Music awards called off after BCM withdraws

THE annual Eastern Cape Music Awards (ECMAs) for this year have been postponed indefinitely.

The event’s founding member, Koko Godlo, has said he had to call off the awards show indefinitely after his main funder, the Buffalo City Municipality (BCM), pulled the plug on him.

Godlo blamed the ANC infighting in the East London metro for not receiving funds.

However, BCM mayor Xola Pakati denied this – and sponsorship committee chairman and economic development head Mawethu Marata said it was unfortunate that not all applicants could be sponsored in one financial year.

Godlo claimed he was a victim because he had supported the ANC’s provincial chairman Oscar Mabuyane in October’s elective conference and then Cyril Ramaphosa for ANC president.

This was after the BCM’s Dr WB Rubusana region, of which Godlo is a member, resolved to support Mabuyane’s rival, Phumulo Masualle, to serve a third term as provincial chairman.

“I did not secure funding from my main partner, the BCM, because of purging by authorities and the reason for this is my democratic right to have my own leadership preference in our [ANC] provincial and national conferences,” Godlo alleged.

A lot of job opportunities were created during the award ceremony, business supported it and visitors came to the city to spend money, he said.

People in the catering and accommodation industries, designers and artists were some of the people who benefited from the ECMAs. – Daily Dispatch