POP/ROCK - June 21, 1989

An announcement by the black American pop group the Commodores that they will perform in South Africa next month drew criticism Tuesday in Johannesburg where black South African artists vowed to do everything legally possible to stop the event. The Commodores are scheduled to appear in Bophuthatswana for seven performances starting July 7, despite a U.N.-led cultural boycott to protest South Africa’s apartheid policies. Members of the all-black U.S. recording group acknowledged that their decision made them a target of the anti-apartheid movement and possible blacklisting but pledged to criticize apartheid while in South Africa. The South African Musicians Alliance, in turn, said the Commodores are “an embarrassment to our cause” and failed to consult with “democratic structures inside and outside South Africa” about their plans.