SINGER Lira is brooding over whether or not to defy the "ban" on playing in Swaziland by her fellow entertainers, an artists' union and a labour federation.
At the centre of the furore is the tiny kingdom's shambolic democracy track record.
Lira is among several artists who have confirmed their participation in the forthcoming annual Bushfire Festival at Malkerns Valley over three days from May 25.
The others are kwela kings Mango Groove, the cast of iconic protest play Woza Albert and the Giant Puppets of Mozambique, but this is against the wishes of the Creative Workers Union of South Africa (CWUSA), its mother body the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), and musicians including Caiphus Semenya, Letta Mbulu and Ringo Madlingozi.
The CWUSA is leading the campaign to have musicians boycott Swaziland.
Its president, Mabutho "Kid" Sithole, said some artists, including Lira, might be defying the "ban" because they genuinely do not know about its existence.
"Now that they know, they must use their conscience and decide," Sithole said.
"We urge all South African musicians to know that - if they were not aware - that the time is not yet right to perform in Swaziland.
"Swaziland is undemocratic and the Swazi people helped South Africans during the struggle.
"You cannot come from a country where you enjoy democracy and yet go and perform in a country that denies its citizens the same right."
Jazz singer Lira said she did not have a position yet on the matter as she was currently familiarising herself with the issues at play with regards to the Swaziland ban.
Robin Kohl, speaking on behalf of Lira's management, said: "As Lira's management we are currently researching all the values within this situation in order to reach a decision in response to the the ban. We do not have all the facts pertaining to the ban."
In the past other South African musicians have come out publicly and refused to perform in Swaziland, most notably Semenya, Mbulu and Madlingozi.
Cosatu has led a pro-democracy blockade at the Swaziland border to bring international attention to what they termed the lack of democracy and human rights in the kingdom.
The Department of Arts and Culture said it has not taken a position on the Swazi ban.
"I am not aware of any position the ministry has taken on the issue, and in the absence of such a position, I am not going to comment," said Percy Mthimkhulu, spokesman for Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile.
Lira mulls Swazi boycott
SINGER Lira is brooding over whether or not to defy the "ban" on playing in Swaziland by her fellow entertainers, an artists' union and a labour federation.
At the centre of the furore is the tiny kingdom's shambolic democracy track record.
Lira is among several artists who have confirmed their participation in the forthcoming annual Bushfire Festival at Malkerns Valley over three days from May 25.
The others are kwela kings Mango Groove, the cast of iconic protest play Woza Albert and the Giant Puppets of Mozambique, but this is against the wishes of the Creative Workers Union of South Africa (CWUSA), its mother body the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), and musicians including Caiphus Semenya, Letta Mbulu and Ringo Madlingozi.
The CWUSA is leading the campaign to have musicians boycott Swaziland.
Its president, Mabutho "Kid" Sithole, said some artists, including Lira, might be defying the "ban" because they genuinely do not know about its existence.
"Now that they know, they must use their conscience and decide," Sithole said.
"We urge all South African musicians to know that - if they were not aware - that the time is not yet right to perform in Swaziland.
"Swaziland is undemocratic and the Swazi people helped South Africans during the struggle.
"You cannot come from a country where you enjoy democracy and yet go and perform in a country that denies its citizens the same right."
Jazz singer Lira said she did not have a position yet on the matter as she was currently familiarising herself with the issues at play with regards to the Swaziland ban.
Robin Kohl, speaking on behalf of Lira's management, said: "As Lira's management we are currently researching all the values within this situation in order to reach a decision in response to the the ban. We do not have all the facts pertaining to the ban."
In the past other South African musicians have come out publicly and refused to perform in Swaziland, most notably Semenya, Mbulu and Madlingozi.
Cosatu has led a pro-democracy blockade at the Swaziland border to bring international attention to what they termed the lack of democracy and human rights in the kingdom.
The Department of Arts and Culture said it has not taken a position on the Swazi ban.
"I am not aware of any position the ministry has taken on the issue, and in the absence of such a position, I am not going to comment," said Percy Mthimkhulu, spokesman for Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos