Lerato Matheka
MASERU — Two of the capital’s most celebrated disc jockeys, Hally and Bootz, have withdrawn from the Morija Arts and Cultural Festival.
Hally claims they have pulled out because they have another booking elsewhere on the same night.
The festival will run from October 28 to 31 and the two DJs were scheduled to take part in the gala’s Music Mix.
However, a source close to the pair told Xpress People they were forced to withdraw because Vodacom Lesotho was not happy with them performing at the festival.
The duo is understood to be contracted by Vodacom as promotional DJs.
The Morija Arts and Cultural Festival is bankrolled by Vodacom’s telecoms rival Econet Telecom Lesotho.
Hally however dismissed the speculation that Vodacom had something to do with their pulling out.
“It is true we pulled out of the festival but it was our initiative to withdraw,” he said.
“Vodacom had nothing to do with it.”
“We both have a booking that we can’t avoid on the same night,” Hally added.
In a separate interview Refiloe Mohlotsane of Vodacom said the telecoms company had not barred any of the DJs it worked with from taking part in any other events.
“I can’t give you information on who we have contracts with but all I can tell you is that DJs working with Vodacom are allowed to be involved in other activities as long as they don’t clash with our activities,” Mohlotsane said.
“I don’t know where the issue is here and I can’t comment further but according to my knowledge the DJs that you are talking about have a booking the same night.”
However, both Hally and Bootz have performed at the promotional events for this year’s Morija Arts and Cultural Festival.
Festival director Thabo Leanya confirmed the two DJ’s had pulled out of the Music Mix but would not divulge their reasons.
“Their withdrawal has nothing to do with the festival … it is their personal reasons,” he said.
“I know both Hally and Bootz’s reasons but I am in no position to tell you because I believe it is up to them to reveal the reasons.
“We have worked with the pair at our readiness events to raise the bar for the festival and we also had them confirmed on the final line-up for the Music Mix but due to their personal reasons which they communicated they withdrew.
“We are now scrapping their names off posters that have been printed.”