Music legend Yvonne Chakachaka says Chicco Twala has not paid her royalties for her contribution to a song. Umkomboti.
This song is by Chaka Chaka Thank you DJ The album was released in 1987 and written by musician and record producer Sello 'Chicco' Twala and producer and music writer Attie van Wyk.
Yvonne said she co-wrote some elements of the song so it only made sense that she would be paid.
“Umqombothi was written by Chicco but I added some elements to it. I added Nawu! Nawu! Madoda and Everybody segments. I did not receive a cent from the project. They did not credit me and I was young then and did not know anything about the music industry. This is the first time I am speaking out about this,” she said.
“Umqombothi has raised me to be who I am today and I am hurt that I was not credited as a co-writer on this song when I should have been credited as a co-writer given some of the elements I contributed to the song,” she said.
However, Chicco Twala has a different view on Yvonne's claims.
“Yvonne has made millions from her live concerts. The whole of Africa, if not the whole world, knows that. As the writers of the song, myself and Atty, have made less than a quarter of what she made from the song. Almost 90 per cent of hit songs written by songwriters are earned by the performers,” Twala told Jimoja.