by Thinus Ferreira
Somebody is lying: Either Pimville producer Rashaka Muofe of Bakwena Productions who remains in failure to pay the cast and crew of the disastrously derailed show and who keeps telling cast and crew that he can't pay and claims the SABC hasn't paid or communicated while he threatens to "fold the show" - or the South African public broadcaster who says it's payments to Bakwena is fully up to date and that it is busy with crisis management to try and "stabilise the situation".
The SABC is dealing with an unmitigated local production disaster, totalling millions of rands, after it decided to commission Bakwena Productions to produce Pimville for the SABC.
Pimville on SABC2 was supposed to replace Muvhango as part of a plan to turn around SABC2's flailing ratings, but filming then flamed out as the show crashed and burned just a few months later, after Bakwena Productions, since February, failed to pay the show's crew and cast.
Bakwena Productions is owned by actor Kagiso Modupe and the married couple Rashaka "Rush" Muofhe and Brenda Muofe.
Bakwena Productions is also embroiled in a nasty legal battle with Black Brain Pictures after its founder Mandla Ngcongwane, known as Mandla N., borrowed Bakwena Productions R4.2 million in order for Bakwena to allegedly pay casts and crews.
Bakwena has allegedly failed to pay back this loan.
After Bakwena Productions' non-payment erupted, the SABC has suspended SABC head of content Lala Tuku, along with SABC executives Nirvana Singh and Reatlegile "Ree" Mampa.
SABC CEO Nomsa Chabeli, Lala Tuku and the other SABC executives were all aware of Bakwena Productions deplorable production record before filming of Pimville started, but Nomsa Chabeli told South Africa's parliament that the SABC would manage it.
Lala Tuku in interviews said the SABC will ensure that Bakwena Productions pay the cast and crew working on the show and that the SABC will appoint a supervising producer to check payments.
South Africa's film industry bodies warned the SABC beforehand not to go ahead with using Bakwena Productions, and slammed the SABC's decision to make use of the production company.
Rashaka Muofe told the Pimville cast and crew in a latest string of messages that he is blaming the SABC for not being able to pay them, claimed that the SABC has not communicated with Bakwena Productions, and threatened that he would "fold the show".
The SABC disputes the claims in Rashaka Muofe's latest messages to the cast and crew, says it is aware of these messages he sent, categorically states that the SABC has paid Bakwena Productions and is up to date with payments, and that the broadcaster is busy with "legal processes" against Bakwena Productions.
Rashaka Muofe told the Pimville crew and cast "Please note, SABC hasn't paid and hasn't communicated a way forward, with nobody answering calls."
"We have three crew members who have become reliable sources to the media, and this has led to the SABC further distancing themselves from us. We urge those individuals to stop so we can reach an amicable solution with the SABC soon."
Rashaka Muofe further messaged that "We only have one option and that is for the SABC to pay so we can pay cast and crew. Unfortunately it is not in our hands ... If SABC doesn't pay, we unfortunately have to fold the show."
Mmoni Ngubane, SABC spokesperson, told TVwithThinus in response to a media query, "the SABC would like to reiterate that the broadcaster has duly fulfilled its
contractual obligations to Bakwena Productions and remains up to date
with contractual payments relating
to the production".
The SABC says Bakwena Productions is in breach of its contract with the broadcaster.
"As previously communicated, the production company is currently in breach of its contractual obligations with the SABC, and formal contractual processes, including a notice of breach, have already been instituted."
About Rashaka Muofe's constinuing claims to the Pimville cast and crew that it is the SABC's fault that they're not getting paid, Mmoni Ngubane says the SABC "is aware of various claims and communications currently circulating regarding the matter".
"However, given the active contractual, governance, operational, and legal processes currently underway, the SABC is unfortunately not in a position to engage publicly on further detail at this stage."
"What we can confirm is that the SABC continues to engage directly with the production company, as well as with affected cast, crew and writers representatives, as part of ongoing efforts to stabilise the situation and determine the most responsible way forward."
The SABC says it is "focused on protecting the interests of affected stakeholders, ensuring continuity considerations are responsibly managed, enforcing contractual accountability, and assessing appropriate operational options relating to the future of the production."
Mmoni Ngubane says "At this stage, it would be premature for the SABC to speculate publicly on final production outcomes or timelines while these processes remain underway."
