Netwerk24 reports how shockingly kykNET's Oulap se Rooi has been duping viewers by having friends of co-producer Francois van Wyk pretending to be viewers and making as if Francois van Wyk's property is their own, while Charlie and Alex Kotze do room improvements.
The rooms being improved in the shameful advertiser-supported production with Builders Warehouse as sponsor, are supposed to be that of kykNET viewers who had to write in and request a make-over for a room in their homes.
Instead, so far, six rooms in the kykNET production have been redone which are all part of the co-producer's own house in Emmarentia, Johannesburg.
Next week viewers will see a garden make-over - it it also the garden of Francois van Wyk's home, reports journalist Jaco Nel.
Meanwhile the misleading kykNET show duped viewers by having friends of the producer pretending that various rooms in the producer's house are rooms in their own homes.
Builders Warehouse is paying for the improvements as the sponsor of kykNET's Oulap se Rooi and Charlie and Alex Kotze have been aware they're working on the co-producer's home and went along with the apparent ruse.
Top Billing presenter Ursula Chikane is a co-producer of Oulap se Rooi and told Rapport newspaper that Oulap se Rooi apparently fell behind schedule and took a "production decision" to film and redo rooms at the producer's house instead of improving rooms of viewers.
"We did what we could to keep the show on the air," Ursula Chikane told Netwerk24.
TV with Thinus asked Builders Warehouse on Sunday why the show is sponsoring improvements to the home of the production's co-producer and not of kykNET viewers which is what kykNET said the show would do and would be about.
"We're very disappointed for what has transpired because it was obviously not what was suppose to happen," Zandile Manana, Builders Warehouse marketing manager tells TV with Thinus.
"We decided to sponsor the programme based on the fact that we are a home improvement and DIY player. We want to inspire, educate and get our customers started on DIY. So we thought the concept was a nice one where the public got involved and their homes get renovated."
"But when we found out that actually it was the producer's house, we are very disappointed," says Zandile Manana.
"The problem is the show is almost over. It started in July. We're having a conversation with the producers. We're taking this further to see how can remedy this situation. But from our side we're very disappointed," says Zandile Manana.
In response to a media enquiry, Karen Meiring, M-Net's director of Afrikaans channels tells TV with Thinus on Sunday that the issue "came under our attention and is currently being investigated. If this is the case we will definitely take it up with the producer and hand the case to our legal department".
It's not clear if M-Net's Afrikaans language channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform is going to keep this shocking sham show on the air, already causing great reputational damage to the kykNET, Oulap se Rooi, Builders Warehouse and DStv brands - as well as to Charlie and Alex Kotze whose personal credibility is completely ruined with their very first TV presenting job now mired in scandal.
