The drama on the set of the SABC’s new historical Zulu drama Uselwa has intensified, with three senior managers from the public broadcaster being told by cast and crew that they may not leave Shakaland, Eshowe, where the series is being shot until they have been paid.
“Two staff members are out and safe after being held there,” SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago told City Press this afternoon.
“We are working with police and Shakaland management to make sure our third person is able to leave.”
On Sunday City Press reported that the cast and crew of Uselwa were up in arms after the shoot came to a halt last week amid claims that a novice producer from a company called CNT Productions had embezzled the production funds.
The producer, Mkhomazi Mashinini, denied many of the claims of cost-cutting, poor management and a lack of payment put to him, saying he wanted to see details before commenting further, especially on the production’s finances.
But a SABC commissioning editor travelled to the set and, after going to the bank with Mashinini, told the production that there was only R13.65 left in the coffers.
Kganyago confirmed that the three managers – among them head of drama Anne Davis – had travelled to Shakaland on Wednesday in order to report back to the SABC today about the way forward.
The plan was to find new producers and finish the shoot, while sources told City Press that Gugulethu Zuma-Ncube from Stained Glass Productions, the producer of Uzalo, had been brought in this week to consult about taking over the epic historical show.
City Press has been in contact with several members of the cast and crew who today said that the SABC had told them they were to be paid per diems and would be transported home.
But the 60-odd cast and crew refused to leave the set until they were paid their salaries.
Several crew who are paid weekly had not received pay for several weeks and, with today being the end of the week, they were again not paid.
Kganyago confirmed this, saying that “the SABC does not pay crew, we pay the production who must pay them”.
Crew who are usually paid monthly, alleged they were previously paid late or less than agreed and did not trust that their salaries will be forthcoming.
After weeks of disorganisation and multiple allegations of abuse, including inappropriate sexual behaviour from a senior staffer, cast and crew said they had been holding the show together but now they have had enough.
“We are worried the SABC is not going to help us either, even though they promised. We feel like we are on our own,” said a source from the crew.
“We decided the SABC people must stay with us and we’re not budging till they pay us. A few minutes later the police arrived.”
Cell phone videos sent to City Press show a tense conversation in a kraal, with Davis calmly explaining that the SABC was in the process of sending R100 000 to help and that matters would be settled as soon as a new production company had signed on.
“I told [the SABC] I was here and [the crew] would not let me leave until things were settled. I was advised that taking hostages is not legal.”
Crew and cast members then strongly deny hostages were being taken as no physical force was being used.
“We never held you. You were sitting outside free,” says one. “We simply told you you can’t leave.”
*This is a developing story and any updates will be added as they become available
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