A trial date has been set for the highly publicised feud between musicians Ntimela Chauke and Master KG over who is the real mastermind behind the global Jerusalema hit.

The Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) will hear the matter from 17 to 28 November.

Charmza claims he is entitled to royalties from the 2020 song, claiming he was part of its genesis. Both producers are confident that they will win the case.

‘I will embarrass them,’ Master KG told the Sunday Times. ‘I’m prepared for the trial and to prove that all the things these guys are saying are not true. There’s proof which will be shared in court. I don't want to comment on who was in the studio. I have been quiet for four years.’

And Chauke says ‘I have everything the court needs and wants’. ‘Whatever they need I’ll give them. I have been on this case with my lawyers for years. It has traumatised me a lot – the trauma of remembering other people having a good time with the song that I produced. I’m going to win the case, the case is mine,’ he said.

Jerusalema, featuring Nomcebo Zikode, became a global anthem in 2020, winning more than 600m YouTube views and millions of streams across other platforms.

Helping to catapult it to fame was the famous Jerusalema dance, which took off during the Covid lockdown after the Angolan dance troupe Fenómenos do Semba created the #JerusalemaDanceChallenge video that went global.

The Sunday Times reports that Chauke’s brother was assassinated and his father injured just days before the trial date was set, prompting him to hire private security guards to protect him.

The two began working together in 2014 and produced two other songs, Manyobanyoba and Maaka.

Chauke claims he has never received a cent for those songs either, but just wants his share of the global hit to put this issue to rest.

Full Sunday Times report