The 2023 South African Music Awards ceremony will go on despite being dropped by the KwaZulu-Natal government as financial backer and host.
The awards organiser, the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA), say it remains contractual partners of the KZN province. This in spite of the economic development, tourism and environmental affairs MEC Siboniso Duma’s announcing his department’s withdrawal.
RiSA said new details on the show will be revealed in the coming week.
“We wish to reiterate that we remain contractual partners of KZN EDTEA (economic development department). We are going through a process of consultation around the puzzling and unilateral decision made with no official reason offered to us prior to it being announced,” the statement read.
“Despite the setback, [we’re] committed to celebrating the incredible achievements of the SAMA29 nominees in a manner befitting their world-dominating stature.”
RiSA added it will release more information on how they will honour nominees for the SAMA29 event despite facing controversy and backlash throughout the week for being at the centre of an allegedly inflated sponsorship from the provincial government.
In a statement shared on Friday night, RiSA condemned what they call “peddling of misinformation” regarding the R20-million funding by KZN.
Organiser denies R8-million claim
RiSA also lambasted Action SA for alleging that the awards organiser asked for R8-million from the department which was later inflated to R20-million.
“The organiser of the SA Music Awards notes with bewilderment the misinformation that has been circulating alleging that we had asked the government of KZN to sponsor the Samas for R8-million.
“We first became aware of the allegation in a Daily Sun article where Action SA KZN leader, Zwakele Mncwango, made this assertion. We categorically deny that allegation and call on Action SA to provide proof that our initial proposal was R8-million as it casts a malicious aspersion that South Africa’s most prestigious and longest running music awards show is a conduit for looting public funds. This is an assertion that we, RiSA, strongly rebuke,” RiSA said.
It added that the awards would have benefitted KZN’s economy through financial gains in various sectors. Chief among these hospitality, retail, transport and informal trade operated mainly by previously disadvantaged groups.
The awards ceremony was to deliver three TV shows, for the live, the red carpet and a delayed broadcast for categories not in the live show. There’s also a planned show for the lifetime achievement awards gala dinner.
