A music impresario is crying foul after popular African dance proponents Major League DJz refused to refund him a performance fee deposit after they failed to show up at an event in the Free State last month.
Speaking to Sunday World, music promoter Neo Lesako said he booked the popular twin brothers to come and showcase their talent at his knee-up called All Black Soiree, which took place on March 22 at Imvelo Safari in Bloemfontein.
Lesako said after finalising the terms and conditions of the booking, Major League DJz , who consist of twin brothers Banele and Bandile Mbere, charged him R60 000 to strut their stuff at the jamboree.
He said Major League DJz management demanded a R30 000 deposit, which he paid to the duo’s booking agent, Thabang Malatsi.
“From the beginning, they pushed us to pay the full amount upfront. However, we were reluctant, opting instead to pay the remaining balance during the week of the event as a precaution. Unfortunately, just a week before the event, their team informed us that the duo would be overseas for a TikTok show and would not be performing at our event.
“This was extremely upsetting, as it was clear that they knowingly accepted our booking despite having prior international obligations,” he said.
Lesako said when they questioned them, they received no clear answers. He said they then asked them to refund them the R30 000 deposit so they could book DJ Stokie. Despite promising to refund them, they have failed to do so.
Lesako said chaos almost erupted at the show as patrons demanded the performance of Major League DJz while others accused them of lying about booking the musicians and using them as a cheap marketing gimmick.
“Fortunately there was no violence because the show was for a high LSM. But had they refunded us , we could have secured DJ Stokie and attracted his market to the gig,” he said.
Lesako said after the show, they phoned the artists and reminded them to refund them, as they wanted to pay other service providers.
“Despite repeated follow-ups with their booking agent and direct communication with Bandile Mbere, the situation remains unresolved. No refund has been issued to date.
“This unprofessional and unethical conduct has caused us not only financial loss and reputational damage but also significant stress, as our attendees were expecting Major League DJz to perform.
“We are consulting our legal team to initiate proceedings, including potential claims for loss of income and recovery of legal fees,” he said.
Malatsi said he had sent an invoice tot Major League DJz to refund Lesako and hoped they would remit payment soon.
