At a stylish brunch hosted by the South African Music Performance Rights Association (SAMPRA) in Morningside, Durban, creatives, venue owners, DJs, and industry stakeholders gathered to hear a powerful message: music is not just art, it’s an economy.
Addressing the room, a SAMPRA representative and legal advocate, Adv Makhofolo delivered a resonant statement: “If we were to go to the Durban July and stop the music, the show wouldn’t go on.” This, she said, was a clear reminder that music drives the entertainment economy.
SAMPRA plays a critical role in ensuring that the rights of recording artists and record companies are protected. By licensing venues and collecting performance royalties, SAMPRA ensures that the music ecosystem, from studios to stages,remains financially viable and sustainable.
The advocate took guests through the full music value chain, from recording to publishing, from promoters to investors, emphasizing that music is intellectual property, and like any product, deserves legal protection.
“If we use something that doesn’t belong to us without permission, it’s theft. Yet when it comes to music, we often don’t see it that way.”
She explained how SAMPRA minimizes unauthorized use of music while also boosting investor confidence in the sector. With protections in place, those investing time, talent, or money can expect a return, giving music real, bankable value.
Established in 2000 and licensed in 2006, SAMPRA was granted legal authority by the CIPC in 2008 to act as a Collective Management Organisation (CMO). Its first major distribution to artists came in 2013, following early industry resistance.
Today, SAMPRA licenses over 28,000 premises and more than 5,000 music users — from churches and nightclubs to taxis and vessels. In 2023 alone, it collected R260 million in royalties and distributed R208 million to artists and rights holders.
Any venue that plays music publicly, including hospitality spots, requires a SAMPRA music license. Mobile DJs also need a special license allowing them to perform with commercial music. However, challenges persist: many venues that are licensed fail to submit playlists. This makes it difficult to pay the correct artists, forcing SAMPRA to use estimations, often to the detriment of the actual performers.
SAMPRA’s work doesn’t end at royalty collection. Through the SAMPRA Development Fund, the organization supports creatives beyond the stage. Backed by its CIPC license obligations, the fund supports funeral benefits, where artists who’ve earned over R3,000 qualify for coverage of R40,000 (natural death) or R80,000 (accidental death). They also offer pension support for artists over 60, as well as programmes in education and training, cultural heritage, international touring, live music events, music awards, and music production. Some of these programmes are even open to non-SAMPRA members.
SAMPRA is affiliated with international bodies like SCAPR, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), and other CMOs around the world. With an annual collection of over R250 million and a record of clean audits, SAMPRA continues to lead as one of the most innovative and effective rights organizations on the continent.
Their vision is to be among the most globally innovative and effective CMOs through the utilization of technology.
