The chairperson of the troubled music royalties collection society has resigned, a shocking move that has left the board of the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (Samro) in a state of confusion.
The shocking news came on Friday when Nicholas Maweni announced his resignation as Samro board chairperson, following months of scandals that had shaken the organisation.
Maweni’s resignation comes after the recent exit of two other board members, Dr Sibongile Vilakazi and Veronica Motloutsi.
On Thursday, Sunday World reported that there would be more resignations from the board and the executive team of Samro.
Executive team shocked
Insiders who spoke to Sunday World claim that Maweni’s resignation surprised the executive team and other board members.
One executive reportedly became distraught and started crying while attempting to persuade Maweni to change his mind.
In his lengthy resignation letter, which Sunday World has seen, Maweni, who became board chairperson on June 7, 2019, stated that he had walked a long and often difficult road with Samro members.
“At times, I wish I had known then what I know now, especially when I witness how easily an industry can, at times, self-destruct,” Maweni states in his resignation letter.
“But a wise man is the one who knows what he does not know. When people’s personal interests take precedence over the greater good, rot can infiltrate an entire culture in an organisation.
“Restoring good governance is no easy task, but this was my personal commitment to you when I took over a dysfunctional organisation in 2019.”
He heaped praise on Samro, saying that it was his dedicated mission to restore integrity and transparency within the organisation.
Woman-led executive team
This is despite serious backlash he received at the hands of Samro members who wanted him and other board members, including the troubled CEO Annabelle Lebethe, to be ousted.
“We’ve worked tirelessly as a board to instil good corporate governance, acting with oversight and making tough, sometimes unpopular decisions required to get Samro back on track, even as we battled wolves — some brazen, others in sheep’s skin — who sought to infiltrate and destabilise Samro for personal gain.
“The work has often been thankless, but gratitude was never the goal. To many of us, this was a ‘Thuma Mina’ [send me mission].”
Maweni continued: “We wanted to lend a hand. What mattered was service, serving with honour and earning respect through action, not applause. And what a difference we have made together.
“I am incredibly proud that we built a Samro that is both commercially and sustainably sound. We worked to put in place high-tech solutions to vastly improve the collection and payment of your royalties, monitoring airplay across all platforms to improve accuracy and efficiency.”
He said that in 2023, the organisation made history by appointing the first woman-led executive team.
The executive team and the Samro board were marred with controversy, where allegations of corruption and maladministration surfaced.
There were forensic investigations conducted by Fundudzi Forensic Services showing that more than R60-million was looted from the coffers of the organisation based on undocumented works, where fingers pointed at some board members and executives.
Copyright Amendment Bill
Maweni stated that the Samro board had also fought against the contentious Copyright Amendment Bill on behalf of the organisation’s members, which include outside composers, musicians, and writers.
Maweni said: “In our commitment to transparency, we opened up the undocumented works portal to all members for the first time — something previously only publishers had direct access to. But this journey has not been without pain.
“Opening that portal was the right thing to do, but it was abused by some, forcing the board to commission a forensic investigation, take remedial steps, and refer matters to the police and the Hawks.
“We’ve established a dedicated fraud risk unit and strengthened the code of conduct to protect your royalties. I strongly believe that this forensic report should be released in full to you, our members, especially since law enforcement has not formally advised against it in writing.”
He continued: “We have faced internal disruption and external threats that have tested us all. As a chairperson of the board, I’ve always chosen to do what is right rather than what is easy.
“These battles, however, have come at a significant personal cost. The constant attacks, the malicious stories, and the public defamation have not just been attacks on a chairperson but also on your own organisation.”
Family deeply concerned
He added that recent events, such as the disruption of Samro’s press conference, where members like Owen Ndlovu, Tebogo Sithathu, Mercy Phakela, and William Mthethwa, among others, stormed the City Lodge hotel in Milpark two weeks ago, have caused his family, friends, and associates to be deeply concerned about his safety and well-being.
“They have observed the negative impact this situation has had on me and have suggested that I reconsider my current relationship with Samro due to security threats, intimidation, and harassment. I must consider not only my professional duty but also my personal reality.
“As many of you know, I have mentioned on various occasions my desire as part of a succession plan to hand the reins to a new independent chairperson at the upcoming AGM [annual general meeting] in December 2025.
“Therefore, as of the 1st of October 2025, I will be stepping down as the chairperson of Samro, a role I have been privileged to occupy for nearly seven years.
“I leave confident that we have prepared fertile ground for the future. Samro stands ready to achieve the magical milestone of R1-billion in revenue.”
Maweni stated that he leaves Samro with a full heart, proud of what he described as a success, and optimistic about the future.
