Two Sama nominees disqualified

Less than two weeks after the announcement of this year’s SA Music Awards (Sama) nominees on April 18, the Recording Industry of South Africa (Risa) and the Sama officers have announced the disqualification of two nominees.

Newcomer Sands has been chopped from the Record of the Year category alongside Port Elizabeth house DJ Mobi Dixon, who was nominated in the Best Remix category for his song Lake by the Ocean.

Sands is a citizen of eSwatini and is therefore not eligible. This because the Samas seek to celebrate authentic and original South African-brewed music.

The decision to eliminate Dixon stems from the fact that his hit, Lake by the Ocean, is a remix of an international song, which is in contravention of the Sama rules and regulations.

Replacing Sands on the list of nominees is award-winning producer DJ Sketchy Bongo, featuring Kaien Cruz, with their song Love Me In The Dark. This means the voting line has been amended to *120*2003*21#.

Lake by the Ocean has been replaced with Mwanangu by Jackie Queens and VeneiGrette, remixed by Enoo Napa.

Both Risa and Sama are doing investigations into how these breaches were not picked up during the vetting process. After the investigation appropriate remedial action, they say, will be taken.