Local musicians are planning to petition the National Arts Council of Zambia (NAC) over the planned concerts next month by controversial Afrikaans singer Steve Hofmeyr who has been accused in his home country of promoting racism.
The planned concerts next month in Lusaka and Kitwe and a cameo appearance in Mufulira have caused a huge storm on social media with some saying anyone who knows what Hofmeyr stands for cannot even make the mistake of going to his shows.
Hofmeyr has given statements of an apartheid denialist, which has led many to label him as a “disgrace to South Africa”.
Last year, he wrote and published a tweet stating that he believed that black South Africans were the “architects of apartheid” on his public Twitter account.
This prompted a significant public backlash with one of his major critics being puppeteer Conrad Koch and his puppet Chester Missing, who launched a campaign to stop sponsoring him.
He tried to get a protection order against Koch and his puppet in a magistrate’s court but failed.
But local musicians here feel that a person who is being boycotted in his home country should never be given a platform here.
“We want to inform you that we intend to petition against the performance of Steve Hofmeyr in Zambia. This man is a known racist and should never be given a platform,” one of the organisers of the petition says.
However, Brian Shakarongo believes that a petition may not necessary be needed.
“All we need is to voice out our concerns as artistes or musicians so that the organisations that are responsible for bringing him here are aware of who he is and what he stands for and how sponsors and organisers of music events in his own homeland are distancing themselves from him while some are cancelling sponsorship,” he says.
“It’s also a wake-up call for our Government and both the National Arts Council and Zambia Association of Musicians, if at all the latter still exists, to be alert and aware of such people with racial overtones in their speeches and not grant them permission and clearance to perform in this country.”
Shakarongo says racism is being fought everywhere including in sport and as such they expect the arts associations to be abreast with what is happening internationally.
“Besides, I wonder how many of our artistes even know about this musician and his utterances, so we need a lot of time to ‘school’ them, and from past experience, the majority of artistes especially musicians are afraid of calling a spade a spade, hence a petition is not workable,” he says.
Hofmeyr is expected to perform at the Hellenic Association of Zambia in Makeni, Lusaka and at Kitwe Playing Fields.
However, it is understood that NAC is yet to give a permit for the shows.
(DailyMail)
Bastards – are the very ones that Jesus’ birth symbolizes and stands for.
Zambia has reached a stage where we call bad ,good & good ,bad bitter ,sweet & sweet ,bitter
The wrong things are appreciated while good things are demonized
Instead of encouraging one another we choose to finish off someone even with the little they might have
We keep on politicking even on things which are straight forward
We drive simple issues out of proportion
We are very good at pointing the wrongs of other people without offering solutions.
Like pilato we are good at singing about the negatives of others whilest failing to sing about the positives
Instead of working with the people in government by offering positive criticisms while offering solutions to the many challenges faced by our beloved nation we are busy demonizing Edgar C Lungu & the group.
Arise & work with…
“Hofmeyr was heavily criticised after performing the former South African national anthem, Die Stem, at a cultural festival known as Innibos in Nelspruit in July 2014.[15] He went on to perform the anthem on international tours, and encouraged South Africans to continue singing it, stating that it did not contain any form of hate speech.
In October 2014, Hofmeyr wrote and published a tweet stating that he believed that black South Africans were the “architects of apartheid” on his public Twitter account. This prompted a significant public backlash.[16] One of Hofmeyr’s critics was puppeteer Conrad Koch and his puppet Chester Missing, who launched a campaign calling on companies to stop sponsoring Hofmeyr. On 27 November 2014, Hofmeyr failed to acquire a final protection order…
You are very right l couldn’t have said it better. That’s the order of the day. As you said people want to hear bad things always. I think our generation is doomed.
Steve Hofmeyr like pilato as per UpDn reasoning have the right to sing what is on their minds
This bagger is racist boer! There are many more like him at Kansanshi who need to be flushed out. Lets not allow this ***** in our country.
Zambians stop politicking.Show this man love of God.If he was a racist he couldnt have chosen to come here.All races have an element of racism but a nation like Zambia which loves foreigners must give chance to those we consider bad people for us to build them up in a better way.Zambia is a christian nation and should show love to people we consider bad people.
crawl back into your bedroom Mary, you are sleep walking and uttering nonsense. It is time the new generation of Zambians became aware of nonsense and nipped it in the bud.
You definitely are blind, Mary. D’you think he’s coming here because he loves Zambians? He’s coming for your money. Obviously things are getting hard for him in SA because of his racist views and he’s looking to make a quick buck…even from the people he hates because money has no color. He’ll make his money off of you and go away laughing at how stupid Zambians are.
Even the Bible says you reap what you sow. People have to be taught that there are consequences to every behavior or every action taken. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” Luke 6:31
that Greek thief who stole our money with Sean Paul and made me travel from mbala for a fake concert is now planing a sting operations on the boers.
What type of music does he play? He is very much welcome if he plays reggae or country music.other than NO!
Not even sure if he’s will have an audience. He is an Afrikaans artist. Only music for Afrikaners.
Petitioning over issues that have little bearing on you. Where were you when the Pilato was being persecuted?
The country does not belong to Zambians!
Admit it guys, you are all puppets on a string.
The foreign industrialists are pulling the strings.
President Lungu is just for show…Public display that a Zambian is in charge.
What charge, “absentee president”??
He has been instructed to stay away from the country by his paymasters!
On the contraire, Zambians are in Charge. Remember, all kingdoms will fall and crumble. The so called puppet masters, have strings, while Zambia’s king is sovereign; watch as the world has begun to turn 180. Who thought that China would re-awaken, and give your ancestral homeland India nightmares? Need I continue?
Maybe he will also meet the American ambassador to Zambia, all in the name of “Freedom of Expression”? LOL! Do we really need this? Who are the people behind this? The Hellenic Association is predominantly Greek. Do these people agree with Steve Hofmeyer’s beliefs? Are they also inherently racist in their beliefs, and/or outlook? Why are they bringing this man to Zambia? We need answers urgently!
I am a black Zambian male living in Zambia and I would to invite for dinner at my place so he sees how stupid he is.
what in Gods name are you talking about ? You would like to invite so that he sees how stupid he is? who ?
If pilato has free speach then let the guy sing here because we musicians sing all nonsese like Chika pilato
What are you guys thinking? That man is racist pure racist. And you are bringing him to ZAMBIA???? Just google him! No blackman in South Africa would turn up for his show. Stop this Nonsense