The artists feel that the trade fair was a good platform for the local artists to showcase their talent and therefore it would not be good for them not to take part this year.
They have suggested that the Association of Christian Artists in Swaziland (ACASWA), which is their mother body, calls an urgent meeting where the matter will be discussed.

The artists believe that ACASWA needs to engage the organisers of the event this year on the new arrangement as it does not suit them. 
Although they agree that the trade fair is a platform to promote businesses, they also feel the artists played a major role in bringing people to the venue.

Artists who were interviewed said while they accepted the fact that the event was a business concept, they feel they should also be considered as the ones who bring the people into the trade fair arena. Frans Dlamini said in the past, Gospel Sundays proved to be the ones that brought more people who further spent their time on the business stalls.

"To us as artists, this is not good news because in the past, the trade fair has been a platform used to promote local talent. Having one Gospel Sunday will be a problem because not all the artists will get the opportunity of showcasing their talent," he said.

Urgent

Dlamini called upon ACASWA to call an urgent meeting whereby the matter would be addressed. 
"We need to mandate ACASWA to go and meet the trade fair organisers and explain to them how we feel. For the trade fair to be successful, artists are needed," he said.

He, however, said if the organisers believe that the new arrangement was good for their business, he would have no problem with the idea. 
Elias Shongwe of Shongwe and Khuphuka Saved Group said the new arrangement would be a problem especially for those artists who are still new in the industry.

"We have been using the same platform to promote ourselves and this was working for us.  It is a pity that the artists might find themselves not being able to sing during the trade fair. ACASWA needed to play a role on this matter. They need to call us to a meeting and we will assist them and give them ideas on how they can deal with this issue," he said.

Mduduzi Simelane of Izinceku Zamagagwugawu said business decisions were sometimes unfair as they do not consider improving the talent of upcoming artists.

Decision

"This is a business decision, which we all have to go with. This simply means ACASWA should now find a way of hosting their own shows whereby they will promote the upcoming artists. I also suggest that ACASWA should call an urgent meeting whereby they will inform the artists about the latest developments. We will then take it from there," he said.

Nduduzo Matse said the trade fair was business orientated and therefore some of the business decisions were bound to be taken. 
"This has been a platform for upcoming artists to be seen by the public. If they decide to have one Gospel Sunday, it will be a disadvantage because not all the artists will get an opportunity of performing," he said.

Matse suggested that ACASWA invites them to a meeting where the matter would be deliberated.
"It has to be discussed by artists themselves.

The artists should then take a decision on how they want this matter to be addressed," he said. 
Mhlonishwa Motsa, ACASWA President, said they would report back to the artists but stated that they would schedule a meeting with the organisers of the trade fair where the matter will be addressed," he said.