Shaka iLembe: Bomb Productions extras threatened as Sasfed calls for full investigation over exploitation.

by Thinus Ferreira

As extras and potential extras have now had threats made against their lives if they dare to speak out about their horrifying experiences, the South African Screen Federation (Sasfed) says it demands a full investigation of MultiChoice and M-Net's second season of Shaka iLembe after allegations of background performers who were treated like slave labour by casting agencies for the Bomb Productions show.

Extras and potential extras say they've now been threatened if they speak out about the horrible living arrangements and treatment they've been subjected to since the beginning of May.

Bomb Productions employed over 8 000 people for the first season of the show - a number that is set to increase for the second season which will feature big battle scenes as a young Shaka amass a massive Zulu army.

The second season of Shaka iLembe, currently in principal photography in Johannesburg, is mired in scandal after revelations that the base camp has allegedly been surrounded for weeks by tent camps filled with people living in squalor here as well as a house in Kempton Park, hoping to get "roles" as background performers.

Bussed in at their own cost from KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga and paying "rent", while some managed to appear in filmed scenes, many have been hoping in vain to snag a role as an extra in Shaka while they've been struggling to find food to eat or accessing basic ablution facilities.

Lerato Taba, national coordinator of Sasfed - an umbrella body that represents production companies and South Africa's independent film and television industry - says extras on MultiChoice's prestige series for its Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel "may have been exposed to discriminatory conduct by certain casting agencies".

"Sasfed is opposed to all forms of mistreatment. It is for this reason that we call for a full investigation by relevant authorities into the matter. We also call on anyone with information to come forward and assist with the investigation."

MultiChoice and M-Net's Mzansi Magic channel only issued a terse statement earlier this week, nothing that "MultiChoice has been made aware of unauthorised camps established by casting agencies near the shooting locations for Shaka iLembe season 2" and that "these camps, housing hundreds of extras in unsafe and closed quarters, are not sanctioned by MultiChoice or any official partners associated with the series".

MultiChoice said "The unauthorised camps identified are in direct violation of these standards and pose serious risks to participants. We strongly advise all extras and potential participants to only engage with verified and legitimate casting agencies affiliated with our production."

MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic didn't respond to specific questions posed in a media query made on Tuesday. 

The Randburg-based pay-TV operator was asked whether it and Bomb Productions are now changing casting agents.

MultiChoice was also asked whether Bomb Productions and M-Net did due diligence in terms of extras casting for this season, and if so what it was; whether there are safety officers on set and if they were aware of what was happening and at these camps, and what MultiChoice makes of people who have now been threatened with their lives if they speak out about their experiences.

Bomb Productions in a statement said "We are extremely concerned by this and have launched an urgent investigation into the alleged agencies, as well as informed all who supply extras to our productions that any found to be contravening the code of conduct will not be engaged with".

According to the production company, while its legal and fact-finding investigation remain ongoing "Bomb received reports of a makeshift campsite housing many people claiming to work for Shaka iLembe and launched an immediate investigation discovering people had been invited by Becky Casting with a promise to work on Shaka Ilembe".

"Bomb has never requested or authorised this. Our investigation found people had paid Becky Casting for accommodation but were living in what we deemed an unsafe and undignified makeshift campsite. Bomb management acted swiftly, demanding Becky Casting address the worrying situation and disband, we also informed the local authorities."

"Bomb has a 20 year professional track record of commitment to creating as many employment opportunities as possible, paying people decent industry-accepted rates and paying on time. Anyone jeopardising this is reckless."

"We are thus deeply aggrieved by the scurrilous behaviour of casting agents for tarnishing the reputation of Bomb and this important historical project, which creates employment for so many."

The South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) says it continues to get calls and messages from people who say they were exploited and received "several verified reports that hundreds of background extras brought to Johannesburg from KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga to work on Shaka iLembe are being forced to pay their agent rent and have only had a few days' work in three weeks".

"Needless to say, the agent will still take their commission from the actors' earnings. The actors are not being fed, have no per diem, and they feel that the agent has abandoned them."

"SAGA is in communication with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) and we have submitted an affidavit that will help them determine the way forward. We won't stop fighting for a safer and fair industry where exploitation no longer exists".

A veteran producer not connected with the show told me "it looks as if there won't be any repercussions as the victims are frightened of being blacklisted if they officially speak up. For once there needs to be real repercussions for all concerned - including the producers who did not do due diligence".

