This week I came across a Facebook update where Bra Don, one of the best musicians to come out of South Africa, complained bitterly about the generally appalling treatment they get from platforms of the South African Broadcasting Cooperation.
In this specific Facebook outburst, he goes on to name leading figures in the music industry who at the same time also work for SABC’s Metro FM, branding this association “the biggest fraud and conflict of interest…”
He alleges that all the people he named use Metro FM as a platform to ‘self-promote’, and these leading figures are in a position to influence what gets played at Metro FM.
This could be true or false, I don’t know.
But what does seem to be reasonable though is that we have to accept that there is some merit to the point he makes about (potential) conflict of interest creeping in here.
I think the basis upon which he rests his allegations is clear even to the blind–people who are leaders in the music scene are also people of influence (or are close to people of influence) at the station.
Of course we know there are music committees and compilers who are supposed to be independent decision makers, but it follows at least to me that at a minimum, the SABC will have to prove that it is possible to employ leading figures in the music industry to be presenters/DJs and NOT have existing the ‘fraud’ and ‘conflict of interest’ Don Laka refers to.
This will be difficult, I’m afraid, if one considers the beef we read about all the time between artists.
It is also incumbent on the SABC, including the people who say Don Laka’s expression of grief is without merit, to show us why they are biased against South African music where airplay is concerned.
I do not know how, as Don Laka points out, it would be correct for millions to be expatriated when we have a suffering industry here at home.
Barring the fact that some musicians are just careless with their finances, how many South African musicians would have died rich had their music been played and promoted by their own radio stations?
If it is for example mainly American music they are playing, the SABC should also assist us with statistics which show that Americans themselves are playing our music.
And how does this dominance of foreign music on our public broadcaster platforms assist in getting South Africans to buy South African products?
This outlook to generally ignore what is produced at home and to espouse material from elsewhere directly affects the purchasing decisions music lovers make.
Instead of buying a locally produced jazz album, a person in Kimberley would walk into a music store and come out with an American product. This music lover would among other things be ignoring local music because, well, he/she is not exposed to it, thanks (chiefly to) the SABC.
This will keep our already struggling local artists hungry, and our industry as we know it will die.
Moreover, and this is perhaps the most painful thing, it will give our children no incentive whatsoever to become artists.
No matter how beautiful their voices might be, no matter how great they might be with the piano or the guitar or the trumpet, they will understand the music industry to be an impossible place if you want to make a living through your talent.
So in the final analysis, it becomes not only self-hating but also completely illogical for the SABC through all its platforms to abandon South African artists.
As far I know, the SABC is not a foreign entity. It is therefore not to ask too much of it to play as little foreign work as possible in order to expose a great deal of local talent to South Africans and the world.
Ed. Maruping is an independent commentator, check social platforms for his works!
