Multi-award-winning amapiano superstars Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, and Sha Sha have been slapped with a letter of demand for half a million rand by Zimbabwean impresarios after they failed to show up for their Vic Falls Carnival gig at Victoria Falls last month.
The three musketeers were booked to perform at the annual event but left their legion of fans high and dry when they failed to show up for shows.
In the letter sent to them by music promoter Bongani Ngwenya’s lawyer, Rudolph Baloyi, of RB Inc, the three, who were represented by Thuli Keupilwa of Lawk Communication, were paid a R250 000 appearance fee to showcase their talents at the show but marooned their fans when they failed to pitch.
“It is common cause that all the booking, travel, accommodation and tax fees were paid by our client well in advance. Despite the fact that all confirmations were done well in advance the artists did not attend and/or perform as booked; and there has been no explanation whatsoever for the artists’ failure to attend and/or perform, not even a mere apology,” reads the letter, which we have seen.
Baloyi said as a result of their failure to make it to the event, Ngwenya’s company Bandwagon suffered a loss of more than R414 000. This includes R250 000 in performance fees, which include R20 000 agent fees, over R91 000 for return flights, R22 500 for immigration work permits for three artists, R15 000 for Zimbabwean income tax, R9 000 for the Consensus Board, and R11 250 accommodation for Kabza and Maphorisa, and R14 400 for Sasha and crew.
“Total expenses [were] R414 147,” reads the letter.
Baloyi also stated that the three artists had promised to refund the money to the promoters the night before the event after realizing that they were not going to make it.
He said Ngwenya’s colleague, Stan Chingozho, suggested that the artists perform on Sunday, April 30, but Maphorisa and Kabza De Small told him that they already had eight gigs between them booked for that day.
“Thuli went further and informed Stan that the monies will be refunded and the only reason the refund had not been effected was because she was out of the country. In the circumstances, we are instructed to demand as we hereby do, that Lawk Communications (Pty) Ltd pay the amount of R414 147 to The Bandwagon (Pty) Ltd, failing which we will institute legal
action on behalf of our client against you without further notice and which legal costs (including the costs of this demand) your client will be liable for,” states the letter.
Lawk Communication replied to the letter and said the trio would only refund them R230 000.
The letter, which we have seen, reads in part: “Our client is amenable to making a payment to the amount of R230 000 as a refund of the booking fee.
“We are of the opinion that the cost breakdown provided for the immigration work permit to the value of R22 500; the Zimra income tax paid to the amount of R1 500 and the Consensus Board at a cost of R9 000; together bringing a sum total of R33 000, are costs for which our client should not be burdened and to which our client is not liable,” reads the letter.
For the latest entertainment news from Sunday World, click here.
Or read the latest from Shwashwi here.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
