Shaleen Surtie-Richards’ funeral: 'An icon beloved by the people but abandoned by the system,' says friend Rif'at Browers; implores arts minister Nathi Mthethwa to launch a fund to support South Africa's suffering artists.

by Thinus Ferreira

The iconic South African actress Shaleen Surtie-Richards was beloved by the people but abandoned by the system said one of her closest friends at her funeral, who implored the South African government and arts minister Nathi Mthethwa who sat in the funeral chapel to urgently launch a fund to look after the country's suffering artists.

Shaleen Surtie-Richards (66) unexpectedly died a week ago with her coffin on Sunday afternoon that was draped in the South African flag during the Category 2 official provincial funeral that was broadcast live on SABC News, Newzroom Afrika and eNCA.

The chapel at the Durbanville Memorial Park was filled with red and white flowers, including candles that Estée Lauder donated as a reminder of Shaleen's love of perfume, and even the Shaleen Surtie-Richards Rose that was flown in especially by Ludwig's Roses for the funeral.

The funeral was attended by Hannes van Wyk, presenter of Kwêla and Hannes aan Huis on kykNET (DStv 144), as well as Karen Meiring, M-Net director for kykNET channels.

"Shaleen was loved by the people but she was abandoned by the system," said Shaleen Surtie-Richards' longtime friend Rif'at Browers in a moving tribute.

Addressing South Africa's minister of sport, arts and culture directly who sat in the chapel, Rif'at Browers said "In this vein, I speak to minister Nathi Mthethwa and I plead with you: Please let us launch a fund that will ensure the longevity of all South African people in the arts and entertainment industry. I'm open to any form of discussion, and on any platform."

Patricia de Lille, minister of public works and infrastructure, who wasn't in attendance on Sunday but whose tribute was read out loud, said that Shaleen Surtie-Richards "was a vanguard who paved a way before and after Apartheid for people of all races - but specifically for people of colour".

"It is sad that her death had laid bare the struggles of South African artists and the struggles that they have to endure later in life," said Patricia de Lille.

"Many people knew and loved Shaleen but very few how she suffered but she always had the pride of being fearlessly independent."

"For the industry, Shaleen's death and struggles in recent years should be a wake-up call to stand up and protect the arts and our artists to ensure that all artists, their talents and their rights are protected and respected and that they are well taken care of in their later life and before and after retirement."

"The industry is poorer without her but richer because of her contribution."

Nathi Mthethwa said that "Shaleen has taught us more about ourselves - what makes us truly South Africans; what makes us truly human".

Called the industry's "darkest secret", South African performers are still not receiving residuals for rebroadcasts of their TV and film work like what happens in other countries.

After years of getting the long-stalled Performers Protection Amendment Bill (PPAB) to parliament that would ensure that South African performers are paid residuals for the rebroadcast of their work on television, president Cyril Ramaphosa refused to sign the PPAB.

After the bill had languished on his desk for 15 months, Ramaphosa has now sent the bill back to South Africa's National Assembly.

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards on her money struggles in last TV interview: 'I just pray very hard that I won't get ill'. 

ALSO READ: kykNET’s Saturday edition of Ontbytsake will be a special tribute to Shaleen Surtie-Richards: 'We tried not to cry,' says presenter Eloise Cupido.

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards as Arendsvlei’s Muriel: Return-story got fully filmed and wrapped last week with character that will be on screen again on kykNET & Kie from September.

ALSO READ: Producer Diana Lucas on Shaleen Surtie-Richards’ final time on film in new bio doc: 'An intimate talk with a woman who was an amazing person.'

ALSO READ: South Africa's TV and film industry's 'darkest secret': Why the beloved actress icon Shaleen Surtie-Richards died poor - when she didn't have to. 

ALSO READ: Fiela se Kind film director Katina Heyns on Shaleen Surtie-Richards: 'She had all of us laughing the one moment, and weeping the next.' 

