ACASWA ARTISTS TO MARCH TO PARLIAMENT – PRESIDENT

MBABANE – Gospel artists have resolved to march to Parliament to deliver a petition requesting Members of Parliament (MPs) to assist them in their fight against piracy.

Through the Association of Christian Artists in Swaziland (ACASWA), their mother body, they felt it was time they roped in the MPs as they were losing thousands of Emalangeni through music that is pirated and sold on the streets.
Taking the resolution were more than 20 artists during ACASWA’s ‘Vusela’ Campaign held in the Lubombo region.

Before this campaign, the artists had already indicated that time had come for them to put their microphones and keyboards aside and march to Parliament to raise their concerns as artists.
This was during the association’s meeting held at the Jamming House, a month ago.

Suffering

Mhloniswa Motsa, ACASWA President, confirmed the decision taken by the artists saying they have been asked to work on the logistics as they were suffering because of the ongoing piracy.
“One of the things the artists want to raise with the MPs is the issue of the Copy Right Bill. They feel it has taken a long time for the MPs to look at it and pass it into law. They made it clear that the MPs were the ones who can stop piracy in the country,” Motsa said.

He said the artists also made it clear that they want police officers to assist them as they intend to clean up the streets.
“There are a lot of people selling fake CDs and DVDs on the streets. Artists want this to come to an end and it is one of the things they want to raise with the parliamentarians.  They believe marching to Parliament is the only thing that can save the situation,” Motsa said.

Prepare

Motsa said they have been asked to prepare a day where all the artists would come together and march to Lobamba.
“At the moment we are still continuing with the ‘Vusela’ Campaigns. As we were in the Lubombo region, we elected a committee that would be responsible for mobilising all the artists.

It will be the same thing with the Manzini, Shiselweni and the Hhohho regions. This has to be done before the end of the month. This will help us as we want to make sure that during the march, all the artists are represented,” he said.
Motsa said they would inform the artists through the regional committees on the dates of the march.

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