Police were the first to threaten a ban last year, but as they took a seemingly lackadaisical approach, hotel managers have taken it upon themselves to act.
“We have had many promoters coming here to try and book venues for rhumba shows, but due to the violence we experienced during the last few months, we could not risk it,” said a manager at Safari Hotel in Hillbrow.
“We have been left to pick up the pieces of having had to repair our facilities and answer to police, after each show and we cannot take that anymore. We held meetings with the musicians and promoters last year, but that still failed to bear any meaningful result because the violence continued. Towards the end of the year, a fan lost his eye here, after he was stabbed.”
He attributed the flare in violence cases to a lapse of security by the musicians and their promoters, who cannot afford to hire reputable security companies.
Musicians charge a maximum of R50 at the gate for their shows and besides such reputable bands like Boyoyo and Mthimbani Sound Blasters, Mlambos Express, Ndux Junior and Batshele Brothers, Allen Ndoda, Magwaza and the fractured Ndolwane Super Sounds, the bands usually attract less than 100 fans.
Highly regarded security companies charge at least R350 per hour for each security officer on duty. Veteran promoter, Patrick Sibanda of the Livingway Music Promotions and Entertainment, confirmed that he had been one of those affected.
“I am still negotiating with them for the Ndebele Hits Volume 2 DVD show and so far, we are still holding meetings to find a solution,” said Sibanda.
“I think we agree that while there has been violence at some shows, ours have not had that and we therefore, deserve some exemption. This is also a wake-up call for musicians and promoters to pull together and stop this.”
In the worst case of violence, two rhumba fans were shot dead in separate incidents at Safari hotel Thembisa last year, musician France Moyo was robbed at gunpoint in Thembisa, while another singer, Ndux Junior, survived by the skin of his teeth, when he was stabbed after one of his shows in Johannesburg on December 9, 2012.
Post published in: Entertainment