Fans are upset with the Eastern Cape Music Awards (ECMAs) complaining that some of the artists were no longer contemporary and that one winner jumped up to get his award before his name was announced.
The ECMAs were set to take place in October last year, but they dragged on until it finally took place on the weekend.
Dispatch discovered that the delay of the event by five months meant that the R1.50 per SMS voting process took much longer, generating extra thousands of rands for promoter Koko Godlo.
Godlo also received funding from the two government sources, Buffalo City Metro (R500000) and Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (R200000).
Godlo says the awards are aimed at promoting Eastern Cape born-and-bred musicians and will inspire them to be competitive nationally.
Godlo also wants to curb the migration of artists to other provinces.
He said the awards were more than getting the trophy and medal, but would be accompanied by money which he termed “compensation”.
Asked how much would be paid over, he said: “That is between myself and the artist being compensated”.
Fans complained that best Kwaito artist winner, Mashava, was smash-hitmaker in 2003. Little was heard of him until Saturday.
The win sparked a heated debate across social media.
Attendees took to Facebook even claiming that Mashava jumped off his seat and made his way to the stage before the hosts were done announcing the Kwaito category winner.
Mashava says it is true. He said he was told prior to the event that he had won the award and that on receiving it, he should perform.
“I was told that due to time constraints, I should perform straight after getting my award,” he said.
Zimbabwe-born artist, Berita, who later moved to the Eastern Cape to further her studies scooped “the best female” (sic) award.
She was nominated along with Eastern Cape-born Zahara, Yves, Busiswa, Siphokazi, Endumisweni G/G and Lilitha Bidla.
In a telephonic interview, Berita’s manager Ninel Musson said Berita was aware of the nomination, but did not ask people to vote for her.
“She did not acknowledge the nomination, but at least she attended,” said Musson.
Sound ’n Harmonics artist manager Bonke Monono said their artist Lynch, with hit song Thandiwe, was shortlisted for best male award, despite having entered for two other categories, best artist and best song of the year.
“We enquired this with Godlo and he told us that Lynch’s music did not qualify for other categories and that there is no specific criteria for who makes the nomination list.”
Godlo referred questions about the tallying of votes to Vodacom and hung up when asked about the criteria for the nominations.
Daily Dispatch recently reported that over 70000 votes were cast during the voting process.
Voting lines were opened from September 22 2016 until February 22 2017. Voters were charged R1.50 per SMS.
Yesterday Dispatch queried this with Vodacom head office and was sent a document which explained that the earnings were split on a 60-40 basis with Vodacom taking 60% and event organiser getting 40%.
A rough calculation shows that R105000 was generated from voting lines, of which Godlo would have earned about R42000.
Storm brews over ECMAs
The ECMAs were set to take place in October last year, but they dragged on until it finally took place on the weekend.
Dispatch discovered that the delay of the event by five months meant that the R1.50 per SMS voting process took much longer, generating extra thousands of rands for promoter Koko Godlo.
Godlo also received funding from the two government sources, Buffalo City Metro (R500000) and Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (R200000).
Godlo says the awards are aimed at promoting Eastern Cape born-and-bred musicians and will inspire them to be competitive nationally.
Godlo also wants to curb the migration of artists to other provinces.
He said the awards were more than getting the trophy and medal, but would be accompanied by money which he termed “compensation”.
Asked how much would be paid over, he said: “That is between myself and the artist being compensated”.
Fans complained that best Kwaito artist winner, Mashava, was smash-hitmaker in 2003. Little was heard of him until Saturday.
The win sparked a heated debate across social media.
Attendees took to Facebook even claiming that Mashava jumped off his seat and made his way to the stage before the hosts were done announcing the Kwaito category winner.
Mashava says it is true. He said he was told prior to the event that he had won the award and that on receiving it, he should perform.
“I was told that due to time constraints, I should perform straight after getting my award,” he said.
Zimbabwe-born artist, Berita, who later moved to the Eastern Cape to further her studies scooped “the best female” (sic) award.
She was nominated along with Eastern Cape-born Zahara, Yves, Busiswa, Siphokazi, Endumisweni G/G and Lilitha Bidla.
In a telephonic interview, Berita’s manager Ninel Musson said Berita was aware of the nomination, but did not ask people to vote for her.
“She did not acknowledge the nomination, but at least she attended,” said Musson.
Sound ’n Harmonics artist manager Bonke Monono said their artist Lynch, with hit song Thandiwe, was shortlisted for best male award, despite having entered for two other categories, best artist and best song of the year.
“We enquired this with Godlo and he told us that Lynch’s music did not qualify for other categories and that there is no specific criteria for who makes the nomination list.”
Godlo referred questions about the tallying of votes to Vodacom and hung up when asked about the criteria for the nominations.
Daily Dispatch recently reported that over 70000 votes were cast during the voting process.
Voting lines were opened from September 22 2016 until February 22 2017. Voters were charged R1.50 per SMS.
Yesterday Dispatch queried this with Vodacom head office and was sent a document which explained that the earnings were split on a 60-40 basis with Vodacom taking 60% and event organiser getting 40%.
A rough calculation shows that R105000 was generated from voting lines, of which Godlo would have earned about R42000.
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