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Battles loom over Makeba event

Pretoria - The organisers of a controversial Miriam Makeba commemorative event and the department of arts and culture are squaring up for an extended legal battle.

The department and Morris Roda Productions each brought an urgent application in the North Gauteng High Court on Thursday, but by late afternoon had reached a provisional compromise.

Acting Judge Neil Tuchten granted an order, in terms of which the department was interdicted from interfering in the event.

Morris Roda Productions was, in turn, forbidden to distribute any material stating that the department was a sponsor of the event.

30-day deadline

The parties were given 30 days in which to institute legal action against each other.

The department intends suing the production company for the return of R3m it invested in the event, but the organisers intend launching an application to force the department to honour its agreement.

The department earlier this week withdrew its support for the concert - to be held at the Union Buildings on Saturday - because the names of artists were allegedly used to promote it without their consent.

The National Heritage Council and Makeba's family have distanced themselves from the court battle, saying the proceedings undermined what Makeba stood for.

Morris Roda on Thursday told reporters the event would go ahead at the Union Buildings as planned - if not this Saturday, then at a later date.

Logistics

He said the organisers would inform the public through the media by no later than Friday if the event was being moved to a later date.

"We're talking about logistics now. We've spent the whole week on the court case, but now we need to speak to the production team to see if it's physically possible to go ahead with the event this Saturday," Roda said.

"If it's possible, the event will go ahead. If not, we'll have to move it. At long last, South Africa will be able to honour its icon on our own soil."

He said he was saddened by the looming legal battles, but pleased that the organisers "have been vindicated".

"No-one will stop the show. No-one is bigger than the courts."

Roda vowed to sue the department for "defamation of character", denying he had used artists' names without their consent or that the event had not been properly planned.
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