It is the collective responsibility of society at large to see that musicians are appreciated and earn a better fate, says Nisaar Pangarker.
It is narrated that the great Sufi mystic Rumi was asked by his disciples where they should search for him after he departs from this world. They questioned whether they would find him at his grave. His reply to them was to find him in the hearts of the people he touched. And true to his words, Rumi’s legacy lives on in the hearts, minds, souls and actions of countless admirers since his death in the year 1273 till today, and for sure will continue for generations to come. His epitaph reads “When we are dead, seek not our tomb in the earth, but find it in the hearts of men”.
So in reading the article in the Cape Times about the “insignificant grave” in which popular son of Cape Town Zayn Adam was laid to rest, and the concluding question as to “who, when and why anybody would go to a little-known almost innocuous hole in the cemetery”, one pauses and reflects on the words of Rumi.
But one also acknowledges the religious and cultural tradition of the faith’s burial rituals. There may be many other unknown Rumis buried in the same cemetery. Who visits their graves? But in today’s times how many people generally visit the graves of their loved ones and how frequently, if at all?
It would be interesting to know who visits the graves of Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, John Coltrane, or our very own Brenda Fassie.
The plight of musicians in South Africa is a complex one, to say the least. There are many variables at any time which impact their fate, no different to other industries. Coupled with that are the interests of music labels, promoters, producers, artist managers, sponsors, music rights bodies, technicians and the like, whose agendas at any point in time are not necessarily congruent. But the music industry also does not speak with one voice, for who ultimately is the voice of musicians? South Africa has immense musical talent. And one sees a generation of musicians who battled through the apartheid era with very limited resources and a regime which acted against them. No secret though that musicians who sought exile in countries with well-established music industries in the main did fairly well.
So while the problem is complex and even more difficult for someone sitting on the outside to see, it is the collective responsibility of society at large to see that musicians are appreciated and that they earn a better fate. This problem is apparent in many developing countries such as Brazil, Chile, Senegal, Nigeria and India where countless musicians are in the same boat.
So it is again easy to blame BEE organisations this time round for the fate of musicians. After all, BEE organisations are blamed for everything where no one else can be blamed!
But maybe it’s time to look at what BEE organisations have done for the arts and artists. Today the Cape Town International Jazz Festival is lauded as the biggest jazz festival in Africa.
But is the question ever asked who first sponsored this festival (then known as the North Sea Jazz Festival) in 1999? Was it established business? No, actually it was African Harvest, a BEE company!
And the question is posed about Brimstone and Lion of Africa in particular and their non-involvement in this key economic sector.
Brimstone was founded on the Cape Flats in 1995 and this year celebrates its 20th anniversary.
It has maintained its philosophy of profitability, empowerment and having a positive social impact. And surely, the second and third tenets of this philosophy cannot exist if Brimstone is not profitable.
Brimstone has delivered and continues to deliver in all three areas. It has an established track record of creating real value for all stakeholders, and has (unlike many other BEE groups) stood the test of time, and paid real cash dividends to shareholders for the past 12 years. But all of this came with immense struggle, no different to the struggle of musicians. Brimstone became the target of corporate vultures, driven largely by established business. The company survived with its integrity, credibility and dignity intact. And throughout all its challenges, the key concern was always about what was right for its shareholders and the community.
Brimstone has an immense role to play in making this world a better place. This role is taken very seriously and the company would readily challenge other BEE and non-BEE companies to do the same.
Today, Brimstone supports 26 NGOs across South Africa. These NGOs, who service communities and often the most vulnerable members of society, were awarded shares in Brimstone at no cost. They themselves support in excess of 3 million beneficiaries across the country. Brimstone could have opted to make cash donations to these NGOs, but management felt that a more sustainable solution was required to support the sterling work of these organisations. To date the value created for these organisations exceeds R30 million, and this in a short period of less than five years.
Let us now focus on how Brimstone and its subsidiary, Lion of Africa, support the arts. Brimstone over the years has received and continues to receive many requests for donations and sponsorships. The company is pleased to have supported some of them. For example, Brimstone and Lion of Africa are sponsors of the Suid Oosterfees. In fact, in the late 1990s already Brimstone sponsored the Luhlaza High School Choir’s trip to Wales. Lion of Africa was the title sponsor of the inaugural Summer Jazz Series, which was held in Paarl last year. Every concert in this series featured young emerging musicians performing on the same stage as established local and international artists. In Johannesburg, Lion of Africa initiated and became the title sponsor of the Lion of Africa Music Expressions series, where at least 80 percent of the musicians are upcoming names.
Brimstone has purchased tickets to and supported countless theatre shows and musicals, and even taken people who were unable to afford the purchase price of tickets to the theatre.
Furthermore, Brimstone’s subsidiary, House of Monatic, has sponsored the clothing for productions run by Natalia De Rocha (wife of the same Kurt Egelhof, author of the Cape Times article “Why did legendary Adam die poor?”, February 25), and Luthando Mangali’s Phenomenal Opera Voices. Just last week, House of Monatic dressed a young emerging musician from Atlantis, Brent Kruz. Brimstone also supports community artists like Kervin Cupido, Patrick Mokhuane, Selwyn Pekeur and Tyrone Apollis. Its offices are adorned by their beautiful artworks, some which were specially commissioned.
These are just a few small examples of the group’s contribution to the arts and music, even though it is not a major focus area for the group’s corporate social investment programme.
So Brimstone and Lion of Africa are not quite the delinquents as portrayed by the article! The fact that Brimstone and Lion of Africa’s social spend is not primarily directed to a sector of interest of the Cape Times article’s author does not mean that Brimstone and Lion of Africa should be blamed for the challenges of individuals in that sector.
On the contrary, Brimstone sees the impact of its broad social investment all the time and values the partnership with these social organisations.
The writer also refers to Adam being buried from his house in Brooklyn. Adam was actually buried from his house in Walmer Estate. We plead that the writer, Egelhof, research the facts thoroughly before putting pen to paper, for this is an injustice to a credible newspaper such as the Cape Times.
In conclusion, maybe an organisation like the Performing Arts Network of South Africa, incidentally headed by Egelhof, should more seriously champion the cause of these musicians who desperately need their assistance, to make this world a better place for them!
*Pangarker is Managing Executive of Brimstone Investment Corporation Limited
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
Cape Times