BREAKING. STRIKING GENERATIONS CAST FIRED BY THE SABC AND MMSV PRODUCTIONS; CAST 'SADDENED'.

Massive drama engulfing the SABC, with the public broadcaster's production company responsible for making Generations which has just fired the entire striking Generations cast and dismissed all the actors who appear on the SABC and South Africa's most watched TV show.

The move is completely unprecedented in the 38 year history of South African television where a wholesale abrupt firing of a locally produced TV show, or soap, has never taken place before.

Making the firing even more spectacular is how much the show means to the SABC.

The highly lucrative show is the biggest money earner for the public broadcaster, making even the smallest tampering with Generations and any changes - let alone something like the wholesale firing of the cast - a dicey and risky move lest it impacts negatively on the show's popularity and viewership figures if it alienates audiences.

Advertisers cough up an astronomical R220 000 per 30 second ad break in Generations to get their product or service in front of the massive average audience of 7.5 million viewers who tune in on weeknights at 20:00 on SABC1 to watch the faces of the characters they love.

The SABC and MMSV Productions "have today terminated the contracts of the striking actors on the SABC1 soap drama, Generations," the SABC confirms to TV with Thinus in a tersely worded statement.

"The termination follows calls by both parties for the actors to return for recordings, following the start of their illegal strike," says the SABC.

"The principal cast of Generations, who have been withholding their services, have each received letters of dismissal, with immediate effect," says the Generations Actors Guild who say they're deeply "saddened".

The Generations actors will now look at their legal options as a result of their wholesale firing.

"We are saddened by this development, but remain steadfast in our goal to ensure fair working conditions for ourselves as creative professionals," they say.

It's not clear how the SABC plans to handle the massive exit of major actors from the popular soap who went on strike last Monday, asking yet again for the promised 3 year contracts, better pay, and the payment of  "royalties" due over rebroadcasts and international sales of the popular show.

Generations attracts an audience of 7.5 million viewers per weeknight on the SABC's SABC1 at 20:00 making it by far the most watched show on South African television for the past 21 years and dwarfing the rest of the top five shows on free-to-air television in the country.

Generations episodes are recorded six weeks in advance, which means that a highly dramatic change is in store for the primetime soap when the actors will suddenly disappear, without warning, on-screen at the end of September.

Whether the massive number of characters will simply disappear in a hardcore abrupt reset of the soap, or whether new actors will suddenly be replacing them at extremely short notice is not clear.

What is certain is that a seismic shock is coming for the show and viewers - a dramatic sea change in how the battered soap will look and which might rock SABC1's Generations' viewership numbers and dent the programme's popularity - possibly permanently.

"The SABC and MMSV Productions would like to assure the public that measures have been put in place to ensure the future of Generations," says the SABC in a statement, not elaborating on how what exactly it will be doing to salvage what at best can be described as a television trainwreck situation.

After firing the Generations actors on Monday, executive producer Mfundi Vundla of MMSV Productions told Radio 702 that "there will still be a Generations in the future for more new actors. Generations will go on, with or without these people. The fact that we've gotten rid of these people doesn't mean it's the demise of the series".

"We have episodes up until about October. So we have a few weeks to look for a new cast, we will do what we have to do," said Mfundi Vundla. "We are professionals and we will do what we have to do to ensure Generations will go on".

The week long strike which started on Monday a week ago, was the second strike by the Generations actors who were ordered to report to work on Wednesday, and then again today (Monday) ... or be fired.

They refused to go to work today despite the second ultimatum, saying that they're being exploited, that their show generates an incredible income for the SABC, and that they don't want to live as "struggling actors".

A massive number of Generations actors took part in the unprecedented strike and who are now out of the show: Anga Makubalo (MJ), Atandwa Kani (Samora), Katlego Danke (Dineo), Mandla Gaduka (Choppa), Menzi Ngubane (Sibusiso), Nambitha Mpulwana (Mawande), Patrick Shai (Patrick), Slindile Nodangala (Ruby), Sophie Ndaba (Queen), Seputla Sebogodi (Kenneth), Thami Mnqolo (Senzo), Thato Molamu (Nicholas), Winnie Ntshaba (Khetiwe), Zenande Mfenyana (Nolunthu), Zikhona Sodlaka (Priska) and Zolisa Xaluva (Jason).

The actors first embarked on a strike in October 2013 - 10 months ago, over the same issues. After weeks of tense backroom negotiations, they were finally coaxed back to work with promises that the SABC and MMSV Productions would look at the issues.

The SABC's famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng personally intervened as chief operating officer (COO) into the issue at the end of 2013 and declared then that "the matter has finally been laid to rest".

It clearly wasn't. Now the Generations actors lose their jobs; viewers lose the faces of people they know and love and have welcomed into their TV households - and the SABC and SABC1 are inflicted with further brand and reputation damage - as well as a possible viewership and ratings impact from October.

