Sampra and food chain group smoke the peace pipe, as criminal charges are withdrawn

A week after the South African Music Performance Rights Association (Sampra) released a statement complaining about food chain group Life & Brand Portfolio illegally playing music at their eateries, the music body has made up with the restaurant group.

“We are pleased to announce that Sampra and Life & Brand Portfolio have successfully resolved the impasse by reaching an agreement on the payment of neighbouring rights licence fees,” said Sampra CEO Pfanani Lishivha on Thursday morning.

Sampra’s first statement from a week ago was whine-infested, with a determination to put the food group in its place; Lishivha’s latest statement was more light-hearted and sympathetic.

“Following constructive discussions between the two organisations, Trevor Wollheim, the CEO of Life & Brand Portfolio, has committed to signing a contract with Sampra and paying the applicable neighbouring rights licence fees,” averred Livisha, cringingly placing a “VivaTrevor” hashtag to his statement on his statement on LinkedIn.

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The ‘impasse’

Sampra laid charges against Life & Brand Portfolio, which owns Tiger’s Milk and La Parada among others, for illegally playing music at their eateries.

According to Sampra, Life & Brand Portfolio infringed the Needletime or Neighbouring Rights, which pertain to the right of the record company and recording artist to receive royalties whenever their commercially released tracks are used in public.

Western Cape Saps Media Liaison Officer Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed to The Citizen that the case was opened at the Woodstock Police Station.

“The mentioned case was opened at Woodstock Saps on 12 December 2023 re: infringement of copyrights,” said Twigg.

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The peace pipe

The Sergeant had also confirmed that the case had been transferred to Commercial Crimes Investigations Unit for further investigations.

But the charges have now been withdrawn.

“Due to the productive discussions between the parties, Sampra has agreed to withdraw the case upon receiving payment of the licence fees by Life & Brand Portfolio,” Lishivha said.

In last week’s statement Sampra had made clear the group’s infringements: “This effectively means that the artists whose music is used by these restaurants will not be able to earn Needletime Rights royalties, even though these restaurants are making money in their restaurants as a result of using their intellectual property.”

The Citizen had sent questions to Life & Brand Portfolio, then spoke to the company’s receptionist after the company did not respond to our email.

But Lishivha included a quote from the business’ CEO, Wollheim. “We love South African music, and all our establishments showcase how proudly South African we are,” said Wollheim.

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