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie Richards: I Am Who I Am documentary scheduled for Wednesday night on M-Net as MultiChoice's TV tribute collection of content expands after iconic actress' death - latest programming listing across channels.

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards' family on her death and legacy of love: She not only lived in our hearts but in the hearts of this great nation.

ALSO READ: Actress Shaleen-Surtie Richards found dead in a Cape Town guest house. She was 66.

Masechaba Ndlovu replaces Asanda Magaqa as new spokesperson for South African government's department of sports, arts and culture.

The South African actress and radio personality Masechaba Ndlovu has been appointed as the new spokesperson for the country's department of sports, arts and culture.

The announcement was made by Nathi Mthethwa, South Africa's current minister of sports, arts and culture.

"I am pleased to welcome Masechaba Ndlovu to the department of sports, arts and culture as my newly appointed spokesperson. As a department, we know that you will play an integral part in executing our motto of "laying the foundation for greatness"," Nathi Mthethwa said in a statement.

"My newly-appointed spokesperson is a dynamic trailblazer who has made an immense contribution towards the African media landscape and is one of the most influential women on the continent. The department looks forward to working with an eminent and diligent leader".

Masechaba Ndlovu replaces Asanda Magaqa who is gone after she was appointed in the position since April 2018. The department gave no reason for why Asanda Magaqa left.

Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa, MultiChoice, SuperSport, the SABC and the PSL on Thursday still 'finding each other in the impasse' over Absa Premiership public broadcasting rights crisis as promised Thursday announcement is pushed to Friday.

South Africa's sports minister Nathi Mthethwa failed to properly manage his self-announced, self-set and self-created public expectations and together with pay-TV operator MultiChoice, SuperSport, the SABC and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) failed to announce on Thursday a breakthrough in a sub-licensing rights Absa Premiership deal for the public broadcaster.

Late Thursday night sports minister Nathi Mthethwa who appears incompetent, released a vague statement making a new promise after just having broken one, saying that a "full statement" would be released before the end of the day on Friday 23 August.

Earlier this week Nathi Mthethwa - who belatedly started to intervene in the ongoing crisis at the SABC not showking any of the new Absa Premiership season's soccer matches on the broke South African public broadcaster after its failure and refusal to sign any sub-licensing rights broadcast agreement - announced that an announcement about a breakthrough would be made on Thursday.

Thursday however came and went without anything from South Africa's minister of sports who oversold a possible agreement between MultiChoice, SuperSport, the SABC and the PSL that by Thursday night didn't exist.

The SABC demanded a 96% discount in the licensing rights price from SuperSport for Absa Premiership matches from which the SABC sub-license the broadcasting rights.

The SABC said that it can't afford the licensing rights sticker price and SABC top brass went as far as ordering presenters at the public broadcaster to withhold information from South African citizens and to not even mention Absa Premiership match scores on air or to discuss or do any commentary about the PSL.

The SABC claimed that a broadcasting licensing deal with SuperSport was not financially viable for the broadcaster and something it couldn't afford and that the SABC would make revenue of just R47 million a year if they accepted the deal and lose money.

The South African government responded reactively and belatedly as in previous cases said it would do meetings with the SABC, the PSL and MultiChoice.

The ongoing, massive problem with sports rights remains unsolved by the South African government and the departments of sports and communications, who constantly - after a blackout crisis at the SABC - respond with a meeting, followed by some short-term plaster TV package on the gaping wound, and then nothing to solve the long-term systemic problems and bleeding.

After a first meeting with the SABC and the PSL, Nathi Mthethwa on Wednesday in a statement said that he met on Tuesday with Dr Irvin Koza, PSL chairperson; as well as Imtiaz Patel, the MultiChoice Group's chairperson, and Calvo Mawela on Tuesday.

In a statement late on Thursday night, Nathi Mthethwa said that on Thursday evening he and Stella Ndabeni Abrahams, South Africa's communications minister, had met with Dr Irvin Khoza; Bongumusa Makhathini, SABC board chairperson; Madoda Mxakwe, SABC CEO; Craig van Rooyen, SABC COO who is on his way out; as well as MultiChoice's Imtiaz Patel and Calvo Mawela "to further push for a solution".