The Generations actors strike - twice in the span of 10 months - followed by the firing of the actors on South Africa's biggest show and soap is entirely unprecedented in the 38 years of South Africa's television industry and will be sending shockwaves through the business, further entrenching the image of ongoing instability at the SABC.

Striking Generations cast writes an open letter to SABC1 audience and fans: 'Our show generates an incredible income for the SABC'.

The striking Generations cast of SABC1 who face dismissal and who will be fired today by the SABC if they don't show up for work, has written an open letter to the SABC1 audience and fans, saying that they're being exploited, that their show generates an incredible income for the SABC and that they don't want to live as "struggling actors.

Open Letter from the Generations Actors Guild to our Audience and Fans  

By now, you would have heard that we, the principal cast of Generations, have made a decision to embark on a strike, and walk off the set of Generations.

First of all, we want to apologise for the inconvenience that this may cause you, as our loyal viewers and fans. 

Please believe that it is not a decision we came to lightly. However, in light of the SABC and the MMSV Productions continued refusal to engage with us, and our grievances, we felt that reviving the strike was the only course of action available to us.

We wanted to take this opportunity to explain to you exactly what led to this drastic action, and give a full context of the events to date.  It is also important for us to state that before we went on strike, we made a point of communicating our unhappiness to MMSV Productions, to no avail.

We live in a country that is notorious for artists living and dying in a state of poverty, tragically,  never managing to earn what is their due, despite being associated with a number of successful projects.  

We have made a decision, as dedicated professionals working on South Africa’s most successful TV show, that we will not be part of this painful statistic. 

 There is no reason, whatsoever, that we should live as ‘struggling actors’ when our show generates an incredible income for the production house and broadcaster.

There are a number of issues that led us to the strike - however, the main ones are:

1. The Generations cast, despite the show being the most popular in South Africa,  is paid rates well below what is understood to be the industry norm. 
There has been a great deal of talk from the SABC that we want to be paid extravagant salaries – this is simply not true.  Our actor colleagues on the same platform, SABC, are paid at much better rates – so it is possible. 

For some bizarre reason, however, the powers-that-be choose to keep Generations cast locked into a lower pay grade. This is unjust, and we want it reviewed.   

We don’t think this is an unreasonable request, considering the audience figures and revenues that the show generates.  We just want to be paid fairly, that’s all.

       When we went on strike last October, we proposed a set of rates that we should be paid. In November 2013, MMSV Productions agreed to meet these rates, provided the SABC would also support the proposed normalization of salaries.

       The SABC responded that they would like some time to review the proposed rates, and would revert in March 2014.  In March, the SABC requested an extension to July 2014 to continue examining the proposed rates. 

       When the July deadline elapsed, there was no communication from them as to the outcome of their deliberations. When we enquired, we received no response. It became clear to us that their requests for extensions were merely a delaying tactic, and there had never been an intention, as promised, to review the salary scales.

       Bear in mind, that based on the SABC’s November 2013 commitment to review the salaries, the cast honoured the broadcaster’s request that they return to set and continue filming. In the end, we, as the cast, want what is best for the show.  It’s a real pity that the SABC and MMSV Productions chose to use this as an opportunity to continue to exploit the cast, with no intention whatsoever to fulfill their promises.  We want to

       

2. Royalties and syndication fees.  Our contracts stipulate that we, as cast, are due certain fees whenever Generations is sold to an international broadcaster. 

       To date, the show is aired in a number of different countries across the world. However, we, as the cast, have never received our royalties.  

       Syndication fees and royalties are a very important revenue stream in any actor’s life, and it is worrying – and telling - that the SABC continues to deny us what we are owed in this regard.  Why is this? 

      3. 3 Year Contracts  - the Generations shooting schedule is intense, and leaves little time for us as actors to pursue other professional opportunities.  

      In requesting 3-year contracts, we are not demanding a blanket 3-year guarantee of work. We understand that clauses can be inserted to terminate employment due to issues of non-performance, insubordination and issues of that nature.  

      However, if we are effectively locked into working only for Generations, we feel that it is only reasonable that there be a level of stability that we be afforded in turn.

      We have tried repeatedly, to accommodate the SABC and MMSV Productions – whenever they requested an extension to examine the issues, we agreed. When, in November 2013 they asked us to end our original strike while they reviewed our demands, we agreed.  

      They committed to reverting to us with their responses to our demands – instead, they have issued us with threats to dismiss us if we don’t return to work. We regard this as a breach of trust, and working in completely bad faith with us. 

       We also consider their insistence on not paying us our fair due as a disturbing flouting of fundamental labour practices, and a perversion of the South Africa we are trying to build – a South Africa where labour is compensated fairly and appropriately.  

      The cast remains open to negotiating and working out a solution, and hopes that the broadcaster and production house respond to this sentiment.

