Flabbergasting! Hlaudi to host his very own 'Thank you SABC concert'

Officially named the Thank You SABC Music Concert, the organisers (The SABC) are hoping to fill the 40 000 seat Orlando Stadium to capacity.

There's been little press coverage in the lead up to the event, but in a bizarre press release sent by the public broadcaster on Tuesday, the SABC wanted to ensure that it was clear that it supported the concert, hosted by itself, thanking itself.

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"The SABC has welcomed the ‘Thank You SABC Concert’, and all the artists that will perform have embraced and are proud of the public broadcaster’s initiative to prioritize and support local music," reads the statement.

The concert, which will be held on 10 September (that's this Saturday) has apparently managed to draw some big names including Black Coffee, Mafikizolo, Kwesta and Emtee.

The statement ensures that Hlaudi's 90% local music quota is mentioned, explaining that "Mr. Motsoeneng says that this cross-pollination of music is very important for the public broadcaster, because part of our mandate is to tell the South African story and music plays an important part in ensuring that the SABC fulfills this mandate”.

A concert for the record books?

In an effort to entice fans to attend, the broadcaster is giving away free tickets to TV license holders.

In an interview on Morning Live, Mzwakhe Mbuli said that people should "vote for the SABC".

"If you want complimentary tickets, we have a thousand of them, one thousand free tickets, if you produce your TV license, you'll enter and celebrate and see all of these internationally acclaimed artists... for free."

He insists that the concert is so noteworthy that it should go into the Guinness Book of World Records.

"We are promoting a brand. Even CNN or Al Jazeera or BBC has never had a concert where people in London or artists in London will say 'Thank you CNN or BBC.' It means what we are doing must go to the Guinness Book of Records."

TMG has confirmed that the cash-strapped broadcaster will be footing the bill for the concert, paying for the hiring of the stadium, artists, lights and production.

The SABC has not been available to comment on exactly how much that fee will be. If you aren't one of the lucky one thousand to get a freebee through your TV license, then you'll be paying R100 a pop.

UPDATE: The SABC has since disputed these claims saying that it was acting in a "media sponsorship capacity."