March 31 – South Africa’s Arts and Culture Minister Lulu Xingwana (pictured) and World Cup chief executive Danny Jordaan will hold an urgent meeting tomorrow to discuss local musicians’ anger about why so few local artists will perform at the event.
This followed a meeting with artists and producers today to discuss their concerns about a concert organised for June 10 at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto to coincide with the opening of the World Cup.
The Creative Workers Union of South Africa was represented by Don Laka and the SA Music Promoters Association was represented by Oupa Salimane, with Mandla Maseko representing the Independent Record Companies Association.
“In a frank and cordial exchange, artists voiced their concerns that despite the FIFA World Cup being held for the first time on African soil, most of the artists announced for the June 10 line-up at Orlando Stadium are not South African or from the rest of the African continent,” the statement said.
They believe the artistic programme should reflect an African experience, with at least 80 per cent representation from South African and African artists.
They also emphasised the importance of 100 per cent local content on radio and television, and the need for more air time to be devoted to South African and African arts and culture.
Xingwana said she supported the artists’ concerns about the concert, wrote to Jordaan and secured the urgent meeting.