The South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) issued a strong statement recently, criticising President Cyril Ramaphosa for his apparent alignment with American studios, streamers, and broadcasters while overlooking the challenges faced by local South African artists. The organisation highlighted pressing issues such as the rise in unpaid production crews and the lack of progress on copyright reforms.
This criticism followed President Ramaphosa’s 2025 State of the Nation Address delivered in parliament. SAGA expressed its disappointment with the president’s neglect of the cultural and creative sectors in South Africa, pointing out the urgent need for action.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa has not acknowledged the concerns of our cultural and creative industries,” SAGA stated. “We are witnessing a troubling increase in instances of unpaid cast and crew, health and safety breaches, alarming reports of human trafficking, and deteriorating working conditions in an increasingly unsafe production environment. Yet, the president has remained silent.”
The guild further highlighted the president’s refusal to comply with a Constitutional Court order from September 2022, which mandated amendments to the Copyright Act of 1978, particularly regarding the rights of individuals with disabilities.
SAGA members believe that Ramaphosa’s reluctance to endorse the Copyright Amendment Bill is an attempt to prioritise American studios’ interests over the rights of South African creatives. They argue that this stance compromises local artists’ rights to earn royalties from their work.
Actor Nicky Rebelo emphasised the disparity, “Actors from the US, UK, France, and Italy are compensated with residuals or royalties when their work is rebroadcast or sold to other platforms. Yet, I receive no such compensation. It’s time we in South Africa receive the same treatment as our international counterparts.”
SAGA concluded by stating that with the future of the Copyright Amendment Bill now in the hands of the Constitutional Court, they are hopeful for a favourable outcome that acknowledges the rights of South African artists, as opposed to remaining at the mercy of an unresponsive government.
