A GROUP of largely unknown artists has called on the interim SABC board to retain former chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s 90% local content rule.
Yesterday, members of the Friends of Hlaudi Motsoeneng marched to the SABC head offices in Auckland Park to hand over a memorandum of grievances.
The march became chaotic when protesters clashed with police after trying to force their way into the SABC.
Musician Blondie Makhene, who took part in the march, told Daily Sun: “The reason we’re protesting is because we want radical economic transformation. The 90% local content quota is part of that.
“We’re fighting against people who’re trying to reverse the gains of our struggle.”
He said the interim board was standing in the way of transformation, and, as a result, local artists would die poor.
He said artists would set up their own radio station, which would be “run by musicians, for musicians”. But he couldn’t say when this would happen.
Actor Sam Phillips said: “We should have been consulted before a new board was appointed. We’re not happy. We hardly know the board. Who appointed them?”
He said, as was the case during apartheid, artists were not being paid for their hard work.
The memorandum was handed to SABC spokesman, Kaizer Kganyago.
He promised to forward it to the board.
He said the 90% quota rule had not been removed but was under review.