Nathi Mthethwa said on Thursday night that " all parties are finding each other in the impasse which resulted in the non-broadcast of PSL matches on the SABC" and that there's been "a breakthrough" without wanting to say what it was.

He said that "a full statement which will entail details of the agreement" will be "communicated before close of business on Friday".

Why Nathi Mthethwa publicly promised an announcement on Thursday and then didn't deliver isn't clear.

After yet another SABC soccer blackout making the PSL's Absa Premiership matches unavailable, the South African government yet again responds by saying it will plan a meeting with the SABC, SuperSport and the PSL.

After yet another SABC soccer blackout making the Premier Soccer League' Absa Premiership matches unavailable on the South African public broadcaster and preventing millions of viewers unable to watch local football in their own country, the South African government responded as usual saying that it now plans to meet with the SABC, SuperSport the PSL.

Once again stunned into inaction, neither Nathi Mthethwa, South Africa's minister of sports, arts and culture, nor Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, the minister of communications, had anything to say on Saturday when the PSL revealed that the latest Absa Premiership season won't be broadcast on the SABC.

The beleaguered SABC demanded a 96% discount on the price to acquire sub-licensing rights from MultiChoice and SuperSport that is showing PSL matches on the DStv satellite pay-TV service.

The ongoing, massive problem with sports rights remains unsolved by the South African government and the departments of sports and communications, who constantly - after a blackout crisis at the SABC - respond with a meeting, followed by some short-term plaster TV package on the gaping wound, and then nothing to solve the long-term systemic problems and bleeding.

On Sunday, Nathi Mthethwa -  a day after the SABC revealed an hour before kick-off that it won't show any matches of the PSL's Absa premiership season - said (like clockwork) that the department of sports it will be having an urgent meeting with the department of communications, SuperSport, and the PSL.

As in the past, the result will very likely be that somehow some PSL Absa Premiership matches of the new season would be made available on the SABC in some patched-programme fashion.

Longterm however, the South African government and ministers of sport and communications will likely simply kick the can down the road as keeps happening, with sports rights and soccer matches an ongoing contentious issue and with the government that remains unable and unwilling to put in place real-world solutions to prevent blackout recurrences.

"The minister will be convening a meeting soon‚ commencing first with consulting individuals and then meeting with everybody concerned at a later stage‚ said Mickey Modisane, from South Africa's department of sports.

"The minister is indeed disappointed that millions of South Africans who don't have access to pay-TV were not able to watch the opening round of PSL matches. It has been brought to the minister's attention and he has made an undertaking that he will be consulting with all relevant stakeholders in finding a lasting solution to this current situation."

"Once all parties have met with the minister‚ it is only then that we will be able to make an informed determination on whether this situation could have been avoided."

"The minister hopes that all parties will make themselves available for this matter that is of high priority and needs urgent attention. The minister will be meeting all relevant parties upon their availability to engage them‚ finding a solution on Tuesday might be impossible‚" Mickey Modisane said.

On Tuesday Bidvest Wits plays against Baroka FC in Johannesburg in the Absa Premiership, and Highlands Park will play against Maritzburg United in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.

Earlier in 2019 the SABC failed to show the Banyana Banyana soccer matches at this year's Women's Soccer World Cup and the SABC also failed to broadcast the 2019 Two Oceans Marathon.

The SABC failed to broadcast Bafana Bafana's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers‚ and there is no deal in place between SABC and the South African Football Association (Safa) before Bafana Bafana embarks on qualifiers for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2022 Qatar World Cup in the coming months.

Comperio Report of the forensic investigation into the rot and corruption at National Film and Video Foundation finds staffers took family members on luxury trips to Sun City for the South African Film and Television Awards.

The report on the forensic investigation at the rot and corruption at South Africa's National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an organisation funded by the department of arts and culture, uncovered various NFVF staffers and council members who took family members with them on luxury trips to Sun City for the South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas), as well as high flying overseas trips with taxpayer's money without the minister of arts and culture's permission and sign-off.

