Connie Selebogo
The South African Roadies Association (Sara) may be boycotted by both the South African and international entertainment industry after being sued for R2,5- million by its most important client, Big Concerts. The company claims Sara defamed both it and its managing director, Attie van Wyk by accusing it of racism.
Sara is prepared to fight back even though it has been ordered by the court not to demonstrate or do anything to harm Big Concerts’s reputation. “We will not be threatened by people who do not want to accept transformation in the entertainment industry,” says Sara president Freddie Nyathela. Demonstrations and pickets at national and international events organised by Big Concerts are planned – including possible demonstrations during next week’s tour by the Sammy Davis Jnr Entertainer of the year, Marry J Blige.
Sara says its actions are intended to ensure international artists become aware of its resistance to put more pressure on promoters to give opportunities to members of disadvantaged communities.
Nyathela has accused Big Concerts and other white promoters of being racist and not wanting to share knowledge with other people.
However, Van Wyk says the show will go on – demonstrations or not.
“Sara has nothing in the Marry J Blige concert. They may demonstrate or picket but no one will notice them,” he says.
Big Concerts has hosted 35 events, using an 88% black labour force, employed on a freelance basis. Van Wyk says the company was forced to take legal action as Sara was threatening their businesses’ reputation.
“Sara is a provider of casual labour and stagehands for concerts, nothing more, nothing less,” Van Wyk says. He said Sara’s role is to hire unskilled workers on an ad hoc basis, on behalf of clients, and receives a percentage of earnings from each member used. Labourers take on the unenviable but essential work of unloading crew equipment.
They are employed to support the qualified international technicians and production personnel who travel with star performers, as well as the trained local technicians.
The relationship between the association and Big Concerts soured in 1998 following allegations of misconduct by Sara members.
“Some of the reasons leading to the termin-ation of contract with the Roadies were its poor labour practices and lack of discipline among its staff,” says Van Wyk. He indicated that most promoters have stopped using Sara personnel for casual purposes.
Van Wyk says that in 1999, Nyathela turned down work for his members because the promoter refused to accept “unwarranted and unprecedented demands for irrelevant personal tour privileges” for Nyathela. He says Nyathela’s organisation is weak and it is also misrepresenting its members.
Sara’s attorney, Penny Molefe, says the organisation is preparing a response to the summons. For this reason it won’t reveal any information until a later date.