Gospel singer Pulane Maphari has spoken out after she was stripped of her South African Music Award (SAMA) for Best Contemporary Faith Album. Maphari, who won the award in August for her album Sacrificial Worship (Live), told TshisaLive that she had seen an article about being stripped of the award before she was informed of the news.
The gospel star added that she wishes she would’ve been “disqualified from the beginning
PULANE MAPHARI STRIPPED OF HER SAMA
On 13 September, City Press reported that Pulane Maphari was stripped of her Best Contemporary Faith Album SAMA. The publication reported that Maphari allegedly “repackaged, renamed and paraded” her album Sacrificial Worship (Live).
Recording Industry South Africa (Risa) CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi said the integrity of the SAMAs is important and any complaints are taken seriously.
Pulane Maphari said she learnt of her SAMA being stripped after reading an article about the news. She checked her emails and noticed that the article was published minutes after the email was sent.
“It was just unfortunate that I saw the article first but the email was just letting me know basically that I’ve been disqualified for the award and that automatic disqualification is based on the reasons that they’ve put forth,” said Maphari.
She explained that her albums, Restorative Breath of Life and Sacrificial Worship (Live), were two different albums as the first project was a studio recording.
“Unfortunately, I unknowingly entered the SAMAs not knowing that it was one of the rules. I had no idea. I find myself in this position. I just wish that we could have just disqualified me from the beginning when I entered because for me, I did not know. It’s unfortunate that I find myself in this position.
Maphari said the SAMA organisers should’ve asked a lot of questions about her album before giving her the award.