The investigation by Comperio Consulting and dubbed The Comperio Report found a massive overspend by the National Film and Video Foundation on things like office renovations with money that should be going to fund film and television production in South Africa.

While the NFVF's projected legal costs are spiraling, The Comperio Report also found problems with staff appointments and numerous abuses of the NFVF's finances.

The NFVF is responsible for the shoddily organised South African Film and Television Awards that remains shockingly bad every year without improvement and in 2018 once again horrified viewers and the local TV and film industry with its mistake-riddled 2-night award shows in March that was was boycotted by some of South Africa's biggest TV productions.

Shadrack Bokaba is currently the acting NFVF CEO to provide "organisational stability" and replaced Zama Mkosi who abruptly resigned in May and left under a cloud when the findings of The Comperio Report started to be implemented.

Two NFVF council members – Thabiso Masudubele and Pam Mashiane – are accused of flouting international travel regulations, while Phil Molefe allegedly made several high-flying overseas trips from Cannes to China without sign-off by the minister of arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa as is required.

Several questions have been put to the National Film and Video Foundation in a media enquiry about The Comperio Report but Neo Moretlwe, NFVF communications coordinator and Xolelwa Nomgca, marketing and communications manager, despite asking several times, somehow didn't provide specific answers.

The NFVF was asked what its response is to the Comperio report that found that NFVF executives and NFVF council members took family members to Sun City for the Saftas at taxpayer’s expense. The NFVF was asked why this happened and will this continue to happen?

No response.

The NFVF was asked its response about NFVF council members like Thabiso Masudubele and Pam Mashiane who allegedly broke international travel regulations and for instance flying first class.

No response.

The NFVF is supposed to help and support the local SA film and TV industry and was asked of the NFVF is worried that the image of NFVF executives and council members and news about luxury local and foreign trips and stays, and taking family members along is damaging the NFVF’s image within the industry, with media and with the public? The NFVF was also asked what its is doing to improve its image?

No response.

The NFVF was also asked how the NFVF quantify the value or the return of investment (ROI) when people are flown internationally? How did the NFVF work out the return on investment it got from people and media who were invited to stay at Sun City for this year’s Saftas and what was the press coverage of media who were invited and stayed at NFVF expense?

No response.

The NFVF was also asked if its budget for legal spending of R85 000 has been changed to R1.35 million and if so, why?

No response.

The NFVF sent a quote, attributable to Shadrack Bokaba, NFVF acting CEO, stating that "the NFVF has undergone numerous changes, all investigations have been completed and recommendations are being implemented".

"The work of developing and providing funding to filmmakers has never ceased, and the focus now is to stabilise the organisation to continue fulfilling our mandate. Budget allocation towards all activities is informed by past trends, accompanied by a precautionary increase."

The NFVF was asked several times which of the questions the statement is the answer to, and where the other answers are, but there has been no response. If the NFVF respond with the other answers and where the one answer received fits, it will be added here.

South Africa's National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) urgently looking for a new CEO.

The struggling National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is urgently looking for a new CEO after the abrupt departure of Zama Mkosi under a cloud at the end of May.

Shadrack Bokaba is temporarily standing in as acting CEO of the NFVF to provide "organisational stability".

The minister of arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa ordered a forensic investigation into the NFVF months ago and the report and findings were delivered to the government in March 2018 already.

So far Nathi Mthethwa has refused to make the report into the findings of corruption and mismanagement public.

The past few years the NFVF has been embroiled in various allegations of money wasting and mismanagement of funds by senior executives, seriously damaging the credibility and reputation of the NFVF with the organisation that has seen its relationship with both the TV and film industry deteriorate, as well as with the media.

The allegations of mismanagement and money waste included not just overseas trips and expense accounts for foreign travel in luxury hotels with outrageous travel demands - money meant to fund film and television in South Africa - but also local splurging with trips to Sun City.

