by Thinus Ferreira
Production has once again shut down on the SABC's Muvhango after the writers, crew and cast of the Word of Mouth Pictures produced Venda weekday soap on SABC2 say that have not been paid.
Insiders first told TVwithThinus on 6 October that writers, cast and crew on Muvhango have again not been paid for September.
This has happened multiple times in the past with the embattled Word of Mouth Pictures show, and is the first time production was forced to cease for the just-started 26th season.
Filming recently started on the 26th season of Muvhango after months.
It follows after Muvhango stopped filming on 25 June on a shortened 25th season for only half a year's episode after the SABC effectively cancelled the show.
The SABC eventually signed a new 26th season contract for another full-year 260 episode order, after which filming resumed on a cheaper-done show, although first forcing SABC2 into airing Muvhango repeats in the timeslot that tanked ratings.
At a hastily-arranged and badly done media event in Fourways, Johannesburg on 25 July, the SABC promised that the 26th season of Muvhango would start on 5 August together with a new logo and opening sequence but none of that happened and the show also failed to start on 5 August.
Insiders this month said they've refused to work further on Muvhango due to not being paid by Duma Ndlovu and that they have gone unpaid yet again without any explanation, except that there isn't money.
Thanduxolo Jindela of Kwathole Conexion, Muvhango's PR firm didn't respond to a media query.
Mmoni Seapolelo, SABC spokesperson, in response to a media query made last week about Muvhango, tells TVwithThinus "The SABC can confirm that the Muvhango production is currently on a reading
break and will resume this week. The SABC and the production house are in
constant engagement as per norm for a smooth running of the production".
Earlier this month Duma Ndlovu appeared in court after he was charged with tax evasion of over R25 million.
Dumakude "Duma" Ndlovu appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Palm Ridge on tax evasion charges spanning multiple years, together with his co-accused tax practitioners Rodney Mutsharini and Maxwell Mloyi.
Duma Duma Ndlovu is the producer through Word of Mouth Pictures of the Venda soap Muvhango on SABC2, as well as Queen Modjadji through Rhythm World Productions for MultiChoice and M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel on DStv.
Rhythm World Productions also produced a litany of other shows for Mzansi Magic like Umkhokha, eHostela, Komkhulu, My Brother's Keeper as well as the current Sibongile and the Dlaminis, and co-produced Imbewu: The Seed for eMedia's e.tv.