"These poor extras are now sent back to KwaZulu-Natal with no money and more out of pocket than they were before. This shouldn't be. There are safety officers that should be on set but they are mostly not used as broadcasters and streamers are cutting budgets and have no line item for safety officers. Where does the bucks stop?"

Coronavirus: South Africa starts new Covid-19 Film and Television Relief Fund to help struggling workers, Netflix donates R8.3 million as industry bodies ask more companies to contribute.

by Thinus Ferreira

A new Covid-19 Film and Television Relief Fund is being set up to help struggling workers in South Africa's film and TV industry, with Netflix donating some of its $150 million set aside to help the global film and TV industry during the Covid-19 pandemic to South Africa, and with local industry bodies asking for more companies to donate to this new fund.

Netflix has decided to donate R8.3 million to the new Covid-19 Film and Television Relief Fund that is being established by the South African Screen Federation (SASFED).

SASFED, supported by the Independent Producers Organisation (IPO) will establish this Covid-19 Film and Television Relief Fund in collaboration with Netflix to provide emergency relief to the hardest-hit workers in South Africa’s film and TV industry.

This Covid-19 Film and Television Relief Fund will be administered by Tshikululu Social Investment that will screen the applications for eligibility as well as disburse the funds to beneficiaries.

This Covid-19 Film and Television Relief Fund will provide a one-time emergency relief grant to behind-the-scenes workers such as electricians, carpenters, hair and make-up artists, drivers, costume designers and many other freelancers who are paid hourly wages and work on a project-to-project basis.

These workers will be eligible to apply online for the R15 000 one-time benefit from 3 August 2020 at Tshikululu’s website (tshikululu.org.za) or would also be able to mail in a physical application. The eligibility criteria will be posted on Tshikululu’s website on 3 August 2020 when applications open.

In March the pay-TV operator MultiChoice announced that it had decided to set aside R80 million to pay the salaries and wages of workers in the collective film and TV industry in South Africa as well as across sub-Saharan Africa. SuperSport said it would pay freelancers working on productions.

In a statement announcing the new Covid-19 Film and Television Relief Fund with funding from Netflix, Unathi Malunga, SASFED executive director, says "SASFED is delighted about the announcement that the COVID-19 Film and Television Relief Fund will provide relief for workers in the film and TV sector who are not eligible for other available relief funds".

"The South African economy has been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Netflix fund supporting the local film industry brings hope to struggling industry professionals."

"We hope other potential partners will follow Netflix's example and support SASFED’s broader initiatives which offer assistance to industry professionals across the whole value chain - an initiative undertaken by industry, for the industry. SASFED applauds Netflix's support of the local industry during the global crisis."

Sisanda Henna, IPO co-chairperson, says "Following months of extreme hardship for most of our sector, the IPO is overjoyed that Netflix is providing this desperately-needed relief for those most hard hit by the pandemic – the industry’s below-the-line freelancers to whom no other relief has been available".

"This is a clear demonstration of Netflix’s commitment to the sustainability of the South African film and TV production industry, and we welcome them – with wide open arms – as a partner in our broader efforts to support the screen sector."

Dorothy Ghettuba, Netflix's Amsterdam-based boss for Netflix Originals from Africa, says "We’re proud to be working with SASDED and the IPO to support the hardest-hit workers in TV and film production".

"South African crews are vital to Netflix’s success and we want to help those freelancers who most need support in these unprecedented times."

TV biz aghast over SABC's dumping of local drama series High Rollers, sharply criticises SABC for 'bizarre' cancellation decision.

South Africas TV industry is reacting with shock over the SABC's abrupt decision to suddenly cancel local drama series High Rollers before its contract ends with insiders now saying the SABC is readying a pay-off pay-out for the production – ironically wasting millions of rand not to air a local show.

Shock and outrage is growing within South Africa's TV industry over the way the SABC plans to suddenly axe High Rollers on SABC3 within a month. 

Ironically the SABC renewed the casino-set local drama in May for a third season and increased the episode order of 156 episodes from three to five episodes per week.

According to production sources not directly connected to the show but dealing with the SABC, the South African public broadcaster is now allegedly planning to pay out Rous House Productions fully for the remainder of their contract, "so four months' salary for cast and crew".

If true, it means that the SABC will essentially be spending a vast amount of money for nothing in return just to not broadcast a local show it commissioned and had renewed twice.

