Musos demand their moolah
THREE of Jimmy Dludlu’s band members claim they have not been paid for a number of gigs, including one in Durban on December 26. “Pretty much all of us are fed up and didn’t want to go this route,” said Bokani Dyer.
Dyer played with the band for five years, but quit in 2013. Dludlu’s record company then wanted to make a DVD of their performance at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
“Once we did the performance, everyone disappeared and we couldn’t get hold of the money or Jimmy.”
Attempts to reach Dludlu for comment were unsuccessful. The band members said that Dludlu’s cellphone had been switched off and they had not heard anything from him.
Dyer claimed that after they approached a lawyer to help recover payment for the festival, they were paid only 50 percent of their fee.
“Then last year Jimmy’s manager (Christian Syren) called because they were stuck and needed someone,” Dyer said. “I said I’d only do the show if I got paid the full fee upfront.”
When the Cape Argus contacted Syren, he said he was “unfortunately, not the appropriate person to comment”.
“Any issue relating to payment of Mr Dludlu’s band members is between Mr Dludlu and the individual musicians.”
Band member Sisonke Xonti took to Facebook to express his anger at not being paid, tagging Syren and Dludlu.
Lucas Khumalo, who has been with the band since it started, claimed Dludlu took the money and left, and that Syren “does not know what is going on”.
“On Friday Chris said that Jimmy would pay us on Monday, but (that’s been and gone). It’s bad when you’re not getting paid and you’ve worked and nobody is saying anything.”
• They are not the only musicians in a fight to get their money. The Kiffness wrote an open letter to the organisers of the Oppikoppi Festival on their Facebook page on December 26 to complain of non-payment.
And in September last year, singer Lira’s former drummer, Joshua Zacheus complained about being replaced and low pay and took Lira to the CCMA.
The matter was later withdrawn.