Television presenter and poet Lebo Mashile has added her voice to the ongoing debate around intellectual property in the creative space.
The debate started on social media after media personality Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung was accused of allegedly stealing the concept for his hit TV cooking show “Dinner At Somizi's”.
Lebo shared her views about on the matter on Twitter, where she detailed the importance of knowing how to protect an idea, and how the conversation is necessary for an industry where big brands are prone to making a profit off other people's ideas without remuneration.
“This IP (intellectual property) conversation is necessary. This is a very common practice that has led to the overall devaluation of black creativity as labour and as a source of current/future income. If you are referring to an idea or concept that isn’t yours, reference the originator of the idea,” she said.
This IP conversation is necessary. This is a very common practice that has led to the overall devaluation of black creativity as labour & as a source of current/future income. If you are referring to an idea or concept that isn’t yours, reference the originator of the idea.
Lebo’s Twitter thread came after Somizi made headlines this week after claims that he had used an idea pitched to him by Hastings Moeng several years ago surfaced.
In an email allegedly sent to Somizi in 2014, Hastings outlined a concept for a series with the star, that shared many of the same elements as the current 1Magic show.
In a letter of demand to MultiChoice by Hastings' lawyers, it was further claimed that in June 2015, a meeting was held between Hastings and Somizi where it was “agreed the idea was commercially viable and should be pursued”.
It also claimed that Hastings later reached out to “Dinner at Somizi's” producer Nkululeko “Legend” Manqele to propose a meeting to discuss the show, but this did not happen.
The poet said that giving due credit for ideas was a form of respect.
She also added that she was not trying to force the idea that Somizi was 100% innocent.
Ideas are currency. If someone inspires you, even in conversation, or online, reference them.
— habitual nyisist (@lebomashile) September 16, 2020
White supremacist capitalist patriatchy privileges those who have the means to record ideas over those who originate them. If we want to undo this violence, we cannot participate in it
I leave room for doubt that Somizi may not have been aware of the IP theft. As performers, our names are used in 100s of proposals, known & unknown, many of which never see the light of day. Multichoice/DSTV is wrong in this story. They did what SA TV broadcasters always do.
— habitual nyisist (@lebomashile) September 16, 2020
Since then Somizi has refuted the claims made by Hastings during an Instagram Live on Thursday and said he didn’t steal the concept for the show.