With the SABC and MMSV Productions which have shown the Generations cast the door in a shocking firing of the entire principal cast making waves, South Africa's TV industry is wondering where is Hlaudi Motsoeneng - the SABC's famouly matricless chief operating officer (COO) who injected himself into the furore during the first Generations cast strike in October last year.
In November 2013, Hlaudi Motsoeneng who became personally involved in the issue of the striking Generations cast which shut down production for weeks in October of the SABC's biggest TV production, proudly came out to state that "this matter has finally been laid to rest".
Ten months later the Generations cast walked off the set again - again over exactly the same issues they claimed were not resolved by the SABC and the production company, MMSV Productions.
This time there was nothing from Hlaudi Motsoeneng in the SABC's statement announcing that the Generations cast is being fired.
An SABC statement issued yesterday simply read that the SABC and MMSV Productions "have today terminated the contracts of the striking actors on the SABC soap drama, Generations".
"The termination follows calls by both parties for the actors to return for recordings, following the start of their illegal strike. The SABC and MMSV Productions would like to assure the public that measures have been put in place to ensure the future of Generations".
The Generations cast went on strike demanding the three year contracts that Hlaudi Motsoeneng himself publicly announced to the cast in June 2013 that they would be getting, higher payments rates, as well as the back payments, as promised for rebroadcasts of the soap as well as international sales to other countries.
In June 2013 Hlaudi Motsoeneng even mentioned the possibility of Generations going high definition (HD), although the SABC's TV channels are all broadcast in standard definition (SD).
Hlaudi Motsoeneng used to love the Generations cast, posing with them for pictures in June 2013, even fatherly adminishing them: "If you're famous, live responsibly".
