Volume 10, No.2 - March 2001

We're part of the union

Musicians union

Home is where we would like to come

By Moloto Mothapo The three-day conference of the Music Union of South Africa (MUSA) was held at COSATU house in Johannesburg to discuss, amongst others, strengthening the union, recruiting more members, and comprehensive solutions to the problems in the music industry.

Invited to the conference was COSATU president comrade Willie Madisha. He told the conference of the importance of belonging to the union and the federation for effectively tackling problems facing the musicians in this country. He said that, like any workers from any industry, musicians in this country are facing exploitation.

"Musicians are seen as famous, successful and getting lot of money, whereas the reality is that they are actually not", said Madisha. He was happy that musicians are starting to be united and that COSATU is ready to welcome MUSA, to give it a helping hand in a fight against exploitation and any form of unfair labour practice.

Founder and veteran jazz musician, Caiphus "Katse" Semenya, said MUSA need lot of support from COSATU and it has always been his wish that the union should join the federation. Selaelo Selota, also a MUSA member and jazz musician, emphasized that artists are workers as well and they need representation: "When I get on the stage and perform, I'm like any worker and the same goes to any worker in the mine", he said.

Sharing similar sentiments was Sipho "Hotsticks" Mabuza, who also appreciated COSATU's policies and in particular, its sovereignty in the Tripartite Alliance.