We thank you for your patience with us, and hope you understand our difficulty and stand with us in this troubling time.

With love, and respect:

The Generations Actors Guild

SABC's striking Generations cast: There's little dignity being a part of Africa's most popular TV drama; it's a struggle to even buy a car'.

You're reading it here first.

The SABC's striking Generations cast - given an ultimatum to show up for work today or be fired by the SABC - tells TV with Thinus exclusively that "there's little dignity in being associated with Africa's most popular TV drama" and that it's a constant struggle to even try and buy a car.

The Generations cast went on strike for the whole of last week for the second time in 10 months.

The new, second, and unprecedented strike follows after the actors on the SABC's biggest TV soap were coaxed back to work in November last year following the first strike - demanding longer 3 year contracts they say were promised to them, as well as better payment, and back payments for rebroadcasts.

Similar to the cast of Friends in 1995 and earlier this year with the cast of the American comedy The Big Bang Theory, the striking Generations cast are united as a collective group, willing to walk away from the highly successful and lucrative 21 year old primetime TV soap if better deals and agreements with the SABC and MMVS Productions are not agreed upon.

The television brinkmanship is massive and the Generations cast embarked on a second stayaway because there's real leverage: It will be lose-lose if the SABC goes ahead with its threat to fire the large group of actors.

It's their familiar and famous faces that 7.5 million viewers tune in for on weeknights on SABC1.

If the group of actors are fired they will be out of their jobs, but their abrupt absence might lead millions of SABC1 viewers to tune out Generations and onto other channels.

As a result the SABC's biggest and most watched show - in fact the most watched TV programme in all of South Africa television - will suffer irreparable damage since multiple actors will suddenly have to be written out bluntly - the characters either instantly gone, or replaced with new, unknown actors in the roles.

This which will have a huge impact on the SABC, SABC1 and Generations brands and quite possibly also see viewership figures plummet - something the SABC, SABC1 and the production company can ill afford.

The SABC's famously matricless Hlaudi Motsoeneng personally intervened as chief operating officer (COO) into the issue at the end of 2013 and declared then that "the matter has finally been laid to rest".

Ten months later it's now clear that it wasn't - and the strike suddenly crippling the SABC's and South Africa's biggest TV show twice in less than a year over the exact same issues - indicates the dramatic structural problems and uncertainty that remains at the South African public broadcaster.

It's unprecedented for the entire production on a huge money-making, flagship show of a South African TV broadcaster to abruptly cease and completely shut down twice within a year.

Generations is filmed six week in advance, meaning that completed Generations episode for play-out on SABC1 will cease at the end of September.  

"There is no reason why the actors of South Africa's most popular drama should be paid less than industry norm," the Generations Actors Guild tells TV with Thinus.

The Generations Actors Guild says actors on other SABC soaps "are paid at better rates. For some bizarre reason the Generations cast remains locked into a lower pay grade. This is unjust and we want it reviewed".

"We don't want crazy salary increases. We just want to be paid fairly, that's all," says the Generations Actors Guild.

The striking Generations actors says its difficult to even buy a car or get a car loan.

"The short-term contracts certainly result in a lack of security, which makes it difficult for the cast to plan for long-term purchases. We're not considered permanent employees, so even with the banks, securing bonds and car loans is a serious, and sometimes insurmountable challenge".

"What we want most, is to be able to work, and be compensated appropriately for it," says the Generations Actors Guild. "The strike was a last resort, and not an action we embarked on lightly".

"When the SABC and MMSV Productions asked us for time to address our issues, we made a decision to give them the time they requested, and go back to work. Some may call it naive, but we were working in good faith in the interest of Generations".

"It's a real pity that the SABC and MMSV Productions seem to have selective amnesia about the promises and commitments they made to revert with a response to our grievances. They've missed their own deadline - twice - and now they aren't even talking about their promises".

The Generations Actors Guild tells TV with Thinus that they "weren't happy when the SABC and MMSV Productions missed their own deadline of March 2014, but [we] worked with them when they requested an extension until July 2014."

"We realised after they missed the second deadline, 31 July 2014, without even a word about when we could expect to hear back from them - that they actually did not have a response to our grievances. So we revived the strike".

"We shouldn't have to fight about issues around pay rates, salaries and royalties when there are prescribed industry standards in place," says the striking Generations actors.

"This industry is unregulated and it allows for some incredible exploitation to take place. We need stronger industry bodies. We need government to recognise what a driver the South African TV and film industry is, culturally and economically".

The striking Generations cast says "we deplore the fact that we're not at work, but feel extremely strongly about the cause we're undertaking. It's about fair play and fair labour practice. We would love to return to work - at appropriate pay grades, and with the correct contracts in place - with royalties due to us being paid our fairly".

The SABC didn't respond to multiple written media enquiries on the Generations strike made last week and again on Sunday seeking comment from the public broadcaster.