Last year President Zuma convened a sectoral meeting to address South African artists and government departments and to give the mandate to address challenges facing artists.
Amongst issues raised in the meeting, piracy was high on the list, followed by discontentment on distribution of royalties by collecting societies which artists blamed as a cause leading to artists dying poor, artists also complained about little government support in addressing their challenges.
Subsequent to that, my office was inundated with calls from artists requesting intervention on this matter. I therefore convened a sector meeting to assess and put into context the concerns raised and to align them with the specific mandate of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti).
In my fact-finding mission, I analysed the generic allegations made against collecting societies, for example, the pending case of Brenda Fassie’s estate which is still in the courts of law, other concerns raised was on law enforcement and on abuse of intellectual property rights
Therefore, my observations will only need to be supported by evidence for me to conclude whether there’s any wrongdoing on the side of collecting societies hence I decided to establish a commission to investigate these allegations and in relation to intellectual property rights, this matter does lies in the hands of the dti, therefore I invited different ministries to a roundtable to discuss and resolve these matters which I believe will take place in due course.
I will also launch a new anti-piracy campaign in September this year which details thereof will be provided at the media breakfast which will take place at the venue and the date of the launch, at the same launch the names of the commissioners will be announced and its scope will be tabled to give effect to its work.
I also need to mention upfront that the dti as part of the government’s commitment to a new approach to working smart commits to do its part to help the sector to formalise, as the President’s concern last November was that the industry is not organised. This will be done through assigning companies to register through our cooperatives program, we will also put incentives like trade fairs/exhibitions, trade and state visits as part of opportunities.
This, we are doing in changing the way government works, the launch will go under the theme, “New approach for doing things faster and smarter”.
May I now inform you who are the stakeholder departments that we are trying to work with:
South African Police Services
To be responsible for investigations and confiscation of counterfeit and pirated products and arrest of syndicates and perpetrations of piracy to avoid artists taking the law into their own hands and suffering defeat as it was the case in the past.
Department of Arts and Culture
To provide social security plans and strategy as this department is the lead department of this industry.
Home Affairs
To deal with customs matters through our borders
South African Revenue Services:
- To deal with tax clearance certificates
Over and above, the dti is the custodian of both the companies act and Intellectual Property Right Act which was recently tabled to Parliament for consideration.
Department of Communications
Which will be responsible for needle time regulations.
I also extend an invitation to the South African press to take an interest in exposing elements of corruption by exposing activities not only by small business but by syndicates that are involved in piracy, your participation in the launch will highlight the significant role that the public needs to play in the public, private partnership in combating crime, but also in enriching economic development for our citizens.
Therefore we look forward to have you not only for the media breakfast but to sit down for the plenary session on the closing day were I will be presenting the declaration on the resolutions, especially those affecting the dti I thank you for your time and for attending this briefing and hope that this matter sends a positive report to the public to allay fears of artists as this is work in progress, and also to implement the decisions of last year’s Presidential sector meeting which mandated the Department of Trade and Industry to be the champion of this project.
I thank you.
