PLANS are underway to shut down Ukhozi FM’s Summer Song of the Year competition.
Owen Ndlovu of Michael Owen Productions is still accusing the SABC of stealing his idea.
“I’m warning Ukhozi FM listeners not to waste their money on this competition, because there will be no Song of the Year announced on 31 December. This is my competition and the SABC has hijacked it from me.”
Owen said he started negotiating with the SABC before 2015, but he couldn’t get sponsors at the time.
The next year, he found sponsors and a contract was signed with the broadcaster.
“In 2017, my company and the SABC registered and signed this concept with 50/50 ownership for a period of 10 years.
“In the same year, the SABC decided to run the competition without me,” said Owen.
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Daily Sun is in possession of the trademark certificate. Last year, Owen went to court to stop Ukhozi FM from announcing a winner.
“Last year, I was asked by artists not to pursue this case because they had already spent a lot of money canvassing votes. As a result, I deliberately approached the court very late,” he said.
“This time, I will have no mercy and I will stop the competition unless the SABC comes to its senses.”
SABC spokeswoman Gugu Ntuli said the contract with Owen ended in 2018 and was not renewed. “Furthermore, all the rights to the title Michael Owen Productions had were sold and bought in a sale of execution.
“Last December, Mr Ndlovu brought an application to the South Gauteng High Court with the same claim, which was dismissed by the court with legal costs.”
Ntuli said all SABC stations closed the year with music hit countdowns.
