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LOCAL ARTISTS NOT PAID FOR INTERVARSITY SHOWS

12/03/2014 04:53:00 BY THOBEKA MANYATHELA

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MBABANE – Local artists who performed at the ongoing Intervarsity Games have allegedly still not been paid their dues.

The local artists, who include deejays and gospel singers, performed during the different entertainment events which took place last weekend.
According to one of the artists, who preferred anonymity, during the signing of contracts they were promised to be paid by cheque a day before the performance.

“The contract stipulated that we would be paid in full a day before the performance, however, on the day I was called to be informed of my time to be on stage I enquired about the cheque and was told I would receive it at the venue,” said the artist who performed during the gospel concert which took place on Friday.

However the story allegedly changed when the artists reached the venue as they were told they would only be given half the amount.
When they agreed on these terms they had to wait thus delaying getting on stage as the cheques were seemingly not with the organisers.
When it was evident that they would not receive their payment the artists retaliated by refusing to get on stage but the organisers allegedly pleaded with them, promising that they were a trustworthy organisation.

“We decided to go ahead and perform as the organisers assured us that since this was a university event we would definitely be paid. This, it was said would be done the very next morning on Saturday,” said the artist.
On Saturday morning when the artists demanded their monies they were allegedly told to be patient as the committee was relying on gate takings and claimed that the Friday show had not yielded any profits thus they had to wait till Sunday.

“By this time we were already feeling dejected as the entire contract agreement had been sidelined. On Sunday we were not paid at all and now we are currently relying on SRC President Maxwell Dlamini’s word, that we will be paid tomorrow,” said the artist.
By 1pm yesterday, most of the artists said they had been told to pick up their respective cheques at The University of Swaziland Kwaluseni Campus tomorrow.

“I have not been paid but I am hoping it will happen on Thursday (tomorrow),” another artist confirmed.
The SRC President, when called for comment, refused to entertain questions on the issue and argued that he had sorted everything with the artists.
“Go back to those artists because as far as I am concerned my committee handled everything well. But if not, I am going to contact them because I am not the one who does payments,” he said and hung up the phone.

...songbird Zaza furious with organisers

MBABANE – Local songbird Nomzamo ‘Zaza’ Dlamini has come out to express her anger towards the Intervarsity entertainment organisers.
Dlamini alleges that she was advertised as one of the artists who would be performing during the Mr/Miss Intervarsity pageant held on Sunday, but says she was never formally booked.

“I was very shocked to see my name and picture on the Intervarsity advertising posters as I had not been booked. The first and last time I received any news on the Intervarsity show was when I received a Facebook message from a Zwelonkhe Maseko asking for my booking details, which on its own was very unprofessional but I responded,” said Zaza. She claimed that to her surprise the advert with her name among the performing artists also started running on the very same Thursday that she had been asked for her booking details.

“I am a brand and I take my craft very seriously. I have fans out there and I do not want to come off as a diva that does not honour invitations, that is why for the organising committee to wrongfully put my name on the adverts destroys my brand,” she said.
The artist said she was ready to take legal action but decided against it after careful consideration. “I just want the organisers to be aware that what they did was wrong and hopefully it will not happen again,” she added.

SRC President Maxwell Dlamini refused to comment on the issue saying he was not in charge of the artist’s selection.
“It would be wrong of me to comment, what I can try is to get you the number of the organiser who was in charge of artist bookings. The organisers were aware of the mistake on the poster but unfortunately did not change it as it had already gone for print and Zaza’s mobile number was off,” he said.