SAMRO: Transport sector should adhere to copyright laws

The call comes as the country marks Transport Month. October is Transport Month and the Department of Transport traditionally uses the month to raise awareness of the important issues within the sector.

SAMRO chairperson Nicholas Maweni challenged public transporters including taxis, buses, and airlines to comply with copyright laws, which require them to be licensed to play music for their passengers.

“We don’t make the rules, it’s all laid out in the Copyright Act and it is part of the South African law,” Maweni said. “As we celebrate Transport Month, it is important for all transporters to be cognisant of and to comply with the copyright laws as they relate to music and not to infringe on the rights of musicians by playing music without a licence.”

According to SAMRO, South Africa has more than 25 000 buses, 150 000 taxis, 280 trains, and numerous other forms of public transport around the country, which make use of music while on transit.

“We rarely think about who created the music, how much work went into creating it, and how those creators make a living,” the CMO said.  “While many think that writing a song just requires an idea, producing a song takes weeks from concept to completion, and involves numerous people from composers and lyricists to publishers, promoters and distributors.

“As with the time and petrol it costs to make a journey, SAMRO members work tirelessly to provide the music that calms the nervous passenger and excites the bored commuter during their journeys. And through licensing music, these members can be paid royalties for their hard work.”

SAMRO wants music and transport stakeholder indaba

In an effort to educate the transport sector about its responsibility to copyright holders, Maweni urged the Department of Transport to convene a conference, saying that it was SAMRO’s responsibility to drive compliance by ensuring that no sector is left behind.

“As Africa’s leading collective management organisation, SAMRO calls upon Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula to convene a stakeholder indaba to assist the transport sector in understanding their responsibility to copyright holders.”

Maweni said the proposed indaba would facilitate dialogue between the music and transport sectors and find a path of mutual understanding and expectations.