LOCAL musicians who continue to sell their products on the streets risk getting arrested, a Harare City Council official has said.
Winstone Antonio,Own Correspondent
In reaction to the growing problems of music piracy, more and more musicians have resorted to abandoning legal distributors whom they accuse of making extra copies for their personal gain.
Speaking to NewsDay, Council spokesperson Leslie Gwindi said musicians must not be found in the streets selling their products.
“All those musicians who are in streets or thinking of going to sell their products in the streets must bear in mind that it is illegal and they risk getting arrested,” Gwindi said.
Some people who spoke to NewsDay in a snap survey expressed concern over noise pollution as the musicians use loudspeakers to advertise their products in the central business district.
“As much as we understand that these musicians need money from their products, what they are doing is causing noise pollution along city streets by trying to sell their music,” Brian Matapure of Glenview 7, Harare, said.
Some business operators also added their voices in what they have described as “irritating noise” being made by the musicians.
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Concern has also been raised in residential areas that are situated close to pubs and bars.
Late last year, residents in the vicinity of Cresta Lodge in Harare complained over noise that led to the police shutting down a gig at the hotel.
In Belvedere, the Indian community has often complained of noise made by churches and musical gigs in the evening at the City Sports Centre and surrounding spaces. In the central business district, numerous boutiques play loud music often disrupting business in offices housed in their vicinity.
Metro Studios director Emion Sibindi urged relevant authorities to tighten screws to curb piracy that has caused all the resultant problems.
“As a result of piracy, a number of record labels’ operations and business strategies are far from standard as several artistes choose to distribute their own products,” Sibindi said. “Such a reflection depicts high levels of failure by relevant authorities to address the issues (of piracy).
“It has become disrespect to the holders of intellectual property, who are the artistes themselves.”
A musician who spoke on condition of anonymity said since he started selling his music in the street, he was selling more copies in a month than what was being sold by a record label in a similar space of time.
“It was tough for me to receive my dues from the distributors whom I believe were making more copies for themselves for their own gain at the expense of my sweat,” he said.
Fungisai Zvakavapano Mashavave has also joined the bandwagon of artistes like gospel musicians Kudzi Nyakudya, Pianos Jaravaza and Vabati VaJehovha, among others, who are selling music on the streets.
