Government to regulate deejays

MBABANE – Government is in the process of intervening into the operations and work of deejays.

This will be done in a bid to bring a formal standard into their (DJs) work. This was disclosed by Swaziland National Council of Arts and Culture (SNCAC) acting CEO Vusi Nkambule. He said government viewed deejays as artists, hence the need to supervise and regulate their work. Nkambule decried the fact that deejays were operating at a very individual level.

“As part of government’s drive to develop the art industry, we are currently devising strategies on how we can bring deejays on board too as they are also artists. The way they currently conduct themselves is too individualistic and a standard barometer needs to be set in as far as their work is concerned,” said Nkambule.

The deejays responded to the affirmative in as far as this move by government was concerned. They noted that there was a need to bring them under one body. They acknowledged that there was a lot they could benefit if they were a unit.
“At the moment we practically accrue peanuts in as far as our efforts are concerned. One can work tirelessly to produce any material. These materials get to be played on radio or TV and you get nothing in return for your efforts. These are some of the things we anticipate government might help rectify,” said DJ Crooks.

Veteran spinner Mdumseni Simelane, aka DJ DD Cool, said: “This is good step forward, but all the stakeholders would have to be incorporated when devising the strategy to regulate and supervise deejays locally”.
Simelane further noted that the spinners were used and appear comfortable with their independence.

He anticipated a few stumbling blocks with regard a move to bring them under one body or any form of regulation.
“As much as this is a step in the right direction by our government, coordinating the deejays will be a problem as they are relaxed into their own yards. However, this problem could be dealt with if government’s objective is really to help and develop their (DJs) lives,” he said.