Music News

Afrikaans music rocked the past weekend

written by Staff Reporters am 30.06.2015 um 10:33 (UTC)

Last week Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Afrikaans music lovers were blown away by some of the biggest names in the Afrikaans music industry. The first Afrikaans is Groot concert was held in the Moreletapark-auditorium in Pretoria.
During the last three years, a number of Afrikaans movies were released. Movies such as Liefling, Jakkalsdans, Platteland, Semi-Soet, Hoofmeisie, Die Wonderwerker and the list continues, had many South Africans queing at local cinemas.
The same applies for the afrikaans music industry. Each year, thousands of tickets are sold for concerts and festivals like Skouspel, Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK), Jacaranda day, the Windpompfees, Innibos and many more. The past weekend welcomed the latest addition to Afrikaans music concerts, namely Afrikaans is Groot.
Artists who performed at the concert included Steve Hofmeyr, Juanita du Plessis, Theuns Jordaan, Bobby and Karlien van Jaarsveld, Jay, Lianie May, Riana Nel, Bok van Blerk, Robbie Wessels, Corlea Botha, Jannie Moolman, Jak de Priester, Arno Jordaan and Dr. Victor. Tickets for the concert were already sold out two months prior to the opening concert on Thursday, therefore an extra afternoon show was arranged that was held on the Saturday.
Producer of Afrikaans is Groot, Barry Pretorius, told Rapport that “Afrikaans is much bigger than we thought.” According to Steve Hofmeyr, the concert is a great recipe because the public wants to listen to their favourite artists and the songs they fell in love with. Theuns Jordaan added that it is an honour to perform with top artists.
If Afrikaans music is your cup of tea, be sure to book your tickets in advance. Afrikaans is Groot promises to be bigger next year. There will be four shows in Pretoria: 6, 7, 13 and 14 September.

Hofmeyr tweets up a storm

2014-11-27 18:03 am 30.06.2015 um 10:30 (UTC)

Johannesburg - Afrikaans singer Steve Hofmeyr tweeted on Thursday that the setting aside in the Randburg Magistrate's Court of an interim protection order against puppeteer Conrad Koch signalled the end of freedom of expression.

"Die einde van Vryheid van Uitdrukking. Die media is darem volgende" [The end of freedom of expression. The media is next at least], Hofmeyr tweeted.

The case turned on an interim order Hofmeyr secured on November 10 after Koch responded on Twitter, through his puppet "Chester Missing", to one of Hofmeyr's tweets.

Hofmeyr said in a tweet on 23 October: "Sorry to offend but in my books blacks were the architects of apartheid. Go figure."

In response, Koch penned a column published by The Times titled "Dear white supremacists..." and asked why sponsors associated with Hofmeyr, such as Land Rover and Pick n Pay, were still sponsoring him.

The order had prevented Koch from threatening, harassing, or making defamatory statements against Hofmeyr. He was also not allowed to tag him on social media websites like Twitter or mention him in television and radio interviews.

While live tweeting was banned in court, Hofmeyr, who was attending a series of concerts in Cape Town, took to Twitter.

"Hierdie magistraat het vroeg al kant gekies. Ons weet. Hy verbied Twitter en kla dat ons Koch snoer. NIKS oor teistering. #laeverwagtinge," Hofmeyr tweeted after magistrate Naren Sewnarain banned live tweeting and broadcasts from the court room.

A few minutes later Hofmeyr, who is vehemently pro-Afrikaans, tweeted a translated English version of the tweet.

"Magistrate picked sides early.He gags the court then asks why we want to gag Koch who gets sponsors to gag me. #lowexpectations."

Still taking a jab at the magistrate's ruling, Hofmeyr tweeted: "Harassment victims will surely be discouraged by courts if 'in camera' meant journos running in and out the hall to tweet."

His tweets also took on a more controversial form on Thursday.

"Om teen Apartheid (in sy geheel) te wees is om VIR meer verkragtings teen wit vroue te wees Ek is teen MR skendings" [To be against apartheid (in its totality), is to be FOR more rapes of white women. I am against human rights violations].

With this, he included a photo of a Statistics SA table from 1998 citing the race of perpetrators of female homicides. Ventriloquist Koch arrived at court on Thursday with his puppet and soon had the media giggling with his sharp quips.

Not to be outdone by all the media attention Hofmeyr tweeted, "Ek dog EK doen di dinge VIR my loopbaan... [I thought I did these things FOR my career].

He included a picture of Koch and Missing surrounded by media.

"Dan noem hulle Koch die 'little man'.Arme underdog met vol media aan sy sy," [Then they call Koch the 'little man'. Poor underdog with the full media on his side], he tweeted a few hours later.

Earlier in the day he wished his representative, Daniel Roodt, luck. Roodt is not a lawyer.

"Sterkte @danroodt. Onthou, ons kan nie eintlik verloor nie. Ons plan B is te goed" [Strength @danroodt. Remember, we can't actually lose. Our plan B is too good].

Another Afrikaans music festival shuns Hofmeyr

2015-02-01 14:24 am 30.06.2015 um 10:29 (UTC)

Mbombela - The Innibos National Arts Festival has announced that the controversial Afrikaans music legend, Steve Hofmeyr, regarded by many as the main attraction of the festival, has not been invited to this year’s event.

The decision was made on 28 January following a string of controversial political viewpoints expressed by Hofmeyr on social media over the past few months.

This will be the first time in five years that the musician, who believes Afrikaners are being prescribed to when it comes to their culture, will not perform at Innibos in Mbombela, Mpumalanga. Last year he sang the old South African anthem, Die Stem.

“The debacle surrounding his politically sensitive comments on social media influenced the decision of the managing committee and board to not invite Steve to perform at Innibos 2015. We must make clear that we have nothing against him as an artist,” Innibos media liaison Sandra Jacobs said in a press statement.

Jacobs said that Hofmeyr’s comments on social media had alienated Afrikaans culture from South Africa’s other cultural groups.

“We cannot allow any artist to misuse our platforms and stages and conflict with the vision and mission of Innibos. The festival is intended for cultural entertainment and not politicking,” Jacobs explained.

The Klein Karoo National Arts Festival has also decided not to invite Hofmeyr to the 2015 event.

A Facebook page protesting the decision has attracted 800 likes, while a similar page has been created to protest the Innibos announcement.

Jacobs said that there was a possibility that the festival, which attracts approximately 100 000 visitors per year, will be negatively affected by Hofmeyr’s absence.

“Our visitor numbers might be affected. But it depends on how much you believe social media is a barometer of public opinion. We believe that our festival goers will remember the joyful experience of the past eleven years' celebrations and will continue to support Innibos,” Jacobs said.

On hearing the news, Hofmeyr fan and White River resident Yolandi Krause said she would not attend this year’s festival.

“I am not impressed. Steve is one of the main attractions; he’s the king of Afrikaans music. I think not having him there will have a huge negative impact on this year’s event. I don’t care about what happens in his personal life. Everyone has personal issues and it shouldn’t be connected to his music,” said Krause.

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