/ 28 March 2010

Cosatu say local artists shut out from 2010 events

Cosatu Say Local Artists Shut Out From 2010 Events

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said it supported the campaign by local artists to benefit from the Soccer World Cup, it said on Sunday.

Spokesperson Patrick Craven said in a statement that the trade union’s affiliate, the Creative Workers’ Union of SA (CWUSA), had a right to be angry.

He said this was after artists in the country and around the continent were overlooked by both the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and Fifa for a concert ahead of the tournament at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on June 10.

Alicia Keys, John Legend, the Black Eyed Peas, Amadou & Mariam, Angélique Kidjo, BLK JKS, Juanes, Shakira, the Parlotones, Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Touré and Vusi Mahlasela are scheduled to play at the concert.

‘Scandal’
“In particular, it is a scandal that the World Cup concert will feature only three local artists and nine-plus from elsewhere,” Craven said.

“The federation urges all its members to support CWUSA’s rolling mass action at the 2010 World Cup LOC’s offices in Nasrec to protest against this plan,” he said.

Craven said the trade union shared CWUSA’s sentiments that “This [event] is an African World Cup and it’s for Africa”.

“Creative workers are part and parcel in displaying the rich heritage of our country and continent through their involvement and participation,” CWUSA said after the announcement of the line-up for the concert.

The union demanded that the line-up for the June 10 concert be mainly composed of South African and African artists.

The CWUSA also demanded that a publicly sanctioned procurement process be put in place for all cultural events. – Sapa