The bulk of NFVF staffers in an open letter complained about NFVF working conditions and made a litany of allegations of corruption within the NFVF and other irregular issues, implicating Zama Mkosi, as well as the NFVF's chief financial officer and NFVF council members.

The NFVF is now urgently looking for a new CEO, with the closing date for applications that's 16 July.

The new NFVF CEO will have to "develop and oversee the strategy of the NFVF" and will have to "direct, lead and manage the NFVF in its strategic growth and operations path"

People who want to apply must send their CV to vacancies@nfvf.co.za by no later than 16 July 2018.

Encounters documentary film festival forced to possibly close down after National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) abruptly withdraws funding on opening night, organisers start crowdfunding page in desperate bid to keep festival going.

In a shocking move the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) that has lots of money to splash the cash on luxury overseas trips for executives to exotic film festivals has abruptly pulled its financial support of the 20th Encounters South African International Documentary Festival - on its opening night - with the festival that might have to shut down this week if it can't urgently raise R700 000.

The Encounters Film Festival faces a dramatic shutdown if it can't find funds from somewhere after the department of arts and culture's National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) abruptly withdrew its support of the film festival that it supported financially since it started in 1999.

Zama Mkosi, former CEO of the NFVF abruptly resigned last week and left under a cloud, while arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa, has refused to publicly release the report, completed in March 2018, following a forensic investigation into mismanagement, waste of money and allegations of corruption in the NFVF implicating senior management executives.

An NFVF delegation just returned from the 71th Cannes Film Festival splurging thousands of rands to purportedly market South Africa, but the NFVF apparently doesn't have money to support South Africa's own local film festivals and documentary film makers.

The NFVF has said nothing about abruptly withdrawing its support of Encounters that the NFVF supported since 1999 on the festival's opening night of 31 May.

The Encounters Documentary Film Festival is the premier documentary festival in Africa and one of the few solely dedicated to the documentary genre as one of the oldest film festivals on the continent.

The 20th Encounters festival runs from 31 May to 10 June and has now started a crowdfunding page in the hopes of raising enough money to keep the film festival going. By Sunday the festival received pledges of R82 700 - 12% of its goal.

The theme of the 20th Encounters is "Power of Womanhood". Of the 40 films set to be shown at this year's festival, over half has female directors. 

"This is a call to action to all documentary fans, filmmakers and the media to save our festival," says Encounters board member Mandisa Ralane.

"Encounters has a proud two decade legacy of bringing the best documentary films to South African audiences but will be unable to continue unless R700 000  is raised in the next week."

The 20th Encounters opened with Whispering Truth to Power, Shameela Seedat's award winning film about the last year in office of Thuli Madonsela. The festival organisers say that without Encounters there would be very limited opportunities for films like this to be seen in South Africa.

"It is sad that it should happen at this juncture, at the last minute, after years of providing a platform to so many filmmakers to present their work, aiding filmmakers with development of their films into marketable and distributable products, providing training, skills transfer and other opportunities to so many,  particularly aspiring filmmakers from historically disadvantaged communities," says Reggie Kanzi, Encounters festival organiser.

Zama Mkosi abruptly out as NFVF CEO as findings of forensic investigation is being implemented; Shadrack Bokaba in as acting CEO to provide 'organisational stability'.

Zama Mkosi has abruptly resigned as CEO of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) with her resignation following a forensic investigation into allegations of mismanagement, waste of funds and other issues at the embattled organisation supposed to promote and support South Africa's film and television industry.

Zama Mkosi is out with immediate effect and is being replaced by Shadrack Bokaba as acting CEO for the time being, "in the interest of organisational stability" according to the NFVF. There's been no quote or statement from Zama Mkosi or any reasons given why she's left the NFVF abruptly, but she resigned on 27 May.

The NFVF says it will start the process looking for a new CEO. Zamantungwa Mkosi was appointed NFVF CEO in February 2012.

