Kwaito legend Arthur Mafokate has been served by Ishmael Morabe over unpaid royalties. The Kwaito star has been given 30 days to respond to the royalties saga or be sued by the latter’s lawyers.
Ishmael Morabe has initiated a legal battle over unpaid royalties with 999 music label owner Arthur Mafokate. Allegations suggest that Ishmael received only R60,000 for his popular songs Roba Letheka, Akuna Mathata, and S’manje Manje.
Ishmael Morabe serves Arthur Mafokate with a letter of demand
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The legal correspondence also seeks proof of Mafokate’s claims that EMI (now Sony Music South Africa) handled royalty collections on Ishmael’s behalf, with explicit consent from Ishmael himself.
If Mafokate fails to comply within 30 days, Ishmael’s legal team threatens to escalate the matter to the information regulator or pursue legal action to enforce their client’s rights.
Sony music denies paying royalties
According to Sundayworld Morabe’s lawyers had also engaged Sony Music asking for statements of the paid royalties. However Sony music denied ever paying Ishmael saying that the burden of his royalties fell on Arthur Mafokate and his music label for all the hits they made together since 2001.
The lawyers gave Mafokate until Thursday to respond to their letter of demand on behalf of their client. Failure to comply with the documents will be taken as though he had refused and gives Ishmael the right to sue Mafokate.
