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Coleske Group Proprietary Ltd.

Pretoria-based Afrikaans-repertoire record label and live-events company, independent from 1996 until Warner Music South Africa acquired it in 2021.

Based in
Pretoria, South Africa
Founded
1996
Founder
Arnold Coleske

Coleske Group is a South African record label, artist-management agency and live-events promoter based in Pretoria. Founded in 1996 by Arnold Coleske, it built its business around Afrikaans-language repertoire, becoming one of South Africa’s largest independent labels in that market, with artists including Bobby van Jaarsveld, Riana Nel and Corlea. Beyond recorded music, the company runs the “Afrikaans is Groot” concert series, a large-scale touring show, and produces the TV talent programme “Die Kontrak.”

Warner Music South Africa (now Warner Music Africa) acquired Coleske in September 2021, with Coleske continuing to operate as a standalone business inside the Warner structure. The group’s booking and management arm is listed by Wikipedia as Warner Music Africa’s South African subsidiary under the name Coleske Artist Management (Pty) Ltd, while its ticketing and promotion arm trades as Groot Tickets (Pty) Ltd and is the credited promoter and phonographic rights holder for Afrikaans is Groot shows.

Coleske sits alongside Africori and WM Africa Francophone as one of Warner Music Africa’s three listed subsidiaries, giving Warner a foothold in South Africa’s Afrikaans-music market specifically, a segment distinct from the anglophone and pan-African repertoire handled by its other African units.

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