The past few years the NFVF has been embroiled in various allegations of money wasting and mismanagement of funds by senior executives, seriously damaging the credibility and reputation of the NFVF with the organisation that has seen its relationship with both the TV and film industry deteriorate, as well as with the media. 

The allegations of mismanagement and money waste included not just overseas trips and expense accounts for foreign travel in luxury hotels with outrageous travel demands - money meant to fund film and television in South Africa - but also local splurging with trips to Sun City.

The bulk of NFVF staffers in an open letter complained about NFVF working conditions and made a litany of allegations of corruption within the NFVF and other irregular issues, implicating Zama Mkosi, as well as the NFVF's chief financial officer and NFVF council members.

It led to the minister of arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa ordering a forensic investigation into the NFVF, the report and findings of which the department has so far refused to make public although it was delivered to the government in March 2018 already.

The NFVF that continues to organise expensive overseas trips, also continues to be criticised for the badly organised and low quality of the televised South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas), the NFVF's supposed showpiece, that keeps being marred by in-fighting and unhappy producers and production companies who boycott the awards.

At the badly organised 12th Saftas held in March and televised on SABC2, Zama Mkosi who got an executive producer title, used the platform to lash out at and slam South Africa's media. Alluding to the allegations of corruption, mismanagement and mismanagement of funds inside the NFVF, Zama Mkosi told viewers how difficult is is to find funding for the Saftas due to the "ongoing bad press" the NFVF gets in the media.

The NFVF in a statement now says "Zama Mkosi has resigned as CEO of the NFVF with immediate effect". The NFVF "also announces the appointment of Joy Mawela as the head of industry development, training and marketing effective 1 June 2018 and Mbali Buthelezi as chief financial officer effective 1 July 2018".

"In the meanwhile the NFVF council has commenced implementation of the findings of the forensic report that was commissioned by the minister of arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa, with regard to the various allegations of impropriety at the NFVF."

"Equally important to the NFVF council is the desire to improve staff morale and brand reputation of the NFVF, amidst all the negative publicity that has engulfed the NFVF in the recent past," says the NFVF.

HE WAS S'GUDI, 'SNAYSI. Veteran actor Joe Mafela (75) dead after car accident in Johannesburg; 'I've never known a nicer man than Joe,' says actress Lilian Dube.

The veteran South African actor Joe Mafela has died. Joe Mafela was 75 and passed away on Saturday night dying at the scene of a car accident on a Johannesburg highway.

The actor, born in 1942 in Sibasa, Limpopo, and most famous for his comedy role in the SABC sitcom 'Sgudi 'Snaysi ("Is Good, is Nice") in life received three Lifetime Achiever Awards - in TV, for stage, and for comedy.

The legendary Joe Mafela died after being involved in a car accident in Johannesburg on Saturday night.

Joe Mafela was currently playing the role of Tebogo Moroka on Generations The Legacy on SABC1 produced by MMSV Productions.

According to police Joe Mafela was involved in a car accident just before 22:00 on Saturday night on the M1 between the Oxford and Houghton Road off-ramps when an Isuzu double cab bakkie and the white Ford Figo that Joe Mafela was driving, was involved in a car crash alongside a construction zone.

Joe Mafela was declared died on the scene of the accident and he was the sole occupant of the Ford Figo. The driver of the Isuzu double cab bakkie was not injured.

Police is investigating and no arrest has been made at the moment. The police said a charge of culpable homicide is being investigated.

Police said Joe Mafela's death could also be the result of an existing medical condition.

Besides his comedic work, Joe Mafela was a producer and director as well as an ad agency creative director in later years, as well as a Zulu singer, producing and releasing several Zulu-language albums.

Joe Mafela who could speak all of South African's 11 languages, became the first black assistant director in South Africa and in 1974 Joe Mafela appeared in South Africa's first all-black movie made in South Africa, Udeliwe.

It was however his role as the constantly scheming S'dumo in the 78-episode Zulu SABC sitcom 'Sgudi 'Snaysi - at a time that the Apartheid-era SABC would only show him on TV2, its channel for black viewers - that catapulted Joe Mafela to stardom and made him a household name and endeared him to millions of viewers with repeated rebroadcasts over decades.

