SAMPRA sues SABC for R64 million
SAMPRA sues SABC- the summons has been served.
The SABC has been in a proverbial pot of hot water for some time now, but the temperature has risen as they find themselves staring down the barrel of a multi-million rand lawsuit.
A lawsuit of R64 million has been filed by the South African Music Performance Rights Association (Sampra) against the state broadcaster over nonpayment of royalties to musicians local and abroad.
Tiyani Maluleke, Sampra spokesperson, told the Sunday World that the SABC allegedly stole from musicians for over a decade by using their music without paying for it.
“We served them with summons on Wednesday for failing to pay for the license fees due to us for our artists,” Maluleke is quoted as saying. “They use over 90% of music belonging to our members but they have never paid any cent towards the license fees to us for our members for over ten years while other broadcasters have been paying.”
No one is getting paid
Through the summons, Sampra is trying to collect royalties on the behalf of local and international artists represented by the association including the likes of rappers Common, Notorious BIG, Cassper Nyovest, AKA, Kwesta and DJ Euphonik.
Speaking of the summons, SABC spokesperson Neo Momodu said, “the SABC can confirm that it has been served with combined summons by Sampra. We are unable to comment any further on this matter.”
The lawsuit was filed in the South Gauteng High Court last Tuesday joins a host of financial salvo’s facing our nation’s broadcaster.
Apart from the 90% quota being scrapped last year, Business Report reported on the SABC’s confirmation that it would be laying off hundreds of employees due to financial issues.
Chief among financial constraints is the broadcaster’s inability to pay service providers on time- basically no one is being paid.
This makes the whole paying for a TV license thing so ironic! I mean where is the money going?
Sampra sues SABC, hopefully everyone owed will be paid their dues.
Sourced
