Legal dispute between Kelvin Momo and Kabza de Small over Amapiano royalties continues

The landmark Amapiano collaboration between Kelvin Momo (Thato Ledwaba) and Babalwa Mavuso has turned into a prolonged legal battle with Kabza de Small (Kabelo Motha) and his label Piano Hub. The dispute centres around alleged breaches of a recording agreement from April 2020, with Ledwaba claiming that Piano Hub failed to provide promised artist development, promotion, and royalty payments. Ledwaba is seeking R1 million in damages, while acknowledging a previous payment of R86,575 in 2021. Motha counters, arguing that Babalwa Mavuso was not part of the original contract and therefore has no standing in the case. He also claims that the agreement was mutually terminated and disputes any remaining royalty obligations. The dispute involves a debatement of account to verify alleged unpaid royalties, recorded at R197,269 for Ledwaba and R56,913 for Mavuso. Piano Hub, operating both as a record label and nightclub in Pimville, Soweto, remains central to the ongoing Johannesburg high court proceedings, with mediation attempts opposed by Ledwaba. The case highlights broader issues within the South African music industry regarding artist rights, contract enforcement, and royalty transparency.