by Thinus Ferreira
Kew Productions has dragged the South African public broadcaster to court, filing papers last week over the SABC's unpaid debt as part of a R10 million contract that the production company says the SABC owes it for the Afrikaans travelogue series Voetspore on SABC2.
Voetspore, fronted by Johan Badenhorst as expedition leader who is also executive producer, is currently in its 14th and what is likely its very last season on SABC2, with Kew Productions that dragged the SABC to court last week over the unpaid part of a R10 million contract that the broadcaster has failed to pay for seasons 12, 13 and 14 of the show.
Kew Productions filed its case in the Johannesburg High Court last week Tuesday on 15 April after the SABC failed to respond to written demands for payment for the Voetspore episodes delivered for broadcast.
According to Kew Productions, the SABC started to ignore the production company's invoices for outstanding payments and letter of demand.
"In March this year we gave written notice to the SABC of the breach of contract and demanded that it remedy this within 14 days of receipt of the written notice," Kew Productions states in the court papers.
It is the latest production making content for the SABC that says it struggles to get paid by the broadcaster.
It follows production companies making Generations on SABC1 like MMSV Productions, Word of Mouth Pictures producing Muvhango on SABC2, and Peu Communications producing Skeem Saam for SABC1 that haven't been paid since February.
The last time Kew Productions was paid by the SABC was in December 2024 with an amount of R663 344.
The SABC was supposed to pay Kew Productions R578 345 since January 2025. Between December 2023 and September 2024, the SABC paid Kew Productions the amount of R818 064 four times.
The SABC has been asked for comment about Kew Productions suing the broadcaster to get paid what it is owed, as well as why the SABC stopped making making payments to the production company. The SABC's response will be added here when received.
UPDATE Friday 25 April 2025 13:35: The SABC in response to a media query, says "The SABC can confirm that the matter is before the courts and therefore we are unable to comment further".
