GIYANI – A popular local musician, Doctor Sithole, rolled up his sleeves and confronted the alleged mastermind behind a music piracy scam in the Giyani complex last Wednesday.

Sithole had just realeased his 12th debut album, Evukatini e Zimbabwe, which means “my marriage in Zimbambwe.” He was recently informed that a syndicate in the Giyani complex was making money out of his efforts and creativity, by illegally copying his music and selling it to the public. It was said that the syndicate has been copying music illegally since 2000.

During the confrontation with the alleged syndicate, a scuffle allegedly took place and Sithole then reported the matter to the police. A suspect, Shadrack Masengani Mabunda, was arrested the same day and appeared in the Giyani Magistrate’s Court on September 1. He faced charges of assault and piracy, adn was released on R1000 bail. He is due to appear again in the same court on September 19.

During Mabunda’s court appearance, music lovers and supporters, led by the Limpopo Artists and Music Association, protested against music piracy in the country. They carried placards which read Stop izinyoka, Copying cd’s is like abortion and Stop piracying our music.

The chairperson of Limpopo Music Association, Mr Thomas Hasani Chauke, popularly known as Shinyori, said, “we are very not pleased about the criminal activities of such criminals, because it is killing our music industry, but today we are here to support Doctor Sithole and to make a global awareness about piracy. This means our musicians produce their music for nothing.”

He further said, he would like to see the government putting its weight behind such initiatives, because this is not only killing the music industry but also crippling the country’s economy, because musicians pay taxes. The protest was joined by other well known Shangaan musicians Penny-Penny, Ekson Maluleke, Khatisa Chabalala, Florah Nwa-Chauke and also the owner of the local music studio in Giyani, Mr Jeffy Mashakeni.