SOUTH Africa has always produced world-class composers and musicians.

From Solomon Linda, whose Mbube song took the West like a tempest and stirred up the biggest copyright case in the history of recorded music, to Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela, whose evocative music and sociopolitical messages exposed the rest of the world to the country's exceptionally rich and diverse cultural heritage.

The current generation of young artists is proudly and loudly flying SA's musical flag very high.

Names that readily come to mind include Belgium-based jazz alto Tutu Puoane and opera soprano Pretty Yende, who recently took New York's Metropolitan Opera House by storm.

It is against this background that the South African Music Rights Organisation (Samro) has decided to launch the Wawela International Music Awards.

Wawela is Zulu for going beyond, and the awards seek to celebrate South African musicians who have excelled and put local music on the international map.

"For the first time South African artists will have annual awards that acknowledge composers and performers based abroad or who have made a breakthrough on the global market," Samro marketing manager Sipho Dlamini said.

For now only Samro members are eligible to enter.

The award winners will be announced in June.