Africa-Press – Eswatini. 153 ARTISTS REGISTERED WITH SWAMA
Eswatini Arts and Music Association has 153 registered members.
This was disclosed by SWAMA Executive Secretary Bongani Dube yesterday.
This number has increased immensely when compared to 2022 where the association had 55 members. In that year, the association brought back the subscription fee of E50 for general and E100 for gold membership.
This was after two years of free subscription introduced by former president Melusi Dlamini.
The free registration rule was set for only 2018; however, the executive committee, extended it to 2020, when their three-year term ended.
The decision was motivated by their mandate of empowering upcoming artists. Some of the artists, according to the then president Melusi ‘Zox’ Dlamini, could not afford the registration fee. In previous years, registration cost E300 and it was to increase to E400 this year.
However, artists were hesitant in reregistering with the association saying they did not understand why the subscription fee was reinstated.
They also mentioned that it was unfair to them as they have not been making money for the past year and a half.
Dube further said registration would be opened in due course, ahead of their AGM, which is slated for May 2024. “We plan to hold a special AGM, details of which will be shared after the mother body approves our plans,” he said. Dube further said the registration date would be announced on all their digital media platforms.
“Both existing and new members will be expected to renew or pay their subscriptions in accordance with our constitution,” he said. The advent of COVID-19 really hit hard on artists and as a result Dube hinted that the subscription fee was most likely to remain unchanged.
“Artists are still recovering from the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic hence the subscription fee might remain unchanged,” he said.
When asked about the association’s plans for the year, Dube said they would share their plans after their budget had been approved by the mother body, Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture.
“The meeting is scheduled for January 19, trainings , seminars as well as development seminars remain among our priorities as an association,” he said.
On the other hand, Association of Christian Artists Eswatini (ACAESWA) President Mcolisi Vilakati said they had 270 registered members and the numbers were last confirmed in 2022.
Vilakati further urged gospel artists to register and be members of the association as they have their best interests at heart.
“I would love to encourage artists to join the association as there are a number of obstacles that artists face in the industry just like any other industry and we aim to ensure that the welfare of our members is prioritised,” he said.
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