LEADING deejays and musicians are meeting in Durban for a week-long discussion of music business.

LEADING deejays and musicians are meeting in Durban for a week-long discussion of music business.

Taking place for the fifth time, the gathering, organised by influential local deejays, will see international and South African players learning from each other as they take part in sessions at the conference at the Durban ICC.

The Southern African Music Conference is the brainchild of DJs United, comprising Christos, Fresh, Oskido, Greg "The Maestro" Maluka and Vinny da Vinci, and a team of leading South African musicians, producers, music industry executives and media personalities.

The first two Southern African Music Conferences were held in Johannesburg in 2005 and 2006. The third was held in 2007, and the fourth was held in Durban in 2008.

In the past, the event hosted top deejays and music names from around the world, such as the legendary Louie Vega, Franck Roger, Rocco, Osunlande and a host of others.

This year the event will host Ralf Gum and Karizma at the Bat Centre from Monday and end on Friday, with the announcement of the first South African Dance Music Awards.

Seminars and workshops will include discussions on foreign markets and revenue streams , licensing, legal matters, protecting the industry from piracy, marketing and dealing with the media, selling music abroad, government support (or lack of it) and other subjects relevant to the industry.

The conference is supported by the Department of Arts and Culture, SABC1, Metro FM and Axe (Unilever).

Sessions will be presented by industry specialists, musicians and deejays such as Euphonik, Black Coffee, Clock, Oskido, Fresh, Christos, Vinny and Sunday World journalist Mzilikazi Africa, who is also a music producer.