Ringo Madlingozi chains himself at SAMRO offices
Johannesburg, South Africa – Musician-cum-politician, Ringo Madlingozi, has chained himself at the South African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO) offices over lack of royalty payments. The renowned artist is supporting fellow artist Eugene Mthethwa in protest from the Kwaito group Trompies who for the past two days has chained himself at the SAMRO offices over lack of royalty payments which backdate to 1998. “I believe in the rights of musicians there is a lot of corruption at SAMRO.
They don’t pay us in time. I know the pain that he is going through that’s why I have decided to join him. We have been here at SAMRO for the last two days but it seems as if SAMRO is not willing to give in. I have been raising these issues in Parliament and the Minister has not been giving it full attention. We are calling for a regulatory body to administer the arts and culture sector.
Artists are being robbed from left right and center SAMRO should be disbanded and have one regulatory body that directly reports to the government,” said Ringo. In addition, Eugene said he was going to remain at the SAMRO offices until his issues were addressed, “Police are now coming through after they sent guards to forcefully remove me but they failed I am going to chain myself again today. They said our work was not documented hence, they cannot compensate us and said they can only pay me from 2014 to 2021 which is less than 100 000 which means I will have to forfeit all the royalties from 1998 to 2014 which is not fair.
However, it has since been confessed by the SAMRO Chairperson that they were some corrupt officials who have since been fired who were behind the non-royalty payments regardless, I am not accepting their payment from 2014 I want them to pay my royalties from 1998 up to now. I have just received R1 600 from SAMRO, in December I got R117 where are the millions going? These cartels cannot monopolize this industry they need to rectify these issues. Another problem as artists we are too proud that’s why there is no unity because some are still living good but I am here setting presidency that will benefit future artists.”
However, SAMRO CEO, Mark Rosin said Eugene was not willing to revolve the issue in an amicable manner, “it is difficult with the issues Mthethwa has raised over the years, where there is no willingness by Mr. Mthethwa to revolve the matter other than his way. We have processes that apply to all members and in our ongoing quest for transparency, we will not circumvent these processes for an individual. We hope that Mr. Mthethwa chooses rather to engage and to stop his protest.”
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