The SAMAs Won’t Be Hosted In Durban Anymore

eNCA recently reported on Twitter that the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) won’t be held in Durban as previously confirmed. 

Durban was announced as the new home for the SAMAs in Soweto earlier this month on the same day the nominees were announced. 

The details of the cancellation have not been given, but the news doesn’t come as a surprise. eNCA reported yesterday that there was pressure from the DA and Durban artists to cancel the awards. 

The politicians felt the money (which is north of R28 million) should be put to better use) while Durban artists were applying pressure on the SAMAs to include KZN artists. 

T’zozo, pioneering Durban Kwaito artist who’s now the Chairperson for the Creative Industry in Durban, said in an interview with eNCA yesterday: 

“We want our KZN artists to benefit and we want the people of KZN to feel the SAMAs hence we are saying we want to do activations in all 11 districts. We are in talks with the department and had a meeting with the SAMAs. If we [have] not agreed, there will be no SAMAs here in KZN.” 

This is a developing story and will be updated as we receive new information.