“Stop using my name … Otherwise I will take tough legal action against you…” This is the warning from the popular SATMA award-winning guitarist, Solomon Mathase, who has taken the Venda traditional music industry by storm.

Mathase, of Ndi Ntshavheni fame, says he is very angry with music promoters who use his name to pull crowds to their music festivals. “Since I won the SATMA award, I have seen my name on different posters, advertising music festivals without my consent. At times I get calls from my fans, asking me why I don’t turn up at different music festivals. It is becoming a bad habit that is having a negative impact on my career,” he added.

Mathase says this unbecoming practice by hungry show promoters must come to an end. “I just want to set an example with one of them. My legal team is ready for any battle and we will never tolerate this type of behavior. Show promoters know the procedures to be followed when they want an artist to perform and they have to follow suit with me. I am very angry about this.”

Mathase said the latest incident was at the weekend when he got several calls from his joyous fans who couldn’t wait to see him performing at the Musina Show Grounds. “I told them straight away that I knew nothing about the show. They were very disappointed when I told them that I was not going to perform, because I was not consulted. These promoters know that I am a crowd puller and they just put my name on their posters to ensure maximum turnout. I am going to fight foot and nail to make sure that it stops.”

Mathase shot to stardom by playing sound tracks for Tshovhilingana movies three years ago. People fell in love with his sound tracks and pressurized him to record them. The result was the release of his first album, featuring hits like Ndi Ntshavheni, Vho-Nyabele and Ha-Tshivhasa. The album sold very well and Mathase became so famous that he won the SATMA award for the Best Traditional Venda Artist. His second album, Nne na vhone, continues to make waves and it contains hits like Vho Nyadenga and Masindi.