Hofmeyr in royalties battle
2007-12-16 19:38
Johannesburg - For 19 years singer Steve Hofmeyr and music promoter Louis van Wyk were blood brothers. Now, they're in a bloody battle, via their lawyers, for large sums of money.
The first fight is about R500 000 Steve says he's owed for the show Laaties and Ladies.
Van Wyk, who arranged the show, wanted to keep the money as security until Steve had paid up amounts that Louis apparently had been struggling to get out of him since September.
Rapport newspaper has a copy of the letter sent on Thursday by Steve's attorney, Peet Viljoen, to Louis.
Demands for royalties share
It's a letter of demand for R500 000, failing which Louis will receive a summons.
But, in a dramatic move on Wednesday, Louis paid Steve the full R500 000.
Along with the payment was a letter from Louis's attorney, Andries Ludick, demanding the "amounts in arrears" apparently owed by Steve.
Louis's demands include:
royalties from DVD and CD sales by EMI record company. Steve apparently received the royalties, but he has not yet passed on the amounts owed to Louis; and
royalties from Dis Hoe Dit Was - Die Steve Hofmeyr Storie (That's How It Was - the Steve Hofmeyr Story), arising from an agreement between Louis and producer, Deon Opperman.
In his letter of demand, Louis gives Steve seven days to pay up.
Steve admitted to Rapport that he owed Louis the money, but added: "How do you pay someone who doesn't send an invoice?"
"I haven't been paid yet for That's How It Was (the stage production).
"Regarding the royalties from EMI, the matter is still being investigated. We asked Louis to supply us with documentation on deals that he'd made, so that we could finalise matters," said Steve.
"But the R500 000 has nothing to do with the other amounts," he said.
Louis claimed enquiries to Steve about other money had fallen on deaf ears.
"I can't send an invoice until Steve tells me how much he was paid in royalties. I've received confirmation that he was paid."
'Was like a brother to me'
Louis's letter to Steve also demands that the singer "should cease any libellous references" to Louis on his blog.
Louis said: "I've had a difficult year, during which I've been unjustly accused. I had to pay thousands to prove my innocence, and I did."
"All that I'm guilty of is that I've protected Steve's career from the beginning.
"He was like a brother to me. Now, after 19 years of working with him, he's giving me the boot (nou skop hy my onder die gat)."