Ladysmith Black Mambazo spark outcry
2010-12-19 07:15
Johannesburg - Grammy award-winning group Ladysmith Black Mambazo has sparked a furious outcry among pro-Palestinian activists, the ANC and Cosatu, the Sunday Times reported.
The world renowned group has been invited to perform at a world music show in June at the Opera House in Tel Aviv, as well as in Jerusalem.
Omar Barghouti, of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, said if the group were to honour the invitation it would be "complicit" in covering up Israel's occupation of Palestinian land.
The ANC's head of international relations, Ribbon Mosholi, who led a delegation to Palestine last week said: "We want people like Black Mambazo to understand that, just like under apartheid, we discourage artists from coming here.
"We still do the same concerning the struggle of the Palestinian people."
The group's founding member, Alfred Mazibuko, told the Sunday Times that the band was determined to perform despite intense criticism.
"We will go and perform there if we get confirmation," he said.
- SAPA
