SOUTH AFRICA: South Africans artists destroy over 2.5 million USD worth of counterfeit music and film discs in protest against piracy
Record ID:
452458
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africans artists destroy over 2.5 million USD worth of counterfeit music and film discs in protest against piracy
- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: South Africans artists destroy over 2.5 million USD worth of counterfeit music and film discs in protest against piracy
- Date: 21st February 2009
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (FEBRUARY 19, 2009) (REUTERS) BILLBOARDS READING " PIRATING OF FILMS IS A CRIME " VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS UNPACKING SEIZED FAKE COMPACT DISCS FAKE COMPACT DISCS MORE OF OFFICIALS UNPACKING DISCS AND PUTTING INTO BIG BAG READY FOR DESTRUCTION MUSIC AND FILM DISC COVERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) POET AND MUSICIAN, MZWAKHE MBULI SAYING : "I think, once again, it is clear evidence to me, the material that will be crushed, that these guys (pirates) are there, they undermine the economy of the country and they have no respect of the laws of this country and they don't respect the artists of this country. Artists are supposed to be a treasure in any nation. Now, they don't respect, whether it is film or music, they continue to engage in counterfeit acts." OFFICIAL PREPARING MATERIAL FOR DESTRUCTION MORE OF FAKE DISCS INTERNATIONALLY-ACCLAIMED FILM ACTOR AND DIRECTOR, LEON SCHUSTER, CRUSHING DISCS CRUSHED DISCS MORE OF LEON CRUSHING DISCS DISC COVERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FILM ACTOR AND DIRECTOR LEON SCHUSTER, SAYING : "So, it's bad news. It's bad news for the industry, it's bad news for the crews that work on the movies, it's bad news for the producers, it's very difficult to get your budget back at the box office, as it is, in these bad economic times. So, to have these pirates at the street corners and in the little shops, basically screwing our industry is bad news. Nothing in life that is fake is good, fake hair, fake cellphone battery chargers, boobs, that is not good. We want the real thing. We want to see Mr Bones clear as he is." OFFICIAL CRUSHING DISCS CRUSHED DISCS MORE DISCS READY TO BE DESTROYED LEON AND MEDIA LEAVING
- Embargoed: 8th March 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
- Reuters ID: LVAES11GFH4JS0ZIJMJK60LKTMQE
- Story Text: South African artists have destroyed over 2.5 million U.S. dollars worth of illegal CDs and DVDs in the country's commercial heartland of Johannesburg.
The pirated goods were seized by the South African Revenue Services special investigations unit and then handed over to the Southern African Federation Against Copyrights Theft (SAFACT) for destruction.
Mzwakhe Mbuli, an artist and a long time activist against music piracy disapproved of culprits who take the creative works of artists and profiteer illegally.
He reacted angrily after seeing a pirated copy of late South African reggae legend Lucky Dube, who was killed in a shooting incident two years ago.
" I think, once again, it is clear evidence to me, the material that will be crushed, that these guys (pirates) are there, they undermine the economy of the country and they have no respect of the laws of this country and they don't respect the artists of this country. Artists are supposed to be a treasure in any nation. Now, they don't respect, whether it is film or music, they continue to engage in counterfeit acts," he said.
Leon Schuster, a popular South African actor, director and film producer who was part of the protest said one of his recent films, titled 'Mama Jack' was doing well on circuit until six weeks later, when a pirated version of the movie became widely available. He said copyright theft was killing the local movie industry.
"So, it's bad news. It's bad news for the industry, it's bad news for the crews that work on the movies, it's bad news for the producers, it's very difficult to get your budget back at the box office, as it is, in these bad economic times. So, to have these pirates at the street corners and in the little shops, basically screwing our industry, is bad news. Nothing in life that is fake is good, fake hair, fake cellphone battery chargers, boobs, that is not good. We want the real thing. We want to see Mr Bones clear as he is," said Schuster, referring to a character in one of his movies.
According to the Southern African Federation Against Copyrights Theft, South Africa's film industry is losing an estimated 50 million US dollars yearly, thanks to the production and sale of counterfeit movies.
The organisation has called on consumers to be aware of the quality of the goods they are purchasing, as demand for counterfeit products is driving increased production of the fake copies. Which in turn drives down the ability of artists and producers to make great movies and music in the first place.
Pirated copies of movies and music, most imported from Asia, are widely available in most African cities. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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