Back to Sun City? Durban no longer hosting SAMAs following R28m drama

It’s back to the drawing board for the South African Music Awards (Samas) organisers after being dropped by Durban, which was set to be the awards ceremony’s host city next month.

SAMAS WILL NO LONGER BE HOSTED IN DURBAN

Addressing the media on Wednesday, 25 October, ANC KwaZulu Natal Chairperson and MEC for Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) Siboniso Duma said that his department will no longer host the popular music awards show.

“As an executive authority, having consulted widely with the executive council and other stakeholders I have advised the department to stop the hosting of the South African Music Awards this year.” Duma said.

ALSO READ: SAMAs behind schedule due to financial issues

He also denied that the figure is R28 million, as the department had previously claimed it will spend R20 million which it said will have a return on investment of around R350 million.

ALSO READ: ‘They represent a looted SOE’: Zakes Bantwini slams SAMAs

RAMAPHOSA’S CALL TO DUMA

This comes after Ramaphosa’s phone call to Duma on Tuesday, cautioning him against the planned splurge of R28 million for show.

“In MEC’s report to premiers, the president does not get involved in the day-to-day running of provincial departments. However, the president did advise MEC Duma against such spending in the interest of maintaining fiscal discipline,” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa warns against R28 million SAMAs budget

Ramaphosa advised Duma following a letter from ActionSA provincial leader Zwakele Mcwango’s.

“Our objection to the EDTEA’s plan to splurge R28m on the Samas is rooted in the department’s intention to divert funds from other programmes, which lacks fiscal justification and is not in compliance with the necessary approval process from the provincial legislature, ” he said in his letter.

ALSO READ: Author threatens to sue SAMAs for ‘killing’ him

Mncwango added that he was concerned that eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda, had also planned to sponsor another R25m million on the Samas.

“ActionSA is deeply concerned that the cash-strapped KZN Provincial Government and eThekwini Municipality would deem it appropriate to fund a R53 million vanity project rather than prioritise investment in the recovery efforts of a Province still grappling with the devastating aftermath of the July 2021 Riots and the April 2022 Floods,” Mncwango wrote to Ramaphosa.

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