McKenzie ‘to pay lawyers to help exploited artists’ understand the fine print

Sports, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie says his department will hire lawyers to help exploited artists understand the fine print in their contracts and protect their art. 

Addressing the media on Thursday McKenzie shed light on his plans, though timelines for some had yet to be set.

He touched on the topic of South African legends and artists suffering despite having worked for years, with some dying without a cent to their name. 

He plans on getting a group of lawyers, to be paid by the department, who will scrutinise artists’ contracts and fight the likes of record label companies that exploit artists. 

“I looked at why our artists are poor, and I found three things: they get exploited by their record labels, the people representing artists can’t account for the money that we give them, and we also realised artists may be great artists but they may not be great businesspeople.

“Sometimes they represent themselves in contracts and they get exploited. Artists will not pay for that service, the department will pay for their service.”

Many South African artists have suffered from poverty, blaming their struggles on being “robbed by record labels”. Some have made headlines for struggling to pay their medical bills and some have died poor.

Highlighting some of his achievements in his first three months of office, McKenzie said his department financially supported the cash-strapped National School of the Arts in Johannesburg. 

“I went to the school, and they had no turnaround strategy, they couldn’t even pay salaries. Immediately with the powers vested in me, as the minister I told the ADG [assistant director-general] to go through the processes and help save these jobs. We gave the school R2m so they can pay salaries and pay for water and electricity.

“When I walked out, I saw the hostel that the girls are staying [in]. I wouldn’t even let my dog sleep in those places. I then went back and said we have to fix these hostels with the infrastructure grant. As I’m speaking, the hostels are being fixed and the girls are going to stay in a proper place.”

The minister said for him one of the most memorable achievements was piloting a one-off deal in which the Springbok Test against the All Blacks in Johannesburg was broadcast live on SABC in August, in celebration of 30 years of democracy.

He promised to continue his efforts to ensure free-to-air broadcasts of Springbok matches by the national broadcaster.

“I want to thank the SABC and SuperSport. I went to them, and we fought, I think they were very irritated with me. I learnt that it is our responsibility as government to make sure that our people get to watch these games.”

He listed as one of his proud moments in office the department working together with the defence minister on the repatriation of the human remains of more than 40 liberation struggle stalwarts from Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

“As a team, not as McKenzie or [deputy minister Peace] Mabe, we managed to do this. My team worked day and night. They worked to get that. I want to say that’s the first thing and the proudest thing I’ve been involved in.”

One of the crises he said he was faced with was South Africa’s hosting of the Under-18 African basketball championships. The department had to step in to save South Africa’s reputation when the event was on the brink of being cancelled.

He also had to step in at the last minute to ensure young athletes attended the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Peru.

He continued to sing the praises of his boss, President Cyril Ramaphosa. 

“That man saw past my past and said, ‘Come here, I will give you this job.’ Now I must fight this man? I’m not mad in my head. I will never fight the president. I will disagree with him, yes. I love the GNU. The PA [Patriotic Alliance] is happy with my inclusion in the GNU,” McKenzie said.

In September the department of sports, arts and culture signed a memorandum of understanding with the department of basic education to improve sports in schools.

McKenzie has vowed to implement project 300 which aims to send 300 athletes to the 2028 Olympics. He said the department has joined forces with SuperSport, Athletics South Africa, South African Schools Athletics and the department of basic education to launch a track and field schools athletics series, starting in January.

The series will be open to all high schools throughout the country. McKenzie encouraged schools to apply.

“The objective will be to crown the top athletics high school in the country where the next athletes would be scouted. 

“We want to go and find our athletes there. Children must now get into sports, and it’s not just talk. Sports, arts and culture must get back to our schools. we have exciting things to get our children away from the street. I always say a child in sport is a child out of court. That is our motto.

“We’ll make sure our children get support, we will fund every child, make sure they get a salary, stipend, good nutrition and best coaching.”

He added that SABC and SuperSport Schools have agreed to a partnership that will ensure the SABC will be able to stream school sport on SABC Plus.

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