The Copyright Amendment bill is facing serious opposition from artists including Gabi Le Roux, Mbongeni Ngema, and Mzwakhe Mbuli, who feel the bill is exploitative.
The Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industries redrafted the bill, the result of which did not sit well with many veteran artists, They described the bill as exploitative and they are determined it should not be implemented.
Of course, it is one thing to pour into the streets in protests, and it is a different ball game to actually force the authorities to look into the demand and maybe assent to it.
The bill itself is not all “bad,” though, as, according to multiple sources, protecting the economic interests of creators by addressing copyright infringement is one of the goals of the bill.
The demands and the corresponding protests are certainly not unique to South Africa, as similar situations have played out in other African countries as well
Well, at least Gabi Le Roux, Mbongeni Ngema, Mzwakhe Mbuli and others have just made their grievances known. It remains to be seen whether their demands will eventually be met – and when. We will be here to share more details with you, so stay tuned by following our social media channels.
