Puo Pha Productions says unpaid cast, crew and suppliers of Tjovitjo will still be paid; says unpaid problem is its own and not the SABC's fault.

The independent black producers behind the new drama Tjovitjo on SABC1 has come out to say that is is not the public broadcaster's fault that cast, crew and suppliers have not been paid  - but its own - and that those who haven't been paid their money will get it.

Despite initial record ratings on SABC1 for the Sunday night show of 5.7 million viewers for the first episode in August that then levelled off, the show has been struggling to pay everyone involved in the making of it.

Puo Pha Productions in a statement says it's not the SABC's fault that people have gone unpaid and that they will still get their money due.

"The outstanding payment due to cast, crew and suppliers will be paid as per our communication to the affected parties, which we have been in constant communication with," says the production company in a statement. "The last communication was as recent as a week ago."

"Some of our cast, crew and suppliers are understandably upset about how this issue has affected their lives," says Puo Pha Productions.

The company isn't explaining why it hasn't paid people and where the money it received from the SABC has gone. The company is also not giving any payment date.

Puo Pha Productions says "a lack of funds" is preventing the "outstanding final payments to all those involved in the making of Tjovitjo".

Puo Pha Productions says "we'd like to upfront correct the misinformation that the delayed-payments are as a result of the SABC, when in fact the SABC have been the most supportive stakeholder of Tjovitjo."

"It has been more than outstanding and demonstrated incredible understanding to us as black independent producers. This is a relationship we want to grow and cement."

Pou Pha Productions slams the department of trade and industry (DTI) and its Black Filmmakers Rebate Scheme.

"Tjovitjo was a perfect opportunity for the DTI to truly empower small black business but it failed us".

SABC1's holds 'Spring Burst' Newtown event hoo-haa about new drama Tjovitjo although channel head Clara Nzima promises more new shows 'in the upcoming months'.

The SABC's SABC1 channel did a "Spring Burst" media launch in Johannesburg's industrial Newtown district on Thursday afternoon to launch supposed new programming and get some media exposure but the event gathering was basically only a media hoo-haa for the channel's new gritty pantsula dance show Tjovitjo and not much else.

The start of Tjovitjo on Sunday night at 20:00 will see the new half hour drama be followed by the umpteenth rebroadcast of the beyond stale 10-episode drama series Shaka Zulu, suddenly replacing the abruptly ditched magazine show Zaziwa in the 20:30 timeslot that will now only return on 8 November mid-way through its 5th season.

SABC1 conveniently didn't say a word about it or why it's made the programming move to yet again replay an over 3 decades old drama in prime time instead of new content.

The SABC literally seems unable to stop showing Henry Cele's Shaka Zulu - whether as filler to pad schedules holes or for whatever reason. The 1986 show literally was on SABC3 in 2014, then on SABC Encore in 2015 less than two years ago, and now its on SABC1. Again.

"SABC1 is known for its quality local drama offering," says Clara Nzima, SABC1 channel head, in a statement.

"The decision to extend this offering to the weekend is paying off. We are looking forward to the channel's new tranche of programming launched in the month of August 2017".

"In line with the agenda of a developmental country and the call to 'open up the industry', the drama series, Tjovitjo takes ordinary South African youth who have never acted before let alone been on TV and turns their lives around, transforming them into stars".

"Through a variety of our programs [sic] we continue to provide a guaranteed platform of expression for both the established and undiscovered talented and creative youth of Mzansi," said Clara Nzima in the statement.

SABC1 didn't elaborate much on the other programming on offer but notes that "other exciting additions to the schedule will include the introduction of 2 brand new local sitcoms, Rented Family and uThuli Nothulani".

These shows already started.

"Back by popular demand is the documentary strand Sisters with Soul which now includes male artists under the new banner, Sisters and Brothers with Soul."

"Other shows brought back by popular demand are Shaka Zulu and Intersexions S1 which will serve to strengthen the channel's Sunday prime-time offering, providing our audience with an enhanced viewing experience."

"Viewers should look forward to brand new shows coming to SABC1 in the upcoming months," says Clara Nzima.

KINDA TRASHY. Poor Pearl! Pearl Modiadie had to hear from the media that SABC1 abruptly dumped Zaziwa from Sunday for ... Shaka Zulu.

Poor Pearl, nobody apparently bothered to tell her Zaziwa has abruptly been dumped from the SABC1 schedule from this Sunday to make way for ... Shaka Zulu.

SABC style, a flabbergasted Pearl Modiadie had to hear from the media and not the SABC that uhm, Zaziwa has abruptly been shelved from its struggling Sunday evening timeslot.

SABC1's channel head Clara Nzima decided that Zaziwa must make way from this Sunday for an old Shaka Zulu 10-partner at 20:30.

Pearl Modiadie presents and produces Zaziwa.

The struggling Zaziwa will move back to a weekday from 8 November after ratings for the show tanked when SABC1 in February moved it from its Wednesday timeslot to Sundays, losing more than a million viewers for the SABC.

SABC1 publicist Phillip Mabitsela didn't respond to a media enquiry as to why Zaziwa - only midway through its 5th season and with 36 episodes left - is being taken off the air for two and a half months.

Zaziwa's could have gotten somewhat of a ratings boost as the lead-out from the new Tjovitjo starting this Sunday at 20:00 on SABC1 if the gritty pantsula dance drama itself manages to lure big enough audiences.

Now the SABC will treat SABC1 viewers to the umpteenth reshowing of the 1986 Shaka Zulu drama with Henry Cele in the title role that actually more belongs on MultiChoice and the SABC's library rerun channel SABC Encore (DStv 156) on DStv.

SABC rips Zaziwa from its SABC1 Sunday night timeslot of 20:30 replacing it with Shaka Zulu reruns as it gets ready to launch pantsula drana Tjovitjo.

The SABC has abruptly pulled the ratings-battered magazine music show Zaziwa from its Sunday night timeslot of 20:30 on SABC1 to replace it with another old rebroadcast of Shaka Zulu, as the public broadcaster gets ready to media launch its new Sunday night pantsula dancers drama, Tjovitjo on Thursday in Johannesburg.

The once hugely successful Zaziwa was a SABC and SABC1 top-performer in the ratings on Thursday evenings until the SABC finally went through with moving it to Sunday nights in February this year after deciding to do it in October 2016 but scuppering the schedule change at the last minute.

Zaziwa's ratings plunged and now the SABC wants it gone from the 20:30 Sunday night timeslot following the new 20:00 drama Tjovitjo, going as far as rather scheduling the old Shaka Zulu drama for yet another repeat in prime time.

The SABC apparently plans to move Zaziwa back to a weeknight timeslot in a few months' time after the ratings-hemorrhage of more than a million viewers who abandoned the show.

On Thursday SABC1 will have a media launch in Johannesburg for Tjovitjo, produced by Puo Pha Productions' Lodi Matsetela and Vincent Moloi.

The gritty Tjovitjo filmed at Crown Mines outside Johannesburg, follows a struggling group of pantsula dancers and is the SABC's counter-programming answer for Mzansi Magic's (DStv 161) successful iNumber Number drama that recently started in the 20:00 timeslot and that Tjovitjo will try and lure viewers from.

The 26-episode Tjovitjo stars Warren Masemola as Mafred, the leader of the struggling dance group in the Tjovitjo community with as cast that includes Rapulana Seiphemo, Tebogo Chauke and Harriet Manamela.

Strangely Zaziwa will no longer be the lead-out to Tjovitjo that could have helped it gain viewers, but has been removed to make space for the 10-episode reshowing of 1986's Shaka Zulu with Henry Cele in the title role.