Sign petition to hold SABC accountable for unpaid music royalties

Scott’s petition follows an announcement by the South African government on Monday that it handed the public broadcaster a R2.1bn bailout. Scott is demanding that the SABC use the money to pay collective management organisations.

“The SABC have received a R2.1billion bailout from the South African government today,” Scott said in his petition. “I would like to remind the SABC that they still owe these amounts to the following royalty collecting agencies, which they must pay with immediate effect: SAMRO: R125.8m, SAMPRA: R104.2m, AIRCO: R8.8m, RiSA: R3.3m and CAPASSO: R6m.

“I pay my TV license, though I don’t even watch SABC. But I do it anyway because it’s the law. So now I, along with the South African public, call on the SABC to return the favour by paying their outstanding R250m royalty licences. You can’t use ‘we’re broke’ as an excuse, you literally have R2.1billion now. Private stations do it. Restaurants do it. So should you. To quote you, ‘It’s the right thing to do’. R250m is a mere 10% of your bailout budget, a tithe if you will. But to us musicians, it is our bread and butter.”

Scott urged the public, companies and musicians to avoid SABC TV and radio stations.

“To the public, please ask yourself if you’re okay supporting stations that don’t even support the people that make you listen to the radio in the first place. If not, consider switching to private stations until the SABC changes their ways,” he said. “To the companies that advertise on SABC stations, please ask yourself if you’re comfortable that the advertising fees you’re paying these stations are lining the pockets of the fat cats, when that money should be going towards paying licence fees for musicians. If not, then stop advertising on SABC stations until they change their ways.

“And to my fellow musicians, ask yourself if you’re okay with playing gigs for that dodgy promoter who says ‘there’s no budget but it’s great exposure’. If not, then stop sending your music to SABC stations until they’ve paid their dues. Trust me, I know how cool it is to have your track on the 5FM Top 40, but I’ve realised that having royalties to put a down payment on a house and having an actual retirement annuity fund from SAMRO is way cooler.”

Scott implored artists to take the legal route if the SABC does not meet its responsibility to pay music creators.  

“Let's keep the SABC accountable so that musicians in South Africa can actually get what's owed to them. Let's take this to the Constitutional Court if need be. For too long, the well-being of musicians in South Africa has been overlooked and politicians have treated us an afterthought. Without us, there is no radio. It's a crying shame that the fat cats have the audacity to withhold what rightfully belongs to us. That ends now, sign the petition.”

Sign the petition here.