28th August 2003
Vladimir Mayakovsky, the Russian revolutionary poet, wrote that to produce great poetry you need: One: a pencil; Two: a note-book; and Three: (for some reason) an umbrella.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) wishes all power to pencils, note-books, key-boards, pianos, saxophones, paint-brushes, amplifiers, aerosol cans, dancing shoes, cameras, critical eyes, sympathetic ears, fearless voices, and….yes…the South African Music Week.
The South African Music Week has become an important national institution in forging a new post-apartheid and progressive South African identity and nation.
The importance of the South African Music Week is underlined by the legacy of apartheid and capitalism which still scars the entertainment industry in our country. The exploitation of artists by recording and other companies is well-documented. The continued dominance of a “CNN-culture” and McDonaldisation of entertainment is a serious problem threatening to erode our South African and African identity expressed in a progressive manner in solidarity with other developing countries, and poor and working people globally.
The SACP uses this opportunity to call on all workers in the entertainment industry to join together and take forward their struggles and common demands:
The building of a single trade union with clout and muscle and linked to an effective trade union federation with militant traditions is the only way to challenge exploitation in the entertainment industry. This means that the Performing Arts Workers’ Equity, the Musicians’ Union of South Africa and other representative associations must increase their co-operation and work towards this goal.
Our culture, our identity, our music, our arts, our heritage, our future are too important to leave to the bosses.
Mazibuko K. Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Media, Information & Publicity
South African Communist Party
3rd Floor, COSATU House, 1-5 Leyds Street
Braamfontein, 2017, Republic of South Africa
Tel: 27 11 339-3621/2, Fax: 27 11 339-4244,Cell: 083 651 0271
Email - mazibuko@sacp.org.za