The veteran and respected actress Florence Masebe took to Twitter on Tuesday slamming Ring of Lies, saying "racism is out here dancing on our set".
"I can speak to you anyway I like because I'm white." This is what a crew member just said to our director who is a black man," said Florence Masebe, calling it "a horrible racist incident".
"I can speak to you anyway I like because I'm white." This is what a crew member just said to our director who is a black man.— Mme a Masakona (@FloMasebe) May 10, 2016
Fellow Ring of Lies actress Dineo Nchabeleng added her voice, saying "we have been dealing with this since the beginning of the shoot. We will not continue to work until it is sorted".
We have been dealing with this bs since beginning of shoot. We will not continue to work until it is sorted https://t.co/eRTUnpEuQb— Dineo Nchabeleng (@dineo_nchbeleng) May 10, 2016
"This is the 2nd incident we've had on the set of Ring of Lies today and still we are meant to continue working!? What is happening?!" she said.
This is the 2nd incident we've had on the set of #RingOfLies today and still we are meant to continue working!? What is happening?!— Dineo Nchabeleng (@dineo_nchbeleng) May 10, 2016
In response to a media enquiry about the Ring of Lies incident, Mzansi Magic tells TVwithThinus that the M-Net produced channel for MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform has been in contact with the Ring of Lies cast and production company Penguin Films regarding the incident that took place on-set involving two production crew members.
"An investigation is being undertaken and appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that the situation is resolved," says Nondumiso Mabece, PR head of M-Net's local entertainment channels.
"Mzansi Magic and Penguin Films strongly condemn any acts of discrimination and encourage a fair working environment based on mutual respect".
Veteran South African TV producer and creative producer and director at Penguin Films, Roberta Durrant, tells TVwithThinus that "Penguin Films have a policy of zero tolerance to any form of discrimination on any of the Penguin Films sets".
Roberta Durrant says Penguin Films take the Ring of Lies matter seriously.
"The verbal altercation was between the director and the art director and we are investigating the incident and are taking all steps to sort it out."
Actress Florence Masebe is respected in the South African TV industry and when she deliberately, publicly calls something a "horrible racist incident" and says "Racism is out here dancing on our set" she is putting her personal reputation on the line to draw public attention to something she feels strongly about and wants people to know about.
It's not clear yet how the Ring of Lies actors who spoke out about alleged on-set racism on Tuesday will be protected from possibly being victimised in whatever way or possibly bulldosed into silence about the matter and what they perceived happened.
Not clear yet is whether people will be suspended, but Mzansi Magic says in response to a media enquiry that "the production has not been interrupted".
The allegations of racism by Ring of Lies cast members comes just over a month after starlet Mbali Mlotshwa in late March claimed alleged racism on the set of the SABC's 7de Laan soap on SABC2 produced by Danie Odendaal Productions.
Mbali Mlotshwa said publicly that she suffered racial abuse on the 7de Laan set and that "racial slurs happened on set with people I thought were educated and open-minded".
The SABC ordered an urgent investigation.
