. At a time of one of the worst pandemic in human history, COVID-19, musicians soothed the hearts and minds of our resilient nation. And musicians continue not only to inspire, empower individuals as they contribute to this country’s social cohesion but deserve to be honoured for their excellence through the long standing SAMAs.
SAMIC intends to rally all stakeholders and put measures in place to prevent and mitigate harm the decision to pull out will have on the music industry. This process, and the energy and commitment that we want to go into the stakeholder engagement is meant to create an enormous opportunity and significance of the SAMAs and its contribution to the local economy of the host city and return on investment for sponsors.
SAMIC believes that there ought to be a platform to share the enormous opportunity for ongoing dialogue and fostering an environment for advancing the music industry and post the hullabaloo about the SAMAs, all stakeholders must gather around a South African Music Industry Indaba.
The City of eThekwini in partnership with the KZN provincial government was not hosting the SAMAs for the first time. As a host city, eThekwini has in the past enjoyed an increased national profile, growth in local employment, immediate and short-term economic benefits, and increased long-term investment.
Undeniably, the SAMAs facilitates the sharing of music culture, values, connections and expertise, bringing significant cultural and economic upside potential to people and businesses attending the events and the host city itself. This activity involves using the local infrastructure, transport systems, hotels, restaurants, attractions, and services, providing a much-needed cash injection into the local economy. Nominees and winners continue to benefit from being part of the SAMAs as they open doors for them locally and internationally as the only authentic South African Music Industry accolades.
We urge the government to treat this matter with paramount urgency especially if they take the plight of the South African musicians and the South African music industry seriously. The music industry plays a vital role in the cultural expression and economic growth of our nation.
