PUBLIC NOTICE | PUBLIC COMMENT

NOTIFICATION OF INTENTION

TO DECLARE THE GRAVE OF

SOLOMON POPOLI LINDA

NOTIFICATION OF THE INTENTION TO DECLARE THE GRAVE OF SOLOMON POPOLI LINDA; GRAVE NUMBER 4875, LOCATED AT THE DOORNKOP CEMETERY, ZOLA TOWNSHIP, JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG PROVINCE AS A NATIONAL HERITAGE SITES (Section 27 of the National Heritage Resources Act no 25 of 1999).

The grave of Solomon Linda is of pivotal cultural significance to South Africa as it encapsulates the broader impact of colonialism, particularly its theft and exploitation of African people’s cultural heritage without recognition. Linda, a music artist whose rendition of the Imbube in the 1930s went to become a great ‘hit’ in South Africa and in other parts of the world, particularly in the United States of America. Despite Linda’s success in South Africa, the socio-political context of the 1930s granted Africans menial rights; thus, depriving them of economic benefit from their talents. As notes, “Black South Africans had no legal rights in the 1930s and while alive Solomon Linda was not aware of what royalties were…” This forced Linda to sell rights for his song for 10 shillings leaving him destitute to the time of his death in 1960. Furthermore, neither did he nor his descendants receive royalties for his creative work despite the reworking and popularisation of his work. In fact, others claimed royalties while refusing to acknowledge Linda’s role. As Peter Alegi & Chris Bolsmann have noted in their book, Africa’s World Cup: Critical Reflections on Play, Patriotism, Spectatorship, and Space, “The most memorable example of the theft of intellectual rights of an African artist is that of Solomon Linda who in 1939 wrote the song Mbube and received 10 shillings (less than $2) for his efforts.

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