ZBC Owes Musicians Close To $1 Million In Unpaid Royalties

Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) has lamented the government’s failure to implement the Copyright Act, to enable musicians to receive their royalties.

Appearing before the Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Parliamentary Portfolio Committee chaired by Binga North legislator Prince Dubeko Sibanda (MDC-Alliance) on Thursday, ZIMURA executive director Polisile Ncube said:

As a collecting society, I think our government is letting us down in terms of the implementation of the Copyright Act. We do have a Copyright Act, the penalties were drafted well, but when it comes to implementing, there is a problem.

Those types of charges for us are not a deterrent at all because the pirate will just leave the court and go back and set up shop at the same corner.

If you catch them again they go to court and pay the same $20 and go back again so if the committee could assist us in terms of the implementation of the Act, it will be helpful.

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The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) reportedly owes ZIMURA $746 439,09 dating back to 2012.

Efforts by the musicians to recover the funds have hitherto been unfruitful.

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