Steve Hofmeyr ‘will perform at Afrikaans is Groot’ despite controversy
Helping Hand has insisted his fans still want to see him, though the venue owners asked for him to be dropped.
Afrikaans singer Steve Hofmeyr.
Afrikaans singer Steve Hofmeyr will perform at this year’s Afrikaans is Groot (AiG) concert to be held in November, reports the Pretoria Rekord East.
This comes despite Sun International’s Times Square asking the concert’s organisers to drop Hofmeyr from the line-up.
Sun International said in a press release they were legally bound to the AiG organisers to host an upcoming concert at their Time Square property this year, featuring Hofmeyr.
“Based on legal advice, we have no recourse to refuse to host the concert, or to demand that the organiser removes Steve Hofmeyr,” said Sun International.
“The contracts were unfortunately concluded some months ago. We nonetheless regard the current debate to be of importance and have asked the organiser to reconsider Steve Hofmeyr’s inclusion in the show and to consider the impact this may have on the other show performers. The final decision, however, rests with the organiser.
“While Sun International believes in the rights of all people to celebrate their cultures, our belief is that such celebrations should not divide South Africans. Once we have met our legal obligation. We will take steps in the future to ensure that we have greater oversight over the selection of performers in events hosted at our venues to protect the values enshrined in our South African constitution, namely upholding non-racism, non-discrimination, and respect for all.”
Solidarity Helping Hand and concert organisers also responded to reports of a possible cancellation of the event and the request to drop the singer over the weekend.
Helping Hand deputy managing director Ernst Vorster said that AiG “has never been or will not be a platform for political agendas”.
Vorster confirmed Hofmeyr would still be performing at the show as originally planned.
“AiG has a contract with the public which they want to fulfil,” he said.
“The ticket holders expect Hofmeyr, one of our biggest Afrikaans artists, to be at the show. Hofmeyr’s contribution to the Afrikaans music industry is huge. We want to give him the opportunity to make that contribution at AiG and for the ticket buyers to enjoy as they are the main sponsors of AiG.”
Earlier this year, Toyota became the latest sponsor of the AIG music festival to withdraw its sponsorship since an online furore erupted over the announcement that Hofmeyr would be performing.
It followed on from the announcement by MTN that it would no longer be the headline sponsor of AIG.
MultiChoice later also announced they were banning the controversial singer, who has faced ongoing flak for his public comments, including one that black people were supposedly the architects of apartheid.
Hofmeyr later started a competition to reward those who unsubscribed from DStv and destroyed the dishes in support.
MultiChoice said it welcomed “a society where freedom of speech is celebrated; however, we take a stand against racism”.
Hofmeyr has claimed he’s the victim of a smear campaign.
“All the things I heard I said: 1. we want to go back to Apartheid. 2. Blacks were bad. 3. Apartheid was better than democracy. 3. I sang the k-word 4. I have an affinity for posting old flags… For these lies (and barbaric unrest control), our sponsors flee.”
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