Rouse House Productions didn't respond to a media enquiry asking about the cancellation and the newly surfaced pay-out rumours swirling, and the SABC told TVwithThinus earlier that "the SABC is not in a position to discuss its contractual obligations with production houses and content providers with third parties including the media".

Following viewers' outrage and an online petition against the SABC's shock High Rollers’ cancellation where signatures and support keeps growing, as well as scorn from South African actors hammering the public broadcaster over its decision, representative TV industry bodies are also slamming the SABC over the "bizarre" cancellation decision.

"This unilateral decision made by the broadcaster has to be challenged, there is simply too much at stake not only for the countless crew members and the company in question, but also the wider industry, this establishes a very dangerous precedent," the South African Screen Federation (Sasfed) told TVwithThinus in a statement.

"Any going business concern has to have a degree of predictability to be able to plan and survive, with our major broadcaster not willing to honour legally binding contracts, such contracts become meaningless adversely affecting our emerging industry".

SABC’s bizarre decision criticised

The South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) told TVwithThinus High Rollers’ cancellation "will have a profoundly negative impact on the production company and the 103 members of cast and crew".

"Many actors on the show, including SAGA members, have given up other possible earning opportunities in order to commit their time to High Rollers. Having the rug pulled out from under their feet like this means they will face the prospect of a very bleak Christmas."

"SAGA is deeply concerned that if the SABC is willing to cancel production contracts before their scheduled prescription, then nothing prevents the broadcaster cancelling other existing production contracts at an even greater expense to the taxpayer."

"The impact of this cancellation will therefore be felt throughout the industry and will add to speculation that responsible and competent leadership at the state broadcaster has been compromised at its highest levels."

SAGA says "the decision to cancel High Rollers which has earned a loyal following on SABC3, seems quite bizarre.  In announcing their intention to cancel the show, the SABC has demonstrated a reversal of its own much-publicised commitment to developing local content."

'Money thrown out the window'

A longtime producer working on shows for the SABC and other broadcasters, told TVwithThinus that "while in America contracts specifically feature the right to cancellation at specific stages if the ARs (audience ratings) of a show are not adequate, I have never seen such a clause in a SABC contract".

"As such, unless the producers are specifically in breach of elements of their contract, the SABC has no right to terminate the production. And even if there is a ratings clause which permits cancellation, one wonders why the same is not happening to Hlaudi Motsoeneng's crap commissions."

"If High Rollers is cancelled now, the SABC will have to pay for all work done and contracted until the final day of the notice period, which will be more money thrown out of the window as the SABC will never be able to use or air any of that work," said the veteran producer.

While the ratings for High Rollers has fallen since May when Hlaudi Motsoeneng abruptly ordered a quota of 80% local content for the channel – a plan that flopped – the viewership decrease for the show is in line with the entire SABC3 viewership that keeps spiralling down month after month since the introduction of the new crop of local shows that all failed to attract viewers.

BREAKING. 'We need to fight for our public broadcaster,' says the South African Screen Federation, asking members to join SABC protest action.

''We need to fight for our public broadcaster.''

So says the South African Screen Federation (Sasfed) calling on all members and member organisations to mobilise en masse for this Thursday 24 November's planned massive public protest action at the SABC, set to take place at 13:00 at the SABC's Auckland Park headquarters in Johannesburg in Henley Avenue and at the visitors' centre at parliament in Cape Town.

Sasfed is now calling on all members to join the public picketing at the SABC on Thursday 24 November. Sasfed represents a vast and diverse number of TV and film industry organisations in South Africa - ranging from organisations such as the Documentary Filmmakers Association (DFA) and the Independent Producers Organisation (IPO) to the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA), the Official South African Casting Association (OCSA SA), The South African Guild of Editors (SAGE) to Women in Film and Television SA and many more.

Following a similar public protest in 2009 against the South Africa's public broadcaster, South Africa's TV industry together with pressure groups and trade representative bodies such as Sasfed are now demanding the immediate removal of dr Ben Ngubane as SABC chairperson.

Planning to wear black and red, the collective public protest group says they're tired of the SABC who remains unable to get it's house in order while the broadcaster remains mired in debt and plagued by management instability.

The SABC didn't respond to media enquiries made this week about the TV industry's demand that dr Ben Ngubane step down, or the planned public protest action scheduled for this Thursday.