It's here where Joe Mafela developed a strong professional relationship with Roberta Durrant from Penguin Films that saw him become Penguin Films co-owner and going on - and up - to not just produce but also appear in further Penguin Films produced TV projects.

Joe Mafela's other long-running and stand-out TV role - also in a Penguin Films produced production for the SABC - was for instance as Jabu in the lawyer office set sitcom Going Up.

He did a type of "retake" decades later when he starred in an almost similar kind of role as in 'Sgudi 'Snaysi and Going Up as Sol in e.tv's Madam & Eve sitcom in 2000, also produced by Penguin Films.

In 2004, in a show that was before it's time and a send-up of his famous persona, Joe Mafela returned to post-Apartheid SABC for a short-lived TV comedy, Fela's TV, in which a cleaner at a fictional TV broadcaster - although clearly depicting the SABC's Auckland Park headquarters - at night time "stole" the airwaves and swopped his bucket and mop to broadcast a TV show.

Joe Mafela was the creator and singer of the "It's good, good, good, it's good, it's nice" TV advert jingle of the fast food outlet Chicken Licken in 1986.

Joe Mafela received the Lifetime Achiever Award in 2015 a the 5th Annual Comics Choice Awards, saying that it meant he had "done a good job during the years. Whatever was demanded of me, it means I really produced".

Besides his lifetime achievement award at the Comics Choice Awards, Joe Mafela also received a special Duku Duku award in 2004 for his contribution to South Africa's TV industry, and a lifetime achievement award at the Naledi Theatre Awards for his contribution to theatre management in South Africa.

Joe Mafela also received a lifetime achievement award from the South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) in 2010.

Joe Mafela's father worked as a shop assistant in a Chinese shop in Sophiatown and when Joe Mafela was three years old he left Johannesburg along with his mother, who was expecting her second child.

They returned to Limpopo where his brother was also born and in 1947 Joe Mafela's family moved to Kliptown, south of Johannesburg where they lived for 5 years.

In 1952 they moved to White City Jabavu, a township that was started as temporary shelters and lived there for 5 years before moving to the Tshiawelo township.

When Joe told his dad that he wanted to be an actor his dad said: "No, that's not work. Work is when you go to work at 8am and come back at 5pm". Luckily Joe Mafela followed his own path.

Considered a true groundbreaking legend of South Africa's TV and entertainment industry, Joe Mafela straddled both the "old" and the "new" South Africa, with over 40 decades of hard-won pioneering work spanning the country's film, TV, stage, radio and advertising industries.

"We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn about the news of the passing of legendary actor, director and musician ubaba Joe Mafela," said Nathi Mthethwa, South Africa's minister of arts and culture.

"We extend our condolences to the family, friends, and fans of ubaba Joe Mafela, the nation has lost a crown jewel of our arts and culture."

Sello Hatang, The Nelson Mandela Foundation CEO told eNCA (DStv 403) that "In his memory, may the entertainment industry become what he wanted it to be - one that cares about those who act in it, one that wants people to thrive in it; that people shouldn't die poor while they're practising the craft that they believe in".

"The most important thing with Joe Mafela's death is, what do we need to do to ensure that our artists never die poor?" said Sello Hatang.

"We have learned with sadness of the passing of one of the pioneers of the television comedy loved by all South Africans young and old," said South Africa president Jacob Zuma in a statement.

"Joe Mafela also affectionately known as Sdumo was also a television producer and songwriter.  The arts and culture industry has been robbed of a bigger than life figure.  We wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to Mafela family and may his soul rest in peace".

The SABC in a statement with mistakes like referring to Madam & Eve as SABC programming [it was done by Penguin Films for e.tv] said the public broadcaster is "saddened to learn of the sudden passing of arts veteran Joe Mafela. Joe Mafela was a giant in his field and had become a voice and face of the industry."

