African artists step onto Cup stage April 14, 2010
By Poloko Tau
Local and African musicians will be added to the official World Cup Kick Off concert after an agreement was reached in Joburg on Tuesday between the Fifa Local Organising Committee (LOC) and the artists.
Local musicians had expressed deep concern at the small number of South Africans scheduled to line up at the star-studded concert at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on June 10.
Arts and Culture Minister Lulu Xingwana initiated discussions with the LOC and the Creative Workers Union of South Africa (CWUSA), who called off their protest march scheduled for tomorrow.
Yesterday's meeting was the third time the parties had met.
The agreement was reached following discussions via a video link with Control Room, a Los Angeles-based company staging the Fifa concert.
Part of the agreement is that the SA Music Promoters a**ociation (Sampa) will work with Control Room to "satisfy BEE concerns".
In a joint press conference addressed by Xingwana, CWUSA and LOC boss Danny Jordaan last night, it was also announced that Sampa would have a direct line of communication with Control Room.
At the briefing, Xingwana said: "More artists will be included in the June 10 concert line-up, so that it should be more representative and re-flect gender and demographic concerns."
She said no names of the performers would be announced publicly until contracts had been signed.
Xingwana said a framework that would guide the selection of a line-up to ensure the majority of artists came from South Africa and the rest of the continent had been agreed to.
She also said "a huge percentage of the line-up" representative of South African and African artists would perform between 8pm and midnight, which would ensure that their performances were beamed live to millions of viewers globally.
It was also agreed to engage further on the arts and culture component at fan parks and public viewing areas to "make this a truly African arts and culture experience".
Meetings would be held with host cities to consolidate this engagement.
"I am glad that all stakeholders could agree on a way forward and on the principle of greater representation of South African and African artists on this major global platform to be held on South African soil," said Xingwana.
Jordaan said Fifa had always maintained that the "incredibly talented" South African and African music industry would play a major role in the tournament's off-field success and character.
"We're looking forward to the concert, where the majority (of performers) will be South Africans."
Jordaan noted that the 50-days celebration before the World Cup kicks off was fast approaching.
Headwarmaz Response...
It is a shame that our artists had to throw what seemed like a 'tantrum' so that they can be acknowledged. It is always painful to find that the world still does not take us seriously. Now it is up to the artists to put up one helluva show and show them where the real talent lies.
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