Zakes Bantwini calls for revival of the South African Music Awards as industry voices concerns

Zakes Bantwini has penned a lengthy letter raising concerns about the state of the South African Music Awards (SAMAs), a topic that has since caught attention online.

The musician shared his thoughts as many in the industry echoed similar thoughts, particularly after the awards ceremony took place over the weekend with little public awareness. 

For many South Africans, the event went by almost unnoticed. 

Bantwini joins voices such as Andile Ncube and Nota Baloyi, who also expressed shock and disappointment after learning that the ceremony had already happened at the weekend.

Many highlight how this happens to an event that was once considered one of the biggest nights in South African music.

In a letter shared with the Saturday Star has since captured widespread attention on social media, Bantwini wrote, “Yesterday the South African Music Awards happened. I am a musician, and I barely knew about it. That’s not me being careless; that’s where we are now. The SAMAs used to mean something. They used to mean everything. Now? Most of us in the industry didn’t even realise they were happening. We need to talk about how we got here.”

He went on to note that the industry appears more excited about international recognition than its own local accolades, calling out organisers and judges for the current lack of interest and credibility surrounding the awards.

“Fans stopped trusting that the SAMAs reflected reality. Artists stopped believing the awards were fair. And slowly, we all stopped caring.”

Bantwini further called on the industry and the public to take action to save the SAMAs: “But we can't just blame judges and organizers. We as artists have to look at ourselves too. When we don't show up, we're part of the problem. When someone wins an award and the stage is empty because they couldn't be bothered to attend, what message does that send to fans? When we prioritize international gigs over our own national awards, we're saying the SAMAs don't matter. When we're quiet on social media during the SAMAs but lose our minds celebrating Grammy nominations, we're teaching South Africans to devalue their own.”

“RISA needs to rebuild trust. That means accountability, transparency, and a real commitment to recognizing excellence wherever it comes from. It's a lot of work, but it's not impossible. Other countries have reformed their music awards to better reflect what's actually happening. We can do the same. But it takes leadership with vision and the guts to make real changes, not just surface-level adjustments.”

Renowned media personality Andile Ncube is also among those who expressed concerns and disbelief.

“Where are these awards being held? We’ve progressed so much over the last decade when it comes to staging live events. Surely this can’t be a true reflection of the industry.”

Music commentator Nota Baloyi also voiced his frustration, saying, “The SAMAs are like a graduation ceremony at a fly-by-night TVET college…SMH, this is an insult.”

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za

Saturday Star