Celebrating The Origins of Our Legacy

MPASA’s story is one rooted in purpose, progress and a deep commitment to protecting the value of music publishing in South Africa. But before becoming the Music Publishers’ Association of South Africa we are today, our organisation began its origins in 1971 as the National Organisation for Reproduction Rights in Music in Southern Africa, or NORM. NORM played an important role in the administration of mechanical rights and acted as a collective voice for publishing rights, tackling critical issues that paved the way for MPASA and CAPASSO today, over 50 years later.

Our Focused Evolution

NORM subsequently refined its focus by establishing CAPASSO to administer mechanical rights and MPASA to serve as the representative body for music publishers. At the time, mechanical rights were fragmented across three separate organisations. Two current MPA SA directors played key roles in this historic transition. Industry veteran Geoff Paynter served on the NORM Board overseeing the restructuring, and Ryan Hill led the negotiations and establishment of CAPASSO and MPA SA.

A decade later, MPASA remains a dedicated association representing, supporting and championing music publishers and the writers they serve. So as we celebrate our decade as an association, we pay homage and thanks to those a part of our great history as industry leaders and pioneers within the African continent.

Building from the Past into the Future

We are proud of this origin story because it reflects the resilience and vision of our industry. MPASA’s history is not only about where we come from, but also about where we are going. As we continue to build on this long-standing legacy, we remain committed to strengthening the music publishing community, safeguarding copyright and ensuring that publishers continue to have a collective voice in shaping the future of South African music.