Lebo Morake, the controversial music producer involved in the World Cup opening and closing ceremonies, will walk away with almost 5% of the two events’ entire budget — for doing almost nothing.
And, because of Morake’s non-performance, the World Cup closing ceremony organisers will be forced to use a back-up ”independent music plan” — which has had no input from Morake — for the event to be held at Soccer City on July 11.
This information is contained in various correspondence that the Mail & Guardian has in its possession.
The ceremonies are largely funded with taxpayers’ money, with R40-million each coming from the Department of Arts and Culture and the City of Johannesburg.
Last week the M&G revealed that Morake (commonly known as Lebo M) was due to receive a R5,7-million golden handshake to walk away from the project because of infighting that beset the VWV Consortium — which consists of VWV Productions and Morake’s Till Dawn Entertainment — after it won the tender to produce the World Cup’s glamour events that cost, in total, R120-million.
This week the M&G details a litany of non-delivery on Morake’s part that, insiders say, was behind the fallout. The question is: Why is Morake being paid almost R6-million rather than facing the penalties stipulated in his contract for non-performance?
The M&G has in its possession a letter from Abey Mokgwatsane, VWV’s chief executive and stakeholder manager for the ceremonies, to Derek Caarstens, the local organising committee’s (LOC) chief marketing and commercial officer. In the letter, dated May 25 2010, Mokgwatsane reiterated a ”loss in confidence in Mr Morake’s ability to produce music” for the closing ÂÂceremony.
Mokgwatsane’s concerns were raised around three key issues: the substandard quality of music produced by Morake, his missing several deadlines to produce music and a ”lack of collaboration” with other creative stakeholders.
According to the letter, Morake, who as executive creative producer was responsible for all music to be used in the opening and closing ceremonies, ”attended only two creative meetings in the development of the opening ceremony creative” and had continued to miss vital preparatory meetings for the closing ceremony.
The letter also states that Morake ”has consistently been late in delivering music”, missed a March 1 deadline for the ”complete musical proposal” to be available to the LOC and ”consistently deliver[ed] tracks too late for effective integration into rehearsals”. And it appears Morake’s aversion to work almost scuppered the World Cup opening ceremony.
A mere 16 days before the ceremony on June 11 Morake had not obtained clearance from record companies for the rights to music and performers considered for inclusion in the event.
This was contained in a letter written by Nobuhle Mbongo, the LOC’s legal manager, on May 26, which stated that Morake’s Till Dawn Entertainment had not received clearance for six songs selected for the ceremony, including Abdullah Ibrahim’s African Market Place and Caiphus Semenya’s Maru a Pula.
Neo Motlhala, Morake’s publicist, in response to questions posed by the M&G, said: ”In keeping with the rules of the contract with the LOC Lebo M cannot comment or respond to your questions. Please refer your questions directly to the LOC as only they have the mandate and authority to comment and respond.”
Rich Mkhondo, the LOC’s chief communications officer, said the LOC ”has a contract with the VWV consortium for the delivery of all aspects of the opening and closing ceremonies, not with components of the consortium. Any matters pertaining to the ceremonies are dealt with and resolved by the consortium themselves.”