"The multi-talented Joe Mafela, who was also known as a  singer/songwriter and producer and who recently appeared on SABC1 soap Generations: The Legacy, will be remembered for his memorable acting roles in TV shows such as the hugely popular 'Sgudi 'Snaysi , where he portrayed the character 'Sdumo' a nickname which stuck with him through the years."

"The SABC sends its heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, viewers and fans who have followed his esteemed career, in TV, stage and film over the past 40 years."

"I've never known a nicer man than Joe," said actress and longtime friend Lilian Dube on Sunday. "He gave and gave".

Lilian Dube revealed that the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) organising the Saftas that took place on Saturday evening didn't want to invite Joe Mafela or herself to the award show, how they are being "marginalised" as actors, and that she spoke with him on Saturday.

"We were even speaking about the Saftas to which he wasn't invited, I wasn't invited and we said you know, Joe? We do what we do because we love it. Whether we get invited to the Saftas or not."

BREAKING. Fired Generations actors to return to work; cast and SABC to sit down in negotiation meeting today or tomorrow.

The fired Generations actors will return to work.

Talks will start between the Generations Actors Guild, the SABC and production company Morula Pictures at a meeting held today or tomorrow to reinstate the fired actors who were dismissed last Monday.

Minister of arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa met with the fired principal cast of the biggest TV show in South Africa and the SABC's biggest soap on Monday who sat down in an emotional meeting with the SABC management and the interim committee of the Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of South Africa.

MMSV Productions and the SABC fired the Generations cast last Monday after a week long stayaway, prompted by MMSV Productions and the SABC's failure to make good on promised three year contracts the SABC's famously matricless chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng in June 2013 told the cast they would get.

The cast also wanted pay rate adjustments and back payments on residuals for rebroadcasts as well as international sales of the show which has not been paid.

"It is a significant step in the right direction that both the actors and the SABC have arrived at this stage where they are willing to engage in talks to find a solution to this matter," says Nathi Mthethwa.

"Everyone accepts that we are dealing with substantive issues that cannot be resolved overnight but require principled commitment and time to move us forward".

Third South African government minister to intervene in SABC's firing of Generations cast scandal: Nathi Mthethwa is 'deeply concerned'.

The minister of South Africa's department of arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa says he is "deeply concerned" about the latest SABC scandal which saw the shocking wholesale firing of the Generations cast on SABC1 on Monday by the SABC and MMSV Productions.

The Generations cast was fired on Monday by the SABC and MMSV Productions following a second strike the united actors embarked on since last Monday.

The dismissal of the principal Generations cast has sent shockwaves through South Africa's television industry.

Generations ranks as the most watched TV show in South Africa with an average of 7.5 million viewers every weeknight, is the most watched soap, the most lucrative TV show of the SABC and commands a price of R200 000 per 30 second ad spot during its 20:00 primetime timeslot.

It was the Generations cast's second strike in 10 months at the SABC1 soap over exactly the same issues of wanting three year contracts from the SABC as it was promised in 2013, better paying contracts, as well as back payment for rebroadcasts and international sales of the show - all issues that the SABC promised to give attention but failed to do.

On Tuesday the ANC majority government said the minister of communications and the minister of labour will be intervening and getting involved in the dispute.

Today the government said the minister of arts and culture will get involved, making it the third minister giving attention to the Generations cast firing.

requested the intervention of the ministers of communications and labour in the dispute," says ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa in a statement.

"We are willing to engage with all the relevant people to help find a speedy and amicable resolution to this matter," says Nathi Mthethwa in a statement.

"We are deeply concerned about these developments and hope that SABC management, the production company and worker representatives will work together to reach a speedy resolution to this matter".

Nathi Mthethwa says the government supports the formation of a strong creative workers' representative body to look after the interests of artists in South Africa.

Meanwhile the SABC plans to have a press conference on Friday at 11:00 at its Auckland Park headquarters in Johannesburg to give the public broadcaster's talking points after firing the Generations cast.