“I won’t be exploited” – Zahara tells fans

Over the weekend, Zahara, who is popularly known for her hit song Loliwe, refused to perform for fans after what she claimed was a breach of contract by the music festival’s organizers. She refused to take the stage on Saturday, leaving fans disappointed. She later explained that she left the festival after the organizers allegedly failed to pay her.

“The issue was non-payment. We had a contract an agreement with the festival that they would pay me 50 percent before the festival and the rest at the show. I didn’t receive any money from them but still travelled to the festival because I thought they would pay. They didn’t and so I refused to perform.”

The festival’s organizers have however disputed Zahara’s claims, saying that they reached a mutual decision to cancel her performance due to bad weather.

“A decision was made by both ourselves and Zahara’s management that because of the weather and because she was running late, she would not perform and in good faith we would allow her to keep the deposit. We had the money for her but the show had to be stopped,” Jackie Chili, one of the organizers said.

Despite having received several messages from her disappointed fans, she maintained that her decision was final and she won’t allow herself to be exploited.

“I won’t be exploited. I refuse to work without pay. This is my business and I can’t perform for free. I understand that my fans are disappointed and wanted to see me but that is what I have decided,” she added.

She said she would not perform at the festival again but would return to the city later this year to tour her upcoming album.

“I will go back with my own show, organized by me, and it will be amazing.”