Scandal! crew member Gary Megit dies in tragic accident after moving set on e.tv's Ochre Moving Pictures show

by Thinus Ferreira

Gary Megit (50), a crew member working on e.tv's Scandal! has died following a tragic accident after the team moved a section of the set.

Gary Megit, also known as "Gaz" and "Gazza", and who worked as a vision controller, was injured this past Friday while crew members helped to move a section of the Scandal! set and was taken to hospital.

The Arena Holdings-owned production company Ochre Moving Pictures confirmed to TVwithThinus that Gary Megit died in hospital on Sunday.

Gary Megit joined Ochre Moving Pictures in 2011, and previously worked as a vision controller at e.tv, eNCA, Stark Films, as well as Urban Brew Studios.

Stan Joseph, Ochre Moving Pictures CEO, says the team is devastated by the incident and Megit's passing. This is a time of immense sadness. Our deepest condolences go out to Gary's family."

"We are a very close-knit team on the show and are heartbroken by what's happened. Gary was a cherished member of the team and will remain in our hearts forever. We ask that Gary’s loved ones and the Scandal! team be given privacy and allowed to mourn with dignity during this painful time."

Joseph says the production team of Scandal! "places immense value and importance on the safety and security of its cast and crew".

"We take the safety of our cast and crew very seriously. This was an unforeseen and tragic accident."

SABC1 adds local legal eagle drama with Pallance Dladla solving a murder mystery.

by Thinus Ferreira

SABC1 has commissioned a new locally produced legal eagle drama series Good Men from Ochre Media which will debut on the channel on 4 September in the competitive Sunday-night 20:00-timeslot.

Good Men - with Stan Joseph as executive producer and Portia Gumede as writer who is also showrunner - has 16 episodes broken into two seasons of eight episodes each, and starts when two men from different background come into direct opposition with each other in the court.

Zola (Tabile Tau), a 17-year old math genius with a temper and in his matric year, is accused of murder.

Pallance Dladla plays Jama, the brilliant but ruthless and materialistic criminal defence lawyer whose life takes a drastic turn when he must take on a pro-bono case. 

SABC1 says Good Men will show a "cross-section of real-life, from elite to underclass" with "both men who meet at a threatening point in their lives, each desperately wanting to save themselves".

Gugu Mbuyaze (Kamogelo Ndawo), a 17-year old girl, is connected to Zola and has "a potentially bright future and a big heart" whose whirlwind romance with Zola is cut short by his death.

Mbali Mlotshwa has the role of Betty, fiancé to Jama. She is a prosecutor and wants to see justice done, while Thabo Malema plays the role of Lwazi Nzimande, a civil litigator. He met his wife Ivy (Petronella Tshuma) at a law school, and she is the whisper in his ear telling him to fight to get his name on the door of the Meyiwa and Associates law firm. 

Dumisani Mbebe plays the role of Solezwe Blose who dreams of becoming president. The rest of the Good Men cast includes Marcus Mabusela, Zikhona Sodlaka, Sparky Xulu, Cedric Fourie, Lebogang Motaung, Lihle Ngubo and Mbali Mapumulo.

"Good Men touches on a socio-matter, as society turns a blind eye and reacts with passionate disgust when the tragedy strikes," Portia Gumede tells TVwithThinus. "In the heart of it, it's a human drama with the justice system having to play its part at the end of the day."