'Artists must be paid their dues,' says Ramaphosa in Heritage Day message

President Cyril Ramaphosa believes parliament’s new copyright amendment bill will go a long way towards protecting SA's artists and addressing their concerns over royalties.

“We are determined to use the law where necessary to preserve our cultural heritage,” he said on Saturday.

Addressing scores of people at the Heritage Day celebrations at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, Ramaphosa said the tragedy that happened to legendary SA musician Solomon Popoli Linda, who composed the iconic song iMbube (The Lion Sleeps Tonight), must never happen to any of the country’s other artists.

“Though he composed and recorded many songs, iMbube was his best known. SA was still a British colony when difficult circumstances made him sell the rights to the song to a record company.

“It is said it was sold for a mere 10 shillings. In today’s currency that is less than one US dollar. It was a robbery.”  

Ramaphosa said Linda’s daughters brought a successful lawsuit against the Walt Disney Company for using the song in The Lion King movie.

“In today’s modern age, this exploitation has taken new forms such as plagiarism, cultural and intellectual property appropriation and copyright theft.

“Struggling artists are taken advantage of and strong-armed into giving up their rights and their royalties.

“That is why we are redoubling our efforts to preserve our heritage and protect our artists,” he said in his first public engagement since returning from Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on Tuesday.

Ramaphosa said artists must be paid their dues.

“Through their songs, dance, paintings, storytelling, sculptures and other forms of art, artists carry on their shoulders the heavy responsibility to transmit our heritage from one generation to another.

“In honour of Solomon Linda and his legacy, let us ensure that our artists do not suffer in their lifetimes and are not condemned to dying in poverty.”

SA’s artists fell on hard times during the Covid-19 pandemic and many pleaded with the department of arts & culture for help as they found themselves out of work. 

Ramaphosa encouraged citizens to “celebrate our South Africanness” and respect one another, including foreign nationals living in the country.

“We are, as South Africans, a friendly and hospitable people and it is inconsistent with our values to be xenophobic. I am proud that at many workplaces, schools and institutions, our brothers and sisters from other countries have joined the heritage celebrations.”

Africans, he said, are one people with a shared history and a common destiny.

He called for respect of women and the elderly, adding that “the historical position of women in our traditional communities is a far cry from the present-day toxic notions of masculinity and patriarchal relations of power”.

He added parents must take responsibility for children in their community and “not look away in the face of their misbehaviour”. 

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