Legendary musician and businessman Chicco Twala has vowed to “get arrested” and “go to jail” if government doesn’t stop the “thugs” or “bastards” from allegedly stealing local artists’ royalties.

Twala made these chilling threats in a letter to Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa, Communication and Digital Technologies Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams and Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel, asking them to act swiftly before he takes the law into his own hands.In the letter Twala said he received threats from Independent Music Performance Rights Association (IMPRA) leader Dodo Monamodi after raising concerns about the R10-million they received from the SABC to pay needle royalties to artists.

“I have received a threatening letter from these bastards stating that if I continue to interfere with their business, they will take action against me. In less formal instances, they even boast that they are untouchable because they are friendly with and play golf with ministers and government officials,” reads the letter.

“Regarding the threats made against my person, I have made it abundantly clear that threats and intimidation will not stop me from expressing my views and their corruption.

Twala said Monamodi and his disciples’ intention was to divert the royalties to ghost artists under the pretext that it was for their COVID-19 relief fund. He even reported them to SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe.