Opening and Tribute
Before commencing his address, the Chairperson called for a moment of silence in honour of DJ Warras and other recently departed artists, extending condolences to their families and the broader creative community.
A Defining Moment for the Music Sector
Today marks a defining moment in the evolution of South Africa's music industry. Music Sector Six (MS6) is not merely the introduction of a new council—it represents a new mindset, a new posture, and a new way of doing business for one of the most powerful sectors of our creative economy.
MS6 is born at a time when the world is re-imagining how culture, creativity, technology, and commerce intersect. South Africa, with its unparalleled musical heritage and global influence, must not observe this shift from the sidelines—we must lead it.
Music as an Economic Engine
Music is not a hobby.
Music is not charity.
Music is not peripheral to the economy.
Across live performance, recording, publishing, streaming, broadcasting, advertising, tourism, fashion, gaming, film, and digital platforms, music forms part of complex value chains that generate billions of rands, create thousands of jobs, and project South Africa's soft power globally.
Every hit song is intellectual property.
Every catalogue is an asset.
Every audience is a market.
MS6 exists to ensure this economic reality is recognised, protected, measured, and grown.
A New Social Contract with Corporate South Africa
One of MS6's most urgent mandates is to redefine the relationship between the music sector and corporate South Africa. For too long, engagement has been limited to sponsorships without equity, campaigns without sustainability, and brand association without real sector investment.
We are calling for a new social and economic contract—one that treats music as a strategic industry, an investment destination, and a partner in innovation, skills development, and global competitiveness.
MS6 will serve as the trusted bridge through which this relationship is built.
Artists as Enterprises
To South Africa's artists, producers, DJs, composers, and creators: You are not just entertainers. You are enterprises.
Your voice is a product.
Your recordings are assets.
Your compositions are intellectual property.
Your brand is equity.
The future belongs to artists who understand ownership, governance, licensing, data, global distribution, and emerging technologies—including artificial intelligence.
Strategic Pillars of MS6
MS6's work is guided by six strategic pillars:
- Sector Transformation and Access
- Regulatory Development and Governance Reform
- Sector Development and Infrastructure
- Education, Training, and Industry Support
- Intellectual Property and Licensing
- Internationalisation and Global Competitiveness (including AI)
Building Systems, Not Nostalgia
The future of South African music will not be built on nostalgia alone. It will be built on systems, strategy, ownership, and vision.
MS6 represents a turning point—where creativity meets governance, talent meets capital, and culture meets industry.
The work begins now.
