ARTISTS who have been nominated for Summer Song of the Year, known as Ingoma ehlukanisa uNyaka ,will not get a cent from the SABC, despite the fact that the public broadcaster stands to make millions out of the campaign.
Acting spokeswoman for the SABC, Mmoni Seapolelo said: “There’s no monetary reward to the winning artist.
“There’s no partnership in place for the artists to receive any money.”
Seapolelo said the station’s obligation was to play and support artists as per the Icasa license conditions and the campaign benefitted artists through the support of local content.
“We are only obliged to pay royalties through collecting societies for the music played by the station,” Seapolelo said.
On Saturday, the acting manager of Ukhozi FM, Sbongi Ngcobo, and the programme manager, Zandile Tembe, announced Ukhozi FM’s Top Ten.
Since then, maskandi fans have complained that the SABC was exploiting artists to make money.
MP in the KZN legislature Zwakele Mncwango complained on Facebook that the SABC and Ukhozi FM were using their listeners to make money.
“The fact that the problems between Owen Ndlovu and SABC have not been resolved says a lot. For that reason I shall not vote unless they release a joint statement telling us that the matter has been resolved,” said Zwakele.
Xolani Mtshali said: “Amabhinca can’t even see when they are financially abused.”
Last year, maskandi artist Senzo “Ntencane” Zondi alone received 433 142 votes at R1,50 per SMS, which is more than R600 000.
Tzozo Zulu of CCIFSA in KZN told Daily Sun they were disappointed that the artists got nothing from this campaign.
“Last year we tried to negotiate with the SABC, but those talks did not get very far. We will be meeting the nominated artists as well as the SABC to discuss this.
“Otherwise we already have a mandate from the artists. We will review it and take it to the SABC management.”