Celebrating the SA music industry
SANDTON Convention Centre played host to the 10th anniversary of the annual Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition.
The likes of AKA, Danny K, Ray Phiri, Zwai Bala and Naima Mclean took to the stage to give a different type of performance. The musicians gathered to interrogate the state of music in South Africa in the past 10 years.
“Congratulations to the South African music industry which has managed to survive all these years without the assistance of government,” said Sipho Sithole, executive chairperson of Native Rhythms Productions. He expressed his disappointment with the Department of Arts and Culture and its inability to look after the interests of South African artists.
Unfortunately the Minister of Arts and Culture, Paul Mashatile was absent from the gathering, however, his special advisor Mduduzi Mbada spoke on his behalf.
“President Jacob Zuma has taken an interest in how the music industry operates,” he said. Mbada added that his department had initiated a task team to investigate what could be done to support the South African music industry.
Sipho Dlamini, chairperson of the Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition reflected on how far the music industry had come.
“The rest of the world is beginning to take notice of us,” he said. “Part of this conference and exhibition is to revive our cultural creativity. We have a unique and diverse artist heritage.”
Dr Sello Galane of KAM Records spoke about how impressed he was that artists were starting to run their own music as a business.
The music conference managed to gather different players in the South African music industry to network and gain valuable industry insights, as well as to share ideas on how to improve the industry for generations to come.
