MUSIC TARIFFS TO BE PUBLISHED SOON

MBABANE - Eswatini Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Society (ESWACOS) Executive Director Mmeli Hlanze says they will be publishing music tariffs soon.

According to Hlanze, the tariffs will be used for licensing various users of music, and this isn’t limited to users of local music but all copyright-protected music, whether local or international. This comes after the Eswatini Events Managers and Promoters Association (EEMPA) accelerated their call for promoters to get licences for their shows. “We will be publishing the music tariffs soon. The mandate granted to ESWACOS through the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act 4/2018 empowers us to protect all rights holders, whether local or international.

Engaging

“Before the end of the year, we will be engaging with various users and their representative associations to share more information about music licence tariffs and procedures,” Hlanze said. Hlanze further confirmed that DJs and event organisers need to have music licences to enable them to play music during their events. “Yes, it is true that DJs and event organisers will need to procure a music licence from ESWACOS to legally play music at their events. This requirement applies to various individuals and entities involved in public performances of music,” he said.

Finalising

EEMPA Secretary Banele Dlamini says they are now finalising their plans, citing event promoters have been given enough time to get licences. “For every event that they plan to have, it should be applied for on ENCAC. “They then have to tell us when they have applied so we can go and verify it. Verifying the event will help us see if the venue that is proposed is safe and if all the artists that are invited are legalised.

“This is because there are a lot of events that are being introduced and we do not know where they come from.  “We appeal to all event organisers to register their events because there will now be fines for those who host events without licences. The event’s organisers have been given enough time to look at this matter,” Dlamini said.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: