A group of artists are accusing a KwaZulu-Natal event organiser of failing to pay them after they performed at an event he had organised in December.
The artists say Mafrika Mpanza is playing hide and seek instead of forking out the fees after they performed at the Dokodweni Beach Festive in Mandeni, KwaZulu-Natal.
Mpanza secured bookings for artists to take part in the event, but sources close to the matter say most artists are yet to receive their money and are tired of excuses.
“Mafrika has angered a lot of artists and sound system guys after the event, and people want their money for services that they’ve rendered,” said a source.
“He sometimes pushes lip service and sometimes just ignores calls and text messages.”
Another source said: “I wonder how he secured sponsors for the beach festival if he hasn’t paid most artists their money.
“People who got their money from him are upcoming artists, whose fees range from R1 000 to R1 500, but headliners are yet to see their money in their accounts.”
The story will dent my brand
The Sunday World contacted Gagasi FM DJ Happygal about the situation. She downplayed the situation, saying artists are used to waiting for payments following services rendered.
“It’s still early. We are yet to receive payments for festive season gigs. We usually wait until the end of February or March,” said DJ Happygal.
“Mina nje ngisalinde inqwaba [I am still awaiting payments from many gigs].”
Another artist who is also waiting for his money, Kwaito star Sifiso Mshengu, aka Bhar, said: “I don’t know what’s going on.
“No one is telling us when we will get our money. That’s not how a person should conduct business.”
When Sunday World contacted Mpanza, he neither confirmed nor denied the allegations.
“Why you’d write this story but you couldn’t write about my events; you never spoke to the artists; tell [me] who gave you this information,” said Mpanza.
“Such stories will dent my brand.”
