Remember Joe Mafela’s royalties, Tony Kgoroge tells SABC at memorial

Actor and director Tony Kgoroge used the podium at Joe Mafela’s memorial service at the Joburg Theatre on Thursday to remind the SABC about their contract on artists’ royalties.

Kgoroge spoke about the “exploitation” of artists in the entertainment industry, saying Mafela was unfortunately a victim.

“Ntate Joe Mafela did not escape exploitation in our industry, in as much as he was a great man, very humble person, quiet, never wanted to entertain nonsense, but I will not take that way. We would be lying if we said bo Ntate Joe Mafela was never exploited in our industry.

“People like Joe Mafela tried to rise up, even us we tried to rise up and say to the broadcasters, we want to own our own, we want to tell our own stories the way we want to tell them without anybody owning it or any foreign ideas becoming part of our narration.”

He further pleaded with the government to include artists when making decisions that affect the arts and culture industry, as they were the ones who experienced the problems on a daily basis.

Following the death of the legend, the SABC had been repeating some of Joe Mafela’s work, according to Kgoroge. He further said though it was good that the SABC was playing the repeats, but it should pay artists their royalties.

“Ntate Kaizer was saying they were repeating some of the things that Ntate Joe Mafela used to do, I hope and pray ntate Kaizer from the SABC that you pay our artists their royalties. I’m not making this up, it’s something that is in the standard SABC contract,” he said, to the audience’s applause.

Veteran actor and producer Lillian Dube has also slammed the industry for not giving artists the respect they deserved, further revealing that she, along with Mafela, were not invited to the SA Film and Television Awards (Saftas) that were held at Sun City on Saturday night.

In an interview with eNCA, Dube spoke about their journey as actors and the important role they played in developing the craft in the country. Dube said she was disappointed at the treatment they had been receiving, and how actors were being “marginalised” today.

“What I know is strange enough. On Saturday we were speaking about politics and how we are being marginalised as actors. Even though actors were very active, they brought about the change we have today but we are not given the same respect.”

Mafela died on Saturday night after being in